52 | FEBRUARY 3 • 2022
ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC
Young
Composer
Jonah Cohen
mentors other young
musicians as he looks
forward to hearing his
commissioned work
performed live.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
J
onah Cohen likes to hum but not
just melodies heard on recordings
or performed on stages. Often,
core melodies originate in his own
mind, and he hums away while devel-
oping them into full compositions.
Working with instruments and
composing software, the 17-year-old
senior at Interlochen Arts Academy has
earned significant recognition for pieces
he created.
“Vis Viva,” an example written
for orchestra, was selected a winner
in the Young Composers Challenge
and will be recorded by the Orlando
Philharmonic Orchestra before its per-
formance at the NYCC Composium in
April. “Hineni,” an example of a piece
for cello choir, was inspired during
Temple Israel services and elevated him
to Merit Winner in Classical Music
by the National Foundation for the
Advancement of Artists in the organi-
zation’s YoungArts programming.