Express the Music

Express the Music is a free, cross-curricular competition that integrates creative writing into English language arts and fine arts curriculums. Celebrating over 20 years in existence, Express the Music invites students in grades 6-12 to discover a new orchestral work and respond with prose or poetry inspired by the music. This year's music selection is Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. 

Celebrate our 2020 Express the Music Winners!

This season, more than 2,000 students from 42 schools across the bi-state area participated in Express the Music. 476 compositions were submitted by teachers to the writing competition, and from this group 47 finalists were selected. 

Congratulations to the top winners, and to all the 2020 Finalists!

Click on each winner's name to view their entry.

Prose (Junior Division):

First place: Hannah Moon, 8th grade, Wydown Middle School

Second place: Melanie Migneco, 7th grade, Truman Middle School

Third place: Julia DeWeese, 8th grade, Truman Middle School

Prose (Senior Division):

First place: Marian Fonseca, 12th grade, Villa Duchesne

Second place: Betsy Benzinger, 12 grade, Villa Duchesne

Third place: Ava Brouster, 9th grade, Villa Duchesne

Poetry (Junior Division):

First place: Laney Spaulding, 7th grade, Lincoln Middle School

Second place: Claire Fodge, 8th grade, LaSalle Springs Middle School              

Third place: Vivian Wang, 7th grade, Wydown Middle School

Poetry (Senior Division):

First place: Zoe DeYoung, 11th grade, Parkway West High School

Second place: Isadora Karathanos, 12th grade, Belleville West High School

Third place: Ally Martin, 11th grade, Parkway West High School

All finalists' compositions have been published in a physical booklet that will be distributed to teachers or parents in August. 

 download the booklet PDF