We’re pleased to announce that the winners of the 2025 Jacobs School of Music Innovation Competition! The First Prize was awarded to The Balourdet Quartet with their project, Expedition Strings. Second Prize went to Connie Cai with Project Improv!
“We are beyond thrilled to continue developing our newest initiative, Expedition Strings, with the support of the Jacobs School’s Innovation Competition,” said Angela Bae, violinist of the Balourdet Quartet. “During our time at IU, we’ve focused on finding new ways to share our passion beyond the concert stage while embracing both innovation and tradition as a string quartet. Winning this prize is just the beginning—we’re excited to keep inspiring others through creativity. Thank you to everyone who has believed in our journey and invested in us!”
Winner: The Balourdet Quartet, “Expedition Strings” ($6,000)
Expedition Strings is a one-hour musical experience with creative engagement and transformative potential. From co-created musical compositions to the Cardboard Chamber Orchestra, children can stimulate their curiosity in an imaginative space with interdisciplinary collaboration and connections. The projects are planned to be offered at Bloomington’s WonderLab and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.
Check out the Balourdet Instagram and Facebook Pages >
Second Prize: Connie Cai, “Project Improv!” ($1,000)
Project Improv creates a community platform to galvanize creativity for instrumental teachers. This initiative introduces technique-based improvisation, a new teaching tool to activate students’ creative thinking in classical music training developed after 5 years of extensive research on instrumental technique, learning theories, and improvisation.
Enjoy Photos from the event here >
FINALISTS
Our congratulations go to the finalists in this year’s competition as well. With their innovative projects, we look forward to seeing many of these ideas come to fruition!
Daixuan Ai, Grace McKenzie, and Daroo Lee – OpenClassical
OpenClassical transforms traditional classical concerts into immersive, mindfulness-centered experiences. By crafting compositions that promote deep listening and mental well-being, OpenClassical reimagines the concert experience for 21st-century audiences. The initiative taps into the rapidly growing mindfulness movement, offering a fresh, meditative approach to classical music.
Nathan Allen and Ethan Cantrell – Hidden Kind Co.
Hidden Kind Co. is committed to making music performance, production, and distribution accessible to students and local musicians of all ages. Recognizing the lack of opportunities for Bloomington’s musical youth, Hidden Kind Co. creates DIY performance spaces that empower young artists to showcase their talents, connect with the community, and grow as musicians.
Euna Joh and Ye-Chong Jeon – Melodies of Mothers
Melodies of Mothers (MOM) supports mothers of all piano skill levels—from beginners to professionals—enabling them to engage with music while caring for their infants. Through innovative one-handed piano compositions, MOM nurtures mothers’ musical journeys, fosters emotional well-being, and strengthens bonds between mothers and their babies.
Hsuan Chang Kitano – IU-Taiwan Collaborations in Music Project (IUTMP)
The IU-Taiwan Collaborations in Music Project (IUTMP) fosters meaningful cultural and academic partnerships between Indiana University and National Taiwan University. Building on their sister-university relationship, IUTMP promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, enriching both institutions’ musical and cultural landscapes.
Wayne Kreml – Transforming Waypoint Music Camps
Founded by musicians and educators, Waypoint Music Camps delivers cost-effective, specialized music education in both large ensembles and chamber settings. As Waypoint seeks to expand nationwide, it looks to partnerships and grant funding to provide students with transformative musical experiences and greater opportunities to explore music in broader contexts.
Sylvester Makobi – Songs of Africa and the African Diaspora
Songs of Africa and the African Diaspora is a concert series that celebrates the diverse languages, cultures, and traditions of the African continent and its diaspora. These performances weave together music, storytelling, and culinary traditions, offering audiences a rich, immersive exploration of African heritage.
Maya Meron – 4Top Strings
4Top Strings introduces an innovative approach to string instrument education, grounded in scientific research on movement preparation and motor control. By using sensory reference points placed above the strings, beginners develop accurate intonation and notation skills through tactile learning, revolutionizing how string instruments are taught.
Luca Rodabey – The Modern Ear
The Modern Ear is a digital-first platform that reshapes how contemporary classical music is experienced and understood. Addressing the scarcity of accessible, engaging content in this space, The Modern Ear uses emotional storytelling and a multi-platform strategy on YouTube and Instagram to build a vibrant community of music enthusiasts, educators, and creators.
Rebekah Enru Yang – Swan International Music Society (SIMS)
The Swan International Music Society (SIMS) empowers secondary and pre-college string and piano students through holistic, competitive performance, teaching, and learning opportunities in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The centerpiece of SIMS is a biennial international music program, offering unique collaborative experiences with renowned musicians and faculty from around the world.
The competition was hosted by the Kelley School of Business Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the judges were:
- Don Kuratko (committee chair) is the Jack M. Gill Chair of Entrepreneurship at Kelly. Dr. K leads the Kelley School’s Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
- Anoushka Divekar is the winner of the 2024 JSoM Innovation Competition. A doctoral student in Music Education, Anoushka has continued to develop her project, Clarinet Chronicles.
- Ruthie Williamson is a Career Advisor in the Jacobs School’s Office of Entrepreneurship & Career Development.
- Debbie Ponella is about to complete her PhD in Education and has a MM in Creativity & Innovation
- Thomas Parmer is the Lead Coordinator at the IU Innovates center
- Tristra Newyear Yeager is Chief Strategy Officer at Rock Paper Scissors
The 2025 Jacobs School of Music Innovation Competition was made possible by generous contributions from donors, as well as funds from the Jacobs School of Music, The Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and IU Innovates.
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