Applications Open For Johnny Mercer Foundation's 2025 Young Songwriters Intensive

The Johnny Mercer Foundation has announced applications open October 1st for the second annual JMF Young Songwriters Intensive at New England Music Camp (NEMC). The program's artistic director, Kaitlin Hopkins announced that Award-winning songwriters Rona Siddiqui and Adam Gwon will once again serve as master teachers at the Snow Pond Center for the Arts' idyllic lakeside campus in Sidney, Maine, August 4-10, 2025.

10 young songwriters (Ages 14-20) will be selected for this one-of-a-kind educational songwriting intensive to study and explore the fundamentals of contemporary and musical theater songwriting. In an effort to attract more high school students, the age requirement has been lowered to 14. Writers will develop skills and tools to pursue careers as professional songwriters. This free 7-day JMF Songwriting Intensive will provide students a unique learning experience through classes, professional mentorship and a showcase of their work that concludes the weeklong experience. Travel, housing, meals, and tuition are provided by a generous grant from The Johnny Mercer Foundation working in partnership with Snow Pond Center for the Arts.

"It will be thrilling to see artists with such a vast range of styles, interests, and experiences converge and collide," said Siddiqui. "This is where the expansion of the genre begins!"

"I could not be more excited about this program," Gwon added. "The Johnny Mercer Foundation helped launch my own career, and I'm honored to be paying that forward with a group of talented new voices."

"Because of the success of last year, JMF is excited to continue this unique program," said JMF Executive Vice President, Jonathan Brielle.

Siddiqui, a Grammy-nominated composer/lyricist with work being developed at Playwright Horizons, will work alongside Gwon, an award-winning composer/lyricist whose musicals have been produced on six continents and in more than half a dozen languages. The JMF Young Songwriters Intensive curriculum will be developed to fit the specific needs and distinctive musical voice of each applicant. Tailoring the curriculum to the individual artist is one of the unique aspects that differentiates this Initiative from other programs. The songwriters will also enjoy various activities including swimming, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing which provides all the quintessential camp life experiences that Maine has to offer.

To apply please visit Johnny Mercer Foundation Young Songwriters Intensive

ABOUT THE Johnny Mercer FOUNDATION

The mission of the Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) is to support the discipline of songwriting in the tradition of the Great American Songbook as exemplified by the life and work of the legendary Johnny Mercer: lyricist, composer, performer, collaborator, and producer. The Foundation continues Johnny's legacy by partnering with individuals and organizations dedicated to celebrating and nourishing the disciplines he mastered. JMF has created a number of dynamic creative joint ventures with several prestigious institutions including the JMF Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, Accentuate the Positive Programs and New York's Kaufman Music Center, the JMF Musical Theater Composition Residency at the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), the JMF Songwriting Initiative at Snow Pond Center for the Arts (Maine), the Johnny Mercer Songwriting Project at Belmont University (Nashville), the Georgia State University Fellowship Program, and the Johnny Mercer Archives at Georgia State University. For more information, please visit www.johnnymercer.org

ABOUT SNOW POND CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Snow Pond Center for the Arts is an arts & culture destination, educational institution, and tourism attraction located in Sidney, Maine between Augusta (the state capital) and Waterville. Founded in 1937 as New England Music Camp, it values lifelong learning amid a strong sense of community. Importantly, Snow Pond's mission ensures that everyone, regardless of age or economic position, has equal access to innovative and high-quality music education, programming, and events. Compelled by its' summer programs' positive impact on thousands of youths over the last 86 years, Snow Pond committed to provide year-round arts opportunities on a scale that would make a substantial difference for youth in central Maine. To that end, Snow Pond's Community Arts School was established in 2016. The Arts School allows Snow Pond to weave the arts into the fabric of the local community through free before-school and after-school arts education programs at 5 partnership locations in the region. By meeting youth where they are - not requiring that they come to rural Sidney or pay a fee - Snow Pond removes all barriers to arts education. https://www.snowpond.org/

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