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Music director’s global victory
Jon Simsic will travel to England for a performance of his composition.
A Mahoning Valley music director and teacher has won an international competition for composers of church music.
Jon Simsic took first place in the Royal School of Church Music’s 2008 competition for his song “Harvest Hymn.” In addition to a cash prize of 100 British pounds, Simsic’s composition will be performed by the Royal School’s chorister at Salisbury Cathedral in London in the fall of 2009. Simsic plans to attend the performance.
In their comments accompanying the award, the adjudicators of the competition had this to say about Simsic’s piece:
“There is one clear and outright winner ...: ‘Harvest Hymn’ by American composer Jon Simsic. This anthem ... shows a sophistication rarely seen previously in this competition.”
The Royal School of Church Music is based in England, and its U.S. headquarters are in Akron. Its primary purpose is to educate young persons through exposure to high-quality church music.
Entering the competition was a natural for Simsic, who said he loves the English choral tradition and is constantly searching for ways to enhance his teaching and conducting techniques.
“Harvest Hymn” is an adapted setting of a poem by Sarojini Naidu from her collection, “The Golden Threshold.”
“The contest called for a Thanksgiving/Harvest/Agrarian theme, so I found the beautiful poem by Naidu and set it to music,” said Simsic. “I did, however, adapt it for Christian worship, as the original poem contained Hindu deity references.”
There are no plans to perform the hymn locally, but Simsic said he is open to any opportunities. “I may program it this spring with the Salem Youth Chorus, of which I am the music director,” he said.
Simsic is a Cleveland native and currently lives in Akron, but his music career is centered in the in the Mahoning Valley and beyond. He has a masters degree from YSU.
Simsic is the artistic director of youth music and theater for the Salem Community Theatre. In 2007, he founded the Salem Youth Chorus to provide teens with the musical opportunity to experience great choral works by the Classical masters.
Simsic was appointed music director of the Canton Children’s Chorus in January. He also serves as a conductor for Valley Lyric Opera in Greenville, Pa., for which he will conduct “Madama Butterfly” in January.
Simsic teaches voice lessons for the music theater program at Youngstown State University. He will conduct the YSU opera Department’s production of “The Tender Land” in the spring.
He also served as music director and conductor for the Ohio Boychoir from 2004 to 2006. Before that, he founded and served as music director of Seraphim, a chamber orchestra and chorus based in Youngstown.
He was chorus master and assistant conductor of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra from 1990-1999.
Simsic has served on the faculties of the YSU’s Dana School of Music and Slippery Rock University’s music department. He is the former conductor of YSU’s theater department.