Demarion Williams, a fourth grader at Pattengill Elementary School, was recently recognized at the 2024 Young Composers of Michigan Premier Concert for an original musical composition he created in music class last year.
The concert, run by the Michigan Music Education Association (MMEA), highlights standout musical work by K-12 students from across the state. Compositions are reviewed by professional musicians and mentors over the summer, and only a select few are chosen to be featured each January at the Michigan Music Conference.
Out of a record number of submissions this year, Demarion’s piece was one of just 14 selected. And at the age of 9, he was one of the youngest honorees as well as the only student from Ann Arbor Public Schools recognized this year.
Demarion has a recorder at home that he likes to play, and next year, in 5th grade he plans to play the violin.
Pattengill music teacher John Churchville says he admires Demarion’s courage.
“Not just because he had the courage to create his own music,” says Churchville, “but also because he had the courage to share it. It takes a lot of bravery to share your creations with the world, and I am so proud of Demarion for taking the steps to do that. He has inspired his classmates to follow in his footsteps.”
Demarion created the selected composition using Soundtrap, a music creation software provided by the district. Churchville says he loves using the platform in his classes and that it’s actually a collection of many creative tools that modern-day musicians use to make their music.
“Students can create beats, explore the thousands of musical ‘loops’ that are basically pre-recorded sounds that span all genres of music and include instruments from all over the world,” he says. “They can manipulate, layer and organize the loops to make unique and personalized music. I find that elementary students have two essential qualities that make Soundtrap a perfect fit for them: They are very adept at using technology, and they are incredibly creative.”
He says that on “sharing days” the students have the opportunity to listen to one another’s pieces, and that this is where their creativity really takes hold.
“They see what their classmates are doing, bounce ideas off one another, and learn from every piece they see,” he says. “Soundtrap allows them to share their projects with each other, so they also learn how to collaborate and make music together. It is really an amazing process to watch unfold, and the more they use it, the better their music sounds.”
Churchville uses Soundtrap with all of his students. In kindergarten and first grade, they record themselves singing and making music with classroom instruments while older students start using it on their own to make their own creations.
“Although I probably use Soundtrap more than most elementary music teachers,” he says, “many teachers at AAPS are starting to see the usefulness and creative potential it holds.”
The goal of Young Composers of Michigan is to support the development of Michigan’s K-12 students as creators, producers and performers.
Submissions are now open for the 2025 Young Composers concert.
