Who is your hero? The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) is asking students across the US to share personal stories of their heroes, so they can be transformed into cartoons with an instrumental soundtrack. Inspired by the heroism of American veterans, the animated shorts will be premiered on Veteran’s Day 2021. The competition is sponsored by Frontier Communications.

NHSO Education Director Caitlin Daly-Gonzales says, “In response to the pandemic, the NHSO has pivoted to provide more than 16,000 students across the globe with virtual learning opportunities. My Music Movie offers kids a chance to stretch their imaginations and storytelling skills, transforming their personal stories into a cartoon complete with instrumental soundtrack.”

Now through July 31, students in grades K-9 can submit their original story about their hero. A panel of judges will choose 20 winners across multiple age categories and the NHSO will work with the students to turn their story into a 3-minute cartoon with a solo instrumental soundtrack. Using an audio or video format, students can submit the story verbally, in ASL, or using a text-to-speech interpreter, and non-English submissions will be accepted. The final My Music Movies will premiere at an event on Veteran’s Day (details about this event will be announced later this summer.) Students can submit their story and view the official contest rules at NewHavenSymphony.org/MyMusicMovie. 

Julie Murtagh, Senior Vice President for Frontier’s East Region operations, says, “Frontier Communications is a proud supporter of military veterans. Through My Music Movie we have a new opportunity to share the inspirational stories of military heroes. Working with the New Haven Symphony, we are using the power of the arts to tell these stories. We look forward to sharing these creative, imaginative stories from kids across the United States this Veterans Day.”

About the New Haven Symphony Orchestra
The fourth-oldest orchestra in America, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s exceptional and accessible performances and education programs reach more than 40,000 audience members and 20,000 students each year. Innovative programming and a dedication to the commission of new works inspires deeper audience engagement and meaningful artistic and educational collaborations. Through the Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Musicians, as well as numerous award-winning education and community engagement programs, the Symphony strives to be a leader for racial equity in the arts. To learn more about the NHSO, visit NewHavenSymphony.org. 

About Frontier Communications 
Frontier Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: FYBR)  offers a variety of services to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic and copper networks in 25 states, including video, high-speed internet, advanced voice, and Frontier Secure® digital protection solutions. Frontier Business™ offers communications solutions to small, medium, and enterprise businesses.