Lucas Rotman Wins Music For Humanity Songwriting Contest

Lucas Maehara Rotman, a Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was named the first-place winner in the first annual Music for Humanity Songwriting Contest during the upstate New York-based nonprofit organization’s 158th Free Performance Night at Noble Coffee Roasters in Campbell Hill, NY, on December 16, 2023.

Rotman was honored for his song “We,” which he plans to release as a single next summer before including it on his upcoming full-length release, Lost and Found. The song was “inspired by anger; over our inhumane and failed border policies which prioritize militarization and fear over compassion and common sense, the rampant proliferation and worship of guns in our society, the brutality brought down upon black and brown folks by those who are supposed to serve and protect and the waves of un-housed people whose suffering is so visible, especially in our urban communities,” Rotman told AcousticMusicScene.com. “In the end, it was a plea to myself, for awakening my own sense of humanity and responsibility. I may not have the answers for these deep-rooted, historical horrors but I can be and do better by working with others who are trying to create a more just and equitable world,” he added.

“I can’t begin to tell you how excited and humbled l am to have been chosen for such an honor amongst such an incredible array of the nominated songs and was blown away by the quality and depth of the work submitted.” So too were contest judges Barry Adelman (a co-founder of Music for Humanity), Dave Kearney and Elly Wininger – all of whom are also singer-songwriters and evaluated more than 100 submissions based on melody, lyrics, song structure and originality (in content as well as lyrics and melody) before selecting Rotman as the top winner and Anna White of New Paltz, NY as the runner-up for her song “Saint Elizabeth,” while also awarding honorable mentions to Robert Bidney of Fort Meyers, Florida for “It’s All About the Love,” Brianne Chasanoff of New Fairfield, Connecticut for “Look Around,” Phil Henry of Rutland, Vermont for “Songs that Still Make You Cry”, Tom Heany of Tarrytown, NY for “Reservoir,” and Buddy Mondlock & Nick Tibbs of Nashville, Tennessee for “Weak.” You can hear all of the winning songs at this link: https://musicforhumanity.org/song-writing-contest-winners/.

Rotman said that the first-place award is “particularly dear to my heart since it comes from such an amazing organization.” A former public school teacher, Rotman admires the mission of Music for Humanity in supporting music education and the aspirations of young musicians. “This is particularly essential in these days of budget cutbacks and the overall indifference to the importance of the arts in all of our lives.” he maintains.

As a youngster, Rotman learned his first chords from an amateur guitar player who gave lessons at a Philadelphia community organization (Yellow Seeds) on a guitar that his father found in a garbage can. “I know first-hand the importance of organizations like MFH in creating opportunities to explore the boundless world of creative possibility offered by a musical life, often not available to those who do not have resources,” he said. “With that in mind, I decided to donate my winnings back to Music for Humanity so that they can continue their incredible work. “ As the contest’s first-place winner, Rotman also has been invited to perform a set for Music for Humanity at Noble Coffee Roasters on Saturday, August 17, 2024 and will be interviewed on Hudson Valley-based singer-songwriter John Burton’s radio show and podcast Home from Here.

The songwriting contest is but one of the endeavors of Music for Humanity, which aims to spread more music throughout the world via mostly free live performances and by supporting young, aspiring musicians who are music majors at an accredited college or university in the United States with scholarships. To date, Music for Humanity has awarded $167,000 in scholarships to recipients who become its ‘music ambassadors’ and share their music both via performance and by becoming music teachers. Based in Chester, NY, the nonprofit organization was launched in August 2005 by Adelman and Kurt Irmiter because “Music connects us, and a song with great lyrics can truly open our hearts and touch our souls.” As noted on its website (musicforhumanity.org): “More music means a better world for all of us because music builds the invisible roads and bridges that connect our hearts, our souls. We need those connections now more than ever.”