Cincinnati, From Scratch is a cost-free creative music composition program. Over the course of two months, directors Hannah Christiansen and Joseph Bricker provide a series of group and individual workshops to introduce students to writing for their own and other instruments and ultimately commission them to write brand new works. At the end of the workshops, students oversee a professional recording of their work and introduce the live premiere of their pieces at a performance event.

The Spring 2025 cohort included student composers from the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestras and Nouveau Strings programs. Music composed by Caleb Griffin, Gerrit Johnson, Will Oertel, Kieran Niska, and Isabelle Tardivon, and performed by Joe Bricker, percussion, Hannah Christiansen, violin, and Luis Celis, double bass.

Recorded at Legacy Soundworks in Cincinnati, OH on May 14, 2025. Audio by Eric Sheppard. Video by Jay C. Smith and Danny Yanes.

Gerrit JOHNSON "A Moment Harnessed" 0:36

Kieran NISKA "Nighttime Nocturne (for the stars)" 13:53

Caleb GRIFFIN "The Past" 25:32

Isabelle TARDIVON "POWER(less)" 32:47

Will OERTEL "Ambitions" 45:55