Kentucky Salvationist Wins International Music Competition
Micah Roberts, soldier and musician of the Frankfort, Kentucky Corps, was declared overall winner and public commendation prize winner of the International Brass Ensemble Composer Competition 2023 for his piece, “Mount Auburn” for trombone choir. Micah is currently studying for his master’s degree in music theory at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, previously receiving his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and music education at Austin Peay State University. His future plans include getting his PhD in music theory at a school in New England.
Micah’s journey in composing began through arranging pieces of music for marching band where he was able to “practice writing in different styles.” Later, he began taking composition lessons and now writes for many diverse groups, including traditional pieces for chamber ensembles as well as Salvation Army brass band music for his divisional band in the Kentucky-Tennessee Division.
“Mount Auburn” is based on Micah’s experiences while moving to a new city. Moving from Nashville, Tennessee to Cincinnati, Ohio was a momentous change in his life, especially while “adjusting to being a real adult.” Micah hopes that the piece shows “the optimism that one can have during troubling times.” The piece was sparked by Micah’s experience with stress during this period of change and instability in his life; anytime he felt stressed, he “took his feelings and put them into” music. Writing the piece helped him process and deal with the stress of being in a new place and a new point in life.
Micah remarks that he felt blessed when he learned he made it to the final rounds of the competition. He began following the YouTube voting very closely and saw he was “gaining momentum in the public voting.” His response upon winning the competition was that it “felt like blessing after blessing.”
Micah’s affiliation with The Salvation Army has had a major impact on his composing. He looks up to many Army composers, admiring their compositional styles and skills, as well as the Salvation Army music leaders who have inspired him and guided him on his journey.
When writing music, Micah finds that he must see a meaning and a purpose behind the music, otherwise he feels he is working for nothing. He has found that setting an arrangement of a hymn tune or preparing something for worship can be incredibly meaningful. Micah says, in The Salvation Army, “what separates [us] from other traditions is that our music has a higher message.” Our music is meant to “glorify God,” not to merely make ourselves look and sound good. Micah reveals that he spends time in prayer before composing such a piece to make sure he is truly capturing the spirit of the hymn and crafting it for the glory of God. The best advice he has for anyone interested in composing music is to pray about it first. He urges that when writing, you must write with a purpose, and you must do it for the right reasons. Soli Deo Gloria – glory to God alone.