2025 SEIMA Project Winners Announced

The SEIMA Project is a music grant initiative aims to promote the next generation of musicians.

Ayden Ketchum. Photo provided.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - The Southeastern Indiana Musicians Association Inc. is pleased to announce the winners of our 2025 SEIMA Project. The SEIMA Project is a music grant initiative created by the organization in an effort to subsidize and promote the next generation of musicians, in each of the five counties we represent; Dearborn, Ripley, Franklin, Ohio, and Switzerland for young musicians ages 14-19 years old.

Officially launched in November 2021 the SEIMA Project starts with each applicant submitting a video audition of themselves, performing a musical selection of their choice they felt showcased their musical strengths. In 2025 the association received 28 submissions from all five counties. Submissions included a broad spectrum of applicants with performances ranging from classical instruments including bassoon, harp, and piano, as well as vocalists, and performances on, electric and acoustic guitars. The video submissions were considered in determining the five finalists who then were scheduled for a live auditions and interviews in front of our SEIMA board members. The live auditions took place Tuesday May 13th at Adam’s Art studio (Adam and Christy Gilliam) in Lawrenceburg where each performer and their parent(s) attended in scheduled timeslots. Additionally, each of the five finalists were required to submit a one-page essay outlining the significance of music in their lives and how they would benefit or utilize the prize money if they were chosen by our board as the grand prize winners.

The 2025 SEIMA Project $1,000 Grand Prize winners are Ayden Ketchem (bassoon) and Maria Gaddini (Harp). The remaining finalists; Lane Deaton, Nemiah Nelson, and Alysun Simon, were also each awarded with a $350 prize. Congratulations to each of the finalists and all of the 2025 SEIMA Project applicants.

Upcoming events for the Southeastern Indiana Musicians Association include Whiskey City Summer Fest at Lawrenceburg Civic Park on August 16th 2025, featuring The Kentucky Headhunters, Pure Grain and other local artists for their annual guitar giveaway and Hall of Fame Inductee announcements, and the 2025 Southeastern Indiana Musicians Hall of Fame Award Ceremony at the Gibson Theater in Batesville, Indiana on November 15th 2025, where the SEIMA Project winners will be showcased and perform live for attendees.