About Me
I am 21 years old from Goshen, Indiana, from a music-making family and community.
I've been a musician my entire life and have been composing for nearly a decade.
I had a very supportive network of teachers, family, and friends who encouraged me to pursue my love for writing music. I would not have discovered or cultivated my passion for this art form without them.
FUN FACT: Sam wrote her first composition because it was an orchestra project in middle school!
Music Education
Sam began learning about music through choir and orchestra in elementary school, continuing to be involved in both ensembles through high school and is continuing her involvement while in college.
After an orchestra project in middle school about composition, Sam realized that she not only enjoyed writing music, but apparently had a knack for it! She continued to compose music for string quartet and orchestra with the immense support of her family, friends, and music educators.
Now, Sam is a fourth-year music student at Goshen College. Though she still plays viola in orchestra and sings soprano two in choir, her degree focus is in composition, and she is extremely grateful for the formal music theory and composition education after many years of unstructured composing.
Sam Stoltzfus standing with Sonya Hayes backstage in Pike Performing Arts Center in 2018, after the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra debuted Sam's winning compositions.
Achievements
The first composition Sam ever wrote, a string quartet piece titled "Battle Shore", was written for a middle school orchestra project. Sam and a few of her classmates, at the encouragement of their teacher and director, submitted their pieces to the IMEA (Indiana Music Education Association) Composition Competition. After winning first place in her category, Sam realized that she seemed to have a knack for composing. It was fun, so she continued to write string ensemble pieces in her free time.
The two pieces ("Sea of Thought" and "Kalayo") that she submitted to the IMEA competition her 8th grade year both won, giving Sam the opportunity her freshman year of high school to travel to Indianapolis and hear her pieces performed by the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra. Kalayo was also performed by Sam's high school freshman orchestra, which she was a part of.
These two pieces debuted in a performance that included works by Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, and solo performances by internationally recognized solo violinist, Sonya Hayes.
Future Composing
Sam is working on composing with a wider variety of instruments, combinations, and musical styles. She is currently preparing for her two recitals, where her music will be played live at Goshen College. She is also writing a variety of pieces inspired by her own fantasy writing, as Sam is extremely interested in the world of movie, TV, and video game scoring, particularly in the fantasy genre.
As well as her recitals, Sam is writing her first full-orchestra piece and working on a commission. Sam will graduate with her music degree next winter and will continue to write music and look for opportunities to score.
As Sam's career develops, more will be added!
Stay tuned to follow along with her compositional journey!