2024 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge Winners
2024 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge winners, from left to right: Owen Yeh-Lee, Luisa Paraguassu, Maya Johnson, Isabella Nguyen, Tabitha Moore, Sydney Gray, Ale Fonseca, and Gwendellyn Doerfler. Photo by Rebecca J. Michelson
The 2023-2024 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge winners—one duo and six individuals—hail from seven states and were selected by a panel of leaders in the musical theater field from more than 100 submissions.
The 2023-2024 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge kicked off in fall 2023. Over the fall and winter, students had access to online masterclasses and coaching sessions, among other songwriting tips. Students submitted a draft of their songs and received personalized constructive critique from successful musical theater songwriters. Students then had the option to revise their songs before entering their compositions for final judging. Read more in our press release.
The seven winning songs for the 2023-24 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge were presented in a special concert featuring Broadway artists, recorded live from the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center in New York City. Winning students came to New York City in June 2024 where they worked with their mentors and music directors to hone their orchestrations while learning about process, technique, and production. Read more in our press release.
In addition, each winning student received a scholarship of $2,500, provided by the NMPA S.O.N.G.S. Foundation.
Click on each winner’s name below for more information, including bios, photos, song summaries, and a recording from the June 2024 concert.
Please note: Bios, including the school grade and school name, are taken from their applications submitted in spring 2024.
2024 WINNERS
- Gwendellyn Doerfler—Dewitt High School in Dewitt, Michigan—11th grade student
- Ale Fonseca—Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer in Miami, Florida—12th grade student
- Sydney Gray—Fairhope High School in Fairhope, Alabama—11th grade student
- Isabella Nguyen and Maya Johnson—Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas—11th grade students
- Tabitha Moore—Valley Stream Central High School in Valley Stream, New York—12th grade student
- Luisa Paraguassu—Davidson Day School in Mooresville, North Carolina—12th grade student
- Owen Yeh-Lee—The Nueva School in Palo Alto, California—a 12th grade student