Intern Reports

Cade Singleton

I am grateful for the amazing opportunity I had to participate in the Barlow Endowment judging session this year at Snowbird.

As an intern, while not directly involved in the judging process, spending time around the experienced composers and musicians who were judging taught me much about the process. Even amazing composers are just people like the rest of us with experiences, emotions, and thoughts, and the ability to put those perspectives into the music is important to craft a piece that really touches people and stands out above the rest. This judging experience provided wonderful insight into the use of emotion and character in music.

An impressive part of the process was the high quantity of top-quality submissions, and several artists that can create something new, sophisticated, emotional, and deserving of this prize. We got to a point in the final round where, as one judge put it, “We are at a point where no matter who we choose, every person on this board is perfectly qualified and skilled enough to be deserving of the prize.” That’s an inspiration for my own submissions to grants and competitions in the future. These artists that didn’t come home with the prize still put forth very strong pieces that were debated, perfectly worthy and good, and got intensely reviewed and seen by judges of importance and caliber. This shows me that just because I don’t win something doesn’t mean that my effort wasn’t good or that my work is insufficient.

There is so much more that I learned, the amazing musicians I met, and all the inspiration to create art that I received from this experience. I am very grateful for the Barlow family and their huge contribution to the artistic world, and I plan to apply for this endowment in coming years and support the arts in whatever way I can in the future. The assistance from the Barlow family and the impact it has had on my career is something I will be forever grateful for.

Eleanor Smith

Working as an intern for the 2023 Barlow Endowment was a remarkable experience, and I’m grateful to the Barlow family for providing such an extraordinary opportunity.

One of my favorite parts of the judging process was meeting professional composers and performers from around the world. While working with these judges, I had the chance to learn more about their personal and professional lives. Through these conversations, I became more familiar with the music industry and countless career opportunities available.

During the judging process, I also had the chance to view a wide range of diverse submissions. As the judges carefully examined each entry, I compared their feedback to my own thoughts about the pieces, making note of the similarities and differences in our observations. I especially took note of how they viewed orchestration, playability, and form, and considered how I could apply this feedback in my own work.

Watching the judges narrow down the final few submissions was especially eye-opening. I asked several judges what they were looking for in a winning entry, and each one gave a different set of criteria. Although some judges had conflicting opinions, the discussions were always respectful, and were an excellent model of creative collaboration and compromise. I came away from these discussions with a greater ability to think critically about the music I encounter and create.

Jinxin Fu

Working as an intern for the 2023 Barlow Endowment was a remarkable experience, and I’m grateful to the Barlow family for providing such an extraordinary opportunity.

One of my favorite parts of the judging process was meeting professional composers and performers from around the world. While working with these judges, I had the chance to learn more about their personal and professional lives. Through these conversations, I became more familiar with the music industry and countless career opportunities available.

During the judging process, I also had the chance to view a wide range of diverse submissions. As the judges carefully examined each entry, I compared their feedback to my own thoughts about the pieces, making note of the similarities and differences in our observations. I especially took note of how they viewed orchestration, playability, and form, and considered how I could apply this feedback in my own work.

Watching the judges narrow down the final few submissions was especially eye-opening. I asked several judges what they were looking for in a winning entry, and each one gave a different set of criteria. Although some judges had conflicting opinions, the discussions were always respectful, and were an excellent model of creative collaboration and compromise. I came away from these discussions with a greater ability to think critically about the music I encounter and create.

Quinton Porter

This was an extraordinary experience, especially for an undergraduate composition student. Observing the discussions that take place during a judging session for a composition competition was particularly enlightening, not only because it reveals what judges generally look for in a piece of music, but because it is demonstrative of what the very best composers and performers value in music. They excel at what they do because of what they have determined to be important in their own music, and this knowledge can help me to follow in their footsteps and become a better composer and musician.

It was also really cool to be able to listen to all of the submissions. It helped me start to understand what I value in a piece of music. It was interesting to see how my opinions of the various composer’s submitted pieces stacked up against those of the judges, and I felt very validated when many of my opinions and favorites matched theirs.

Lastly, it was neat and a bit intimidating to be able to spend time with the judges in a more casual setting. I wish I had spent more time talking to them because the conversations that I did have revealed both the musical and non-musical facets of the lives of great composers and performers. Beyond just the delight of having these conversations, it was cool to see the behind-the-scenes of great music. I will have to figure out which of those facets are worth applying to my life.

I feel very privileged and blessed to have had this opportunity, even more so to have had it twice. My gratitude goes out to everyone who made this possible!

Samuel Ericksen

I am grateful for my experience with this internship. It was an opportunity beyond anything I could have expected, and I am honored to have been involved. My thanks go out to the Barlow family for making this all possible.

My overall experience as an intern for the Barlow Endowment was thoroughly enlightening. It was a select group of judges, which led to a rather close-knit environment, and as such much of my learning was surprisingly direct and personally applicable. I was given many opportunities to connect with fellow musicians, whether they were seasoned professionals serving as judges or my peers amongst the interns. I was able to speak directly with industry professionals who were very gracious in answering my questions and offering advice.

During the discourse in the competition, I heard a variety of insights that I can apply to my music. My notes were myriad, but among them were the following: A lot of professionals crave conventional ideas like a solid melody or rhythm, so long as they’re made to feel fresh. Similarly, developing a clear personal voice and personality in my music is imperative to sounding unique. I also learned to show care for the score. A well-presented piece matters to performer and critic alike. Having a clear development and form is impressive. If the listener skips a minute ahead and is hearing the same thing, that’s not a great sign. When called upon to write for a specific instrument or genre, seek to know it well, as idiomatic writing is impressive. Even the more debated or unanswered questions can be valuable for learning, such as: What is originality? What makes music sound new? What is accessibility, and what is its importance?

Thank you so much to the Barlow family for this one-of-a-kind experience!