(OMAHA, NE) — Students in grades K-12 from Nebraska and Iowa are invited to submit works of poetry on themes of emotion, connection, uncovering history, and becoming un-stuck. Selected poems will be set to music and premiered during a public concert in May 2021.

From the pool of submissions, composers Matt Browne and Frances Pollock, alumni of The American Opera Project’s Composers and the Voice training program, will select poems to set to music. This is not a contest, as the composers will select poems based on what inspires them. The selected poets will have the opportunity to participate with the composer in a workshop to further develop the piece with the composer and musicians, participating in the behind-the-scenes process. The completed works will be performed in concert by Opera Omaha’s Holland Community Opera Fellows as vocalists and local musicians.

Opera Omaha’s Poetry & Music Project is produced in partnership with Nebraska Writers Collective and The American Opera Project.

Full project information including suggested prompts created by Nebraska Writers Collective and poem submission form available on operaomaha.org/poetry.

Writing Workshops

Opera Omaha and Nebraska Writers Collective are facilitating writing workshops focused on poetry writing for music. All workshops will be virtual and created to meet teacher and classroom needs. Workshops are free and will be scheduled on a first come basis. Teachers interested in participating must submit an interest form to be contacted about scheduling a writing workshop for students, which can be accessed at operaomaha.org/poetry.

Submission Guidelines

Open to All K-12 Students in Nebraska and Iowa

Students may submit up to 2 poems

All work must be original

Poems should be in PDF or Word file format

Poems should be on the themes, but do not need to use suggested prompts

Poems may be in any structure, but will be more conducive to being set to music if they are under 250 words

Poems must be submitted with completed and signed submission form

Submission Instructions

Email Poem(s) and completed signed submission form to poetry@operaomaha.org

Poem Submission Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2020