Now in its 6th year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music.

In fall of 2022, Opera Omaha and the Nebraska Writers Collective invited students from across Nebraska and Iowa to submit works of poetry on the theme “Finding Your Voice” focusing on the subthemes Joy, Transformation, Creativity, Empathy, and Overcoming Obstacles. Throughout the fall over 400 elementary, middle, and high school students took part in NWC led Poetry & Music writing workshops designed to help students add musicality to their poetry.

Opera Omaha received an astonishing 134 poems by 117 student poets from across 14 Nebraska counties. The poets range from 2nd grade to High School Seniors, with first time poets and seasoned writers. Every poem submitted was included in the Opera Omaha Poetry and Music Project Book.

While there were many outstanding poems submitted to the project, in the end, project composers Gabrielle Herbst and J.E. Hernández selected 15 poems that inspired them and took to the task of setting these poems to music. Herbst and Hernández, both alumni of the American Opera Project’s Composers & the Voice program, met with poets, singers from University of Nebraska Omaha School of Music as well as Opera Omaha, along with project pianist Tyson Deaton in the spring of 2023, for workshops to collaborate on the original pieces of music. It was a time for composers to hear the students read their poem in their own voice to see if their music captured the mood and tone. It gave students the opportunity to give feedback and ask questions and make suggestions before the final scores were written.

“Un Corps” by Addison Bryant, Anselmo-Merna Public School
“I want my voice to be…” by Theodore Bullis, Castle Hill Academy
“Capturing the essence of your voice” by Maggie Dendinger, Cedar Catholic High School
“Not all of us live the same” by Claire Gunn, Gretna Middle School
“You Are Beautiful” by Emma Kaiser, Portal Elementary
“I’ll Grow” by Aarya Khobare, Millard North Middle School
“Voice Emotions” by Makayla Klinefelter, St. John the Baptist School
“I am not Alone” by Lucie Lautenschlager, Palmer Public School
“Untitled” by MaKenna Love, Norfolk Catholic
“Burning Stars” by Athiei Majuec, Logan Fontenelle Middle School
“Joy” by Ava Noecker, Cedar Catholic High School
“Universe’s End” by Kylie Remm, Douglas West High School
“Sweet Little Lullabies” by Meyiah Sanchez, Omaha Street School
“The Land I Call Home” by Ava Stewart, Cedar Catholic High School
“Love, Heart, Kind” by Kim Valquier, Hayward School

These poems were selected and will be set to music by professional composers Gabrielle Herbst and J.E. Hernández.

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