Isabella Morrill

Isabella Piritta Morrill was born and raised in the small town of Warrenton, Oregon. She has been playing music for as long as she can remember, going from piano, to the drum kit, to the French horn, and more. She plays twelve instruments, but her true love is composing. She is currently studying composition with Dr. Kevin Walczyk on scholarship at Western Oregon University, and past composition mentors include Dr. Dana Reason and Isabella’s father.

She received first place in the OMEA composition contest and was also commissioned to take part in the 2020 Newport Composers’ Symposium. Her premiere piece Hymn to the Rain was performed by the Columbia River Symphony in which she also plays French horn. She has placed in the top ten category for the OMEA solo competition on French horn. She performs with the North Coast Symphonic Band and the Astoria Nutcracker. Isabella can be found regularly playing piano, guitar, and singing at her local church as well as playing piano at local restaurants. In addition to composing for orchestras and wind bands, she is a singer/songwriter who has played with indie groups across Oregon.

When not composing or performing, Isabella loves to travel, read, and write. One of her favorite memories is having served as the captain of a debate team that placed in the top 64 teams in an international competition. She can also be found spending time with her family, and being outdoors, exploring the beaches of the Northwest.

Isabella’s piece Bartókian Brass was inspired by the folk tunes of Hungarian composer Bela Bartók's Mikrokosmos, and how his works could be presented with a modern twist. Alongside this, Isabella has spent many months in Europe visiting her family and has since been fascinated with the folk music of her heritage. Composing Bartókian Brass was a way to help connect her further with her family's homeland through Bartók's sketches. This piece was written especially for a virtual performance through the Youth Orchestra Commissioning Initiative. Isabella hopes that all who hear this piece will walk away with a new appreciation for European folk music.