Ozark Middle School may have the next Mozart in its midst.
Kaedrin Franklin, a sixth-grade trombone player, has composed a song that will be performed at the OMS band concert on Feb. 2.
The piece, titled “War Thunder” was created during Kaedrin’s band class.
“I would like to do something that would inspire the school,” he said. “That was my inspiration for ‘War Thunder’.”
OMS Music Teacher Suzanne McGowen said that she likes to give her students the opportunity to explore music during her class.
“This year, I have been giving students ‘exploratory’ time during band class,” she said. “Some students have wanted to compose their own music and we have had three to four students complete a composition and play it for the class.”
However, McGowen said when she heard Kaedrin’s piece, it was different from the others.
“When I heard Kaedrin's composition, it was in clear four-measure phrases, in a minor key,” she said. “I felt it would be a great addition to our first concert.”
Kaedrin wrote the parts himself, which include flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone and percussion, along with a little help from McGowen for polishing.
“It was a little bit difficult,” he said. “It wasn’t the best when I first started off, so then I had to change a few things, but I learned you can’t always do things by yourself and Ms. McGowen helped me.”
McGowen said her students have loved practicing Kaedrin’s piece and are excited to play it.
“We are so thrilled to feature one of our band members as a composer,” she said. “Some of the students are even asking if he will compose a harmony part to his melody.”
Kaedrin said he enjoyed composing and may explore it again in the future, adding that he always likes to go above and beyond pushing himself to do more.
“I always like to do something different than other people do,” he said. “In summer camps, teachers tell me to do a certain type of thing, but I always do something with a twist. I always make it more fun.”
The Ozark Middle School Band Concert is at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2 in the OMS gym.
