A signature Heartland Youth Choir experience connecting young singers with living composers, meaningful repertoire, and the creative process behind the music.

Meet the Composer

Meet the Composer is one of Heartland Youth Choir’s signature annual experiences, giving young singers the opportunity to work with a living composer whose music they are studying and performing.

Through rehearsals, conversations, and a final performance, singers gain a deeper understanding of the music they sing while learning directly from the person who created it. This experience helps singers connect more deeply with the text, meaning, and creative process behind choral music.

Each season, Meet the Composer invites HYC singers to grow as musicians, storytellers, and collaborators.

Who Can Participate?

Meet the Composer Festival welcomes participation from Heartland Youth Choir singers, individual guest singers, and school or community choirs. A central part of this experience is helping bring high-quality choral learning opportunities to singers and communities throughout Iowa, including rural areas where access to events like this may be limited.

School & Community Choirs

School & community choir registration for 2026 has closed.

Individual Guest Singers (Grades 4–8)

Individual singer registration for 2026 has closed.

Interested in future opportunities? Check back on this page for updates about the upcoming Meet the Composer festival.

Why Meet the Composer Matters

Meet the Composer gives singers the chance to experience music beyond the notes on the page. By working with a guest composer, singers learn how musical choices, text, culture, and personal expression come together in performance.

This experience helps singers build confidence, strengthen musicianship, and understand the creative process behind the music they share with an audience.

Event Information

Meet the Composer Festival is typically held each spring. Details for the next festival, including guest composer information, performance date, location, and participation opportunities, will be shared as they are confirmed.

Please check back for updates about Heartland Youth Choir’s next Meet the Composer Festival.

Past Featured Composer

Heartland Youth Choir is proud to celebrate the composers who have shared their time, music, and creative insight with our singers.

Andy Beck joined HYC as our 2026 Meet the Composer featured guest, working with singers throughout the rehearsal and performance process.

Andy is Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music and a prolific composer and arranger with more than 450 choral works, vocal resources, and children’s musicals currently in print. His music is performed by singers worldwide, and he is a highly sought-after guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician for music educators and students across the United States and beyond.

Career Highlights

  • More than 450 choral works in print

  • Frequent guest conductor and clinician nationwide

  • Commissioned composer and guest conductor for honor choirs of all ages

  • Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music

A Legacy of Excellence

The Meet the Composer Festival has been bringing world-class choral artists to Iowa since 2008. We are proud to have welcomed so many talented composers and conductors over the years:

  • Ken Berg (2007)

  • Jim Papoulis (2008)

  • Stephen Hatfield (2009)

  • Mark Sirett (2010)

  • Z. Randall Stroope (2011)

  • Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory (2012)

  • Jay Broeker (2014)

  • Dr. Rollo Dilworth (2015)

  • Andrea Ramsey (2016)

  • Ken Berg (2017)

  • Elaine Hagenberg (2018)

  • Jacob Narverud (2019)

  • Tom Shelton (2022)

  • Laura Farnell (2023)

  • Victor C. Johnson (2024)

  • LeeAnn Starkey (2025)

  • Andy Beck (2026)

We look forward to adding many more names to this list in the years to come!

Join Heartland Youth Choir

Meet the Composer is one of many experiences that helps HYC singers grow in confidence, musicianship, leadership, and community.

Heartland Youth Choir offers ensembles for singers in Pre-K through 12th grade, with opportunities for musical growth at every level.

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Support Heartland Youth Choir

Special experiences like Meet the Composer Festival are made possible through the support of families, donors, volunteers, and community partners.

Your support helps HYC continue creating meaningful musical opportunities for young singers across Central Iowa.

Make a Gift to HYC