Omaha Symphony to Perform INSECT SUITE by Child Composer, Winston Schneider

On Sunday, February 23, the Omaha Symphony will perform Winston Schneider's "Insect Suite," as a part of the Family Concert Series.

The concert, titled "Buzzing About Bugs," will feature the 11-minute full orchestra composition. Schneider wrote "Insect Suite" when he was 10, for the MATA Jr. Festival, when he was one of six pre-college composers selected internationally to compose a new piece. It debuted in New York in November, 2018. The piece includes three movements:

I. The Stinkbug

II. The Whistling Tarantula

III. Fireflies.

Winston Schneider was nominated for Best Youth Actor in a Musical for the Broadway World Regional Awards for his role of Les in Newsies in 2018, at the Rose Theater in Omaha. Schneider also played the role of Slightly Soiled in the Rose Theater's production of Peter Pan in 2017, and Sammy in the Rose's Prancer in 2016.

Additionally this month, Schneider was named the grand prize winner in the Lowell Mason House national competition for Music Education Advocacy, with a video submission about the importance of a musical education. The Lowell Mason House is a music education and advocacy organization.

Schneider is also 2019-20's Nebraska state MTNA Junior piano performance competition winner, and the Regional West Central Division MTNA Junior music composition winner. He's been featured nationally on the PBS "Arts Canvas" website in a story called: "Bugs and books become inspiration for this 11-year-old composer."

Schneider has a rare ability of absolute pitch. He's studies music at the Omaha Conservatory of Music, and plays cello with the Omaha Area Youth Symphony. He enjoys drawing, studying chemistry, music theory and insect biology, being in plays and musicals at the Rose Theater, reading, writing fiction, swim team, tennis, Tae Kwon Do, and spending time with his two cats, his sister, cousins and friends.

For more information visit https://omahasymphony.org/concerts/buzzing-about-bugs or follow Winston on Instagram: @winstonfschneider