Call for High School Essays--"The Ludwig Lesson"

Calling all High School Writers and Their Teachers! 

Submit essays for "The Ludwig Lesson," a Beethoven-Inspired Writing Contest! The contest is part of ECU's Beethoven at 250! Celebration this February 23rd and the Hallie Brown Fine Arts Center. The event is free to the public, and essay winners will get a chance to read their works before the audience! 

You can choose one of the following options for your essay (length is not important): 

Option A) Write about a specific piece of Beethoven's that you find truly inspiring and moving. It could be a single movement of a symphony or concerto or sonata. You might consider the opening of the Moonlight Sonata (No. 14), the slow movement of the 9th Symphony, the last movement of the 5th or the 7th symphonies, for example. You can explain how the music does what it does either technically or purely in terms of sound or emotion. 

Option B) Write about any valuable lessons that can be learned from Beethoven's life, the times he lived in, his personal and political struggles, or his unique talents. You might consider his political radicalism, his enthusiasm and later disillusionment with Napoleon, or the psychological and physical challenges he faced. You might comment on how his life experience and his achievements are relevant to you personally and to modern society more generally.

E-mail entries to jgrasso@ecok.edu by February 9th! All entries will be acknowledged and the winners will be contacted no later than the 16th. 

The concert itself will feature performances by the ECU Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, British Band, Jazz Band, and Chorale. Also, Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14, the "Moonlight" will be performed by the Winner of the Statewide Beethoven at 250 Contest. The date is February 23 @ 230 at the Hallie Brown Fine Arts Center.

E-mail jgrasso@ecok.edu with any questions! Good luck!