Back in January we launched our “Take Your Music Further with Garritan” music composition contest.

Created to illustrate Garritan sound libraries’ ability to transport the listener, the contest encouraged composers to develop a musical theme to create a piece of music – using Garritan sounds – that evoked their dream travel destination.

Today the contest finalists were announced. Determined by popular vote, the ten compositions that will proceed to the final round are:

• Rome – The Empire! by Jonathan Williams of Estes Park, Colorado
• CA-91 by Anthony O’Toole of Media, Pennsylvania
• Colorado Canyons and the Rivers of Time by Wanda Canfield of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
• The Grey by Bryan Laurienti of Phoenix, Arizona
• Divided Korea by Bruce Buckingham of Kent, Washington
• Sagarmatha by Bojan Hoover of Minneapolis, Minnesota
• An Irish Morning by Adam O’Dell of Dubuque, Iowa
• Egyptian Verve by Dylan Perese of Minneapolis, Minnesota
• The Gates of Olympus Mons by Michael A. Russo of Brooklyn, New York
• United Soaring by Michaelangelo Henegan of Athens, Georgia

The next step will be for the contest judges to identify the contest winners. The results will be announced on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.

To underscore the ability of superior sounds to transport the creative process, the contest awards are travel-related. The grand prize is a $2,000 United Airlines gift card and $500 in spending money. Two runner-up prizes of $700 United Airlines gift cards will also be awarded.

I’d like to congratulate all the finalists as well as everyone who submitted a piece—everyone I’ve spoken with has commented on the high quality demonstrated by the entire field of entries.

Please listen to these amazing entries and learn more at the contest site, then share your reactions with us by clicking on “Comments” below.