Young Composers Competition Alumni Selected for MacDowell Fellowships
Sami Seif, left, and Paul Novak, right Photo by Emma Foster
Two composers went from a student competition in Webster University's Community Music School to one of America's most prestigious artist retreats, with an acceptance rate of just 9%.
Composers Sami Seif and Paul Novak, both alumni of the Community Music School of Webster University's Young Composers Competition (YCC), are among 149 artists selected from 1,697 applicants for MacDowell Fellowships in the 2025-2026 fall-winter season.
Sami Seif: Building on Early Recognition
For Seif, a 2019-2020 YCC participant, the program holds special significance as the first competition where he received recognition. Born in Abu Dhabi to a non-musical family and originally from Mount Lebanon, Seif is largely self-taught, having started composing at age 12 on microtonal keyboards designed for Arabic music. "That recognition gave me a tremendous boost of confidence early on and affirmed my commitment to pursuing composition more seriously," he said.
A masterclass with composer Angélica Negrón during YCC created a lasting mentorship that would prove remarkably enduring. Seif later pursued his doctorate at CUNY Graduate Center, where Negrón also studied, and they recently reconnected at the National Flute Association Convention.
Currently, the Lebanese composer and music theorist is working on several high-profile commissions, including a viola piece for Stanley Konopka of The Cleveland Orchestra, a piccolo and percussion work for Mary Kay Fink of The Cleveland Orchestra and Dylan Moffitt, and a harp and electronics piece for Juan Riveros. His music, inspired by Middle Eastern heritage, has been praised for creating "intoxicating and fascinating soundworlds." "During my MacDowell residency, I look forward to focusing deeply on a major new work, and the time and space there will be invaluable in supporting that process," he said.
Paul Novak: Personal Project at MacDowell
Novak's path through YCC spans multiple years, having participated during 2014-2015 and 2018-2019. His experience reflects the program's lasting impact on emerging composers. "I had such a blast being a part of the Community Music School of Webster University's Composer Competition!" he said, praising the mentorship opportunities, excellent performance of his work and talented group of young composers.
Since his YCC participation, Novak has built an impressive career trajectory, moving from Houston to Chicago, where he's completing his PhD at the University of Chicago under Augusta Read Thomas, and founded Mycelium New Music, a contemporary music group where he plays flute. His "spellbinding" music (Washington Post) has been featured in prominent venues including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, with recent projects exploring themes of dreams, memory, queer identity and climate change. At MacDowell, he plans to tackle an ambitious and deeply personal project: a concert-length song cycle inspired by a childhood illness.
"I'm very grateful for the uninterrupted time and space to work on this big and very personal piece," he said.
MacDowell's Prestigious Legacy
MacDowell, founded in 1907, is the nation's first artist residency program. Over 118 years, it has supported more than 16,000 residencies for artists including James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Louise Erdrich.
The fellowship provides up to six weeks at MacDowell's Peterborough, New Hampshire, campus with private studios, accommodations and prepared meals.
From Local Recognition to National Prominence
The success of Seif and Novak illustrates the important role competitions like YCC play in nurturing young artistic talent. Both composers credit their YCC experience with providing crucial early recognition, mentorship opportunities and the confidence needed to pursue their artistic ambitions at the highest levels.
Their journey from local competition winners to recipients of one of the nation's most competitive artistic fellowships demonstrates the lasting impact of programs that invest in emerging artists. The MacDowell Fellowship will provide both composers with uninterrupted creative focus to develop major new works that reflect the artistic growth and vision that began with their YCC participation.