Zeitgeist presents the
17th Annual Eric Stokes Song Contest

Congratulations to the winners of the 17th annual Zeitgeist Eric Stokes Song Contest!
Lucia Newell and Randall Throckmorton in the adult division, and Emma Liddle in the youth division.

The brainchild of the late composer and longtime Zeitgeist friend and supporter Eric Stokes, the Eric Stokes Song Contest (named in his honor after his death in 1999) was developed to encourage and celebrate amateur music-making to increase appreciation of the music of our time. The annual Eric Stokes Song Contest solicits "songs" (any type of musical composition) from amateur composers throughout the Twin Cities. We average 50–70 entries each year, and entrants have ranged from age 4 to 89.

Entries are separated into two categories: youth (up to age 17) and adult, and are then adjudicated by an outside panel. In selecting the jury we choose three to four people who represent a diverse range of artistic perspectives, often including a winner from one of the previous contests. Winning entries are arranged by Zeitgeist and performed during our Playing It Close to Home Concerts in February; winners also receive $100 plus a one-year membership to the American Composers Forum. In the past, winning compositions have encompassed musical styles ranging from jazz to gospel to high modernist.

Music is for the people. For all of us, the dumb, the deaf, the dog & jays, handclappers, dancing moon watchers, brainy puzzlers, abstracted whistlers, finger-snapping time keepers, crazy, weak, hurt, weed keepers, the strays. The land of music is everyone's nation—her tune, his beat, your drum one song, one vote.

—Eric Stokes

Eric Stokes Song Contest Winning Entries:

2012 Lucia Newell, Randall Throckmorton, and Emma Liddle

2011 Andy Troska, Erika Espey-Sundt, Elaine Klaassen and James Marentic

2010 Lisa Ragsdale, James Marentic, and Benjamin Burke

2009 Jeffrey Drayton, Stanley Woolner and Shruthi Rajasekar

2008 Justin E.A. Busch, Karl Nord, and Greg Marsh

2007 Adam Warmansen, Stanley Woolner, Justin E.A. Busch,
--------Mark Vandermyde (Honorable Mention)

2006 Tristan Williams, Jesse Mandell-McClinton, Michael Davis

2005 Wade Oden, Josh Bauder, Perpich Center for the Arts Student Ensemble
--------(Annika Johnson, Elliot Manthey, Mariah Mills, and Jeff Sundquist)

2004 Matt Barber, Josh Bauder, and Adrian Gruetter

2003 Shirley Patterson, Derek Remes, and Paul Kovacovic

2002 3rd grade from Crossroads Elementary, Roy Colbert and Ken Vork,
-------- and Drew Way

2001 4th grade from Crossroads Elementary, Blair Foley, and Stefan Kac

2000 Stefan Kac, Jerry Kosak, Jill Slater

1999 Jerry Kosak, Sofi Shank, Daniel Kaniess

1998 Tyler Woodstrom, Lake Country School Class H, Andrew Litecky

1997 Andrew Duckwall, Brandon Patton, Tim Malchow

1994 Clarence Lamb, Richard Atkins, Bob Bushnell, Robert Maderich

This event is made possible with support from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature.