Beeler was a finalist for his composition

Twenty-five years ago this week, a local student was a finalist in a composing competition.

The March 18, 1998, edition of The Commercial Review featured a story about Brad Beeler preparing for the finals of the Project XL competition with his song, “Life Isn’t Always Like a Box of Chocolates.”

Beeler had two entries in the competition, which drew more than 4,500 entries from 212 Indiana high schools. It required students to submit an original work expressing the topic “What is friendship?” Entries could be submitted in the categories of writing, two-dimensional art, three-dimensional art, video art, performance or original music.

Of the two pieces he composed for the competition, it was Beeler’s second-favorite that got chosen as one of 10 finalists in the music category. A piano player for nine years, he wrote and performed the piece that he described as an instrumental composition with emotion.

A total of 60 entries were selected as finalists across the 10 categories, with preliminary judging completed by a panel of artists, musicians and writers. The finalists were competing for more than $45,000 in scholarship money provided by sponsor Farm Bureau Insurance. The winner of each category would receive a $2,000 scholarship, with additional scholarships for the second- and third-place finishers. (The high school with the most finalists was also set to receive $2,000 for scholarships.)

The overall winner would receive an additional college scholarship of an undetermined amount.

A new panel of final judges reviewed entries one week before the final competition. They were then able to ask the finalists questions regarding their work. Finalists in the music and performance categories, like Beeler, got to perform their pieces live for the judges.

Beeler, a member of the JCHS swing choir, said if he won he would use the money to study music in college.