Southeastern Indiana Musician’s Association 2023 SEIMA Project Grant Winners Announced

The SEIMA Project is a music grant initiative created to promote the next generation of musicians in five SEI counties.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - The Southeastern Indiana Musicians Association Inc. is pleased to announce the winners of our 2023 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 started with each applicant submitting a video audition of themselves performing a musical selection of their choice they felt showcased their musical strengths. The association received a broad spectrum of applicants with performances ranging from classical instruments including piano, cello, and violin, as well as a theatrical vocalist, an accordion, and performances on bass, electric and acoustic guitars. The video submissions were considered in determining the five finalists who then were scheduled for a live audition and interview in front of our SEIMA board members. The live auditions took place Tuesday May 9th 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 2023 SEIMA Project $1000 Grand Prize winners are Kamdyn Metcalf (Bright) and Maggie Weberding (Oldenburg). The remaining finalists; Earl Wilhelm, Peyton Vann, Jamey Rowe, Jeremiah Barkdoll and Riley Gillespie, were also each awarded with a $350 prize. Congratulations to each of the finalists and all of the 2023 SEIMA Project applicants.

Upcoming events for the Southeastern Indiana Musicians Association include Whiskey City Summer Fest in Lawrenceburg August 19th 2023 for their annual guitar giveaway and Hall of Fame Inductee announcement, and the Southeastern Indiana Musicians Hall of Fame award ceremony at the Gibson Theater in Batesville, Indiana on November 4th 2023, where the SEIMA Project winners will be showcased and perform live for attendees.