Patrick Holcomb (BM Composition, Horn '18) was one of eight composers awarded with the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) Student Composer Award. The award is presented annually to composers under the age of 28. Nearly 600 composers living in the Western Hemisphere competed for the prize this year.
The melody of Patrick's award-winning composition "Persephone" came to him while walking through a CVS pharmacy in Ocean View, Delaware. The melody evoked the sound of waves, wind, and seagulls. It wasn't until winter break of his senior year that he wrote the melody down, and didn’t return to it until he had started graduate school at Indiana University.