This summer I submitted two pieces to the 2011 Minnesota Music Educators Association Collegiate Composition Contest. I finally received word of the results, and my two submissions, O Cool is the Valley Now and Four Bagatelles for Clarinet and Piano, tied for second place in the chamber ensemble division. I hope that this is a fairly good sign, considering that this is the first contest I have ever entered. I am, of course, planning to enter more competitions in the future.