Every composer has a list of lifelong goals quietly tucked away. For me, one of those ultimate milestones has always been seeing one of my own compositions on the official state required list. Today, I am incredibly humbled and excited to share that this goal has become a reality.

My piece, "The Human Spirit," has officially been added to the OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) High School Class B required list for the 2026–2027 school year!

The Journey of "The Human Spirit"

I originally composed "The Human Spirit" in 2021. At the time, the world was navigating the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I wrote this piece specifically as a tribute to the incredible dedication, resilience, and sacrifice of our healthcare workers. To see a piece with such a deeply personal and emotional foundation resonate enough to be selected for statewide performance is profoundly meaningful to me.

An Educator's Perspective

As a public school music teacher right here in Ohio, this achievement hits especially close to home. I spend countless hours every single year pouring over the OMEA required lists, searching for the perfect literature to challenge, inspire, and develop my own students. The OMEA list is essentially the roadmap for our state’s concert bands, and it is a surreal feeling to know my name and my music will be looked at my fellow directors when they plan their upcoming seasons.

Being both an active educator and a composer means I get to experience the magic of music-making from both sides of the podium. Knowing that high school students across Ohio will be reading, rehearsing, and performing "The Human Spirit" at their adjudicated events next year is the greatest honor I could ask for.

Thank You

A massive and heartfelt thank you goes out to the OMEA music selection committee and all the decision-makers involved in curating these lists. The time, energy, and dedication you volunteer to support music education and champion new music does not go unnoticed. Thank you for supporting my work and for believing in this piece.

To my fellow Ohio band directors: I can’t wait to hear how your ensembles interpret and breathe life into this music next year. Let’s make some great music together!

Director's Note:

If you are planning your 2026-2027 festival season and are interested in programming "The Human Spirit" (HS Class B), you can view the score and listen to a full recording through Excelcia Music Publishing or your favorite sheet music retailer.

Check out my NEW music for Concert Band available from C.L. Barnhouse!

The following five titles were selected as JWPepper Editor's Choices. Thank you to JWPepper for choosing my works for this prestigious recognition.

String Orchestra:

Concert Band:

Check out my NEW music for Concert Band available from Wingert-Jones Publications!

Check out my NEW music for Concert Band available from Neil A Kjos Music Company!

The following String Orchestra titles were selected as JWPepper Editor's Choices. Thank you to JWPepper for choosing my works for this prestigious recognition.

Check out these incredible new concert band works by John M. Pasternak! We are thrilled to partner with John to bring these two fantastic pieces to life for the 2026-2027 season.

❄️ Snow Day Jubilation (Grade 1): A perfect piece for your beginning band, full of the joyful and energetic spirit of a surprise day off.

🔥 Rising Up! (Grade 2.5): An inspiring and engaging piece that will motivate your developing musicians. Written for our Achievement Plus Series, this work offers great educational value and a powerful musical statement.

Click the link to listen to full recordings and order your scores today!

https://wingertjones.com/band-hub-2026/

Check out my NEW music for String Orchestra available from Wingert-Jones Publications!

It isn't every day as a composer that you get the opportunity to revisit already written music and expand on old musical ideas. Usually, once a piece is done, it stands as it is. However, I recently had the chance to jump back into a familiar soundscape.

I’m excited to share some new music I wrote for a recent interview with Coaster Studios, featuring Jake from RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction).

For this project, I didn't start from scratch. Instead, the underscore is built entirely on themes from the documentary This is How We Roll. Taking those established motifs and reshaping them to fit the flow of an interview was a unique challenge, allowing me to explore new variations on the original material.

Check out the interview and the music below!