Miami is one of the most musically influential cities in the world. From Latin pop and hip-hop to jazz and electronic music, its sound has traveled globally. Yet unlike cities such as New York or San Francisco, Miami does not have a formally adopted anthem.
The Frost School of Music is working with an independent, community-driven cultural initiative to create one, collaborating with non-profits Elevate Miami and Guitars Over Guns to launch Elevated Tracks 305. The global open call invites creators anywhere in the world with a meaningful connection to Miami to compose an original, contemporary anthem that captures the city’s rhythm, complexity, resilience, and cultural influence.
“The Frost School of Music has had a profound impact on the arts, music, and cultural scene in Miami since we opened our doors nearly 100 years ago,” said Dean Shelton G. “Shelly” Berg. “In that time, our institution has cultivated and supported talented songwriters whose music has etched itself into people’s hearts and minds. Our esteemed faculty and renowned alumni are proud to lend their expertise to select songs by a new generation of Miamians, identifying fresh musical anthems that will capture the spirit of the city today and for generations to come.”
The initiative is supported by iconic global artists and industry leaders with Miami roots and Frost School connections. They include alumnus Jon Secada, a Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter; fellow alumnus Danny Flores, a Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY-winning producer and songwriter; as well as GRAMMY-winning songwriters and producers Rico Love and Rudy Perez. The jury includes Frost School alumni Julio Bagué, vice president of the Latin Division East Coast and Puerto Rico at peermusic, and Chad Bernstein, founder and CEO of Guitars Over Guns; as well as Frost School faculty members.
Submissions for Elevate Tracks 305 open March 4, 2026, and close March 30, 2026. The competition is open to all genres, including Latin, pop, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, fusion, and beyond, and will award a total of six winners, three adults and three youth. In each category, first place will receive $10,000, second place $2,500, and third place $1,000. All winners will also receive citywide and national amplification through media, live performances, and digital platforms in 2026.
“Guitars Over Guns has helped young artists find their voice and tell their stories for nearly 20 years,” said Bernstein, a Frost School Centennial Medalist who earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at the school. “This initiative honors those voices alongside established creators and industry leaders. It reflects Miami’s full creative ecosystem - intergenerational, diverse, and fearless.”
Philanthropist Joe Deitch, founder of the Miami-based Elevate Prize Foundation, as well as Elevate Cities and Elevate Miami, described the project as emblematic of Elevate’s broader mission.
“Elevate Miami is designed to spark bold, joy-filled moments that strengthen belonging, connection, and civic pride at scale,” said Deitch. “Elevated Tracks 305 is more than a contest. It is an invitation for creators to help define how this city presents itself to the world for the next generation.”
By aligning Guitars Over Guns’ deep community impact with Elevate Miami’s ambition to reimagine civic engagement, and with the prestige and expertise of the Frost School of Music, Elevated Tracks 305 sets a new standard for how arts institutions and civic platforms can collaborate to create enduring cultural artifacts.
Winners will be determined through a 50/50 jury and public vote model and announced in early May. Learn more at www.elevatecities.org/miami/elevatedtracks305/
