Following the success of last year’s original-composition winter choir concert, “December Moon,” choir director Bill Liberatore is renewing the tradition this year. “This Winter Light” will showcase original Gunn-based compositions by students, staff, parents and alumni on Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Spangenberg Theater.

Because the idea for an original composition concert was new last year, Liberatore only requested optional compositions from members of the Gunn community. This time around, he made composition submission mandatory for all choir members. “I started the Gunn Composer’s Project last year with a group of 30 to 40 student composers and lyricists with no technology whatsoever,” Liberatore said. “I am excited to see the project unfold again this year on an even bigger scale, with all 150 plus choir students composing and some valuable technology resources in place to support the creating, posting and sharing of ideas.”

Liberatore wants students to take advantage of the available music composition technology in their pieces. His essential question for the Composer’s Project was, “How can technology enable every student to compose an original, expressive piece of vocal music?” Using computer composition software, such as free Finale Notepad, composing music can be much easier. “Composition can be a rewarding form of creative expression,” Liberatore said. “With the help of technology, a great song can come from any student, regardless of their musicianship or level of experience.”

The project stresses inclusiveness and requires choir members of all different musical backgrounds to participate. “Composition is one of our main content standards for music in the State of California, yet few teachers attempt to teach it,” Liberatore wrote on the choir website. “Using technology, I plan to emphasize the creative act of composing, as opposed to the technical skill of reading notes or notating pitches. Many great composers do not read music, and many musicians who read and play well are incapable of writing a song and sharing it.”

Students were given three levels of composition to choose from, depending on scales of musicianship. Level 1 was “Inspiration,” for the students without the technical skills to write out a song, but who could still compose in an improvisational environment, such as in a recording. Level 2, “Collaboration,” was for students who could notate music and wanted to work in a team. Level 3, “Motivation,” was for the more experienced composer who could work on his own and submit a fully notated work. Pieces from all levels were assessed based on four musical components: use of melody, use of harmony, use of rhythm and overall form.

Senior choir members McKay Daines and Calvin Latour submitted a piece titled “Hear the Bells.” Daines plays the piano and the tuba, and has been in choir for two years. Latour plays the guitar, and he took Advanced Placement Music Theory last year. “We wrote it as a guitar melody at first,” Daines said, “but it is being performed by the Chamber Singers.”

Daines said pieces range from eight bars of single note melodies to fully arranged four-page pieces. “There were a lot of excellent ideas,” he said. “We’re practicing a lot of them in choir right now, but Mr. Liberatore will pick ones for the concert very soon.”

“This Winter Light” is not only a holiday concert. “This concert embodies celebration, not just Christmas,” Daines said. “There are lots of songs even about Obama. It should be very inspiring.”