The Mizzou New Music Initiative and the University of Missouri School of Music have announced the winners of the 2026 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) statewide competition for new choral and orchestral compositions.

Four composers took top honors across two age categories — open and high school — and two disciplines. In the choral open category, Orin Johnson’s “Stay My Love” was selected as the winner, with Emily Edgington Andrews conducting. Theodore Greer’s “A Glimpse of October” received an honorable mention. In the choral high school category, Noah Pyle’s “Once Love,” also conducted by Andrews, won, with Andrew Kahler’s Huxley’s “Gesualdo” receiving an honorable mention.

Renan Reis Leme’s “Adagio y Fuga Porteña,” with Barry Ford conducting, was named the winner of the orchestral open category . Meanwhile, Phillip C. Roberts’s “Hocket Rocket,” conducted by Stefan Freund, received an honorable mention. Calista Jones’s “Viva la Revolution” won the orchestral high school category; this piece was conducted by John McKeever. Finally, Gilbert Gavin Slade Bach’s “Marcia Funebre” received an honorable mention; Amy Knopps conducted.

Each of the four winners will receive a $500 honorarium from the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, along with a live recording of their work.

The Columbia Civic Orchestra and Premiere Vocal Artists will perform the winning works in concert on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at Broadway Christian Church in Columbia, Missouri. Admission is free and open to the public.

Now in its 14th year, MOCOP is a collaborative effort of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, the Columbia Civic Orchestra, Premiere Vocal Artists, and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. Composers from across Missouri are eligible to submit original orchestral and choral works, with selections made through blind judging.

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