WINNERS: The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18

The American Prize is honored to announce the winners, and runners-up and citation recipient of The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18, in professional, college/university and high school divisions. Congratulations!

Complete listings of finalists and semi-finalists in The American Prize competitions may be found elsewhere on this blog. Please use the chronological tool in the right-hand column to find specific results.

Please make us aware of any misprints: theamericanprize@gmail.com

The American Prize 
in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18
(professional division)

The American Prize winner:
Ulysses Quartet
New York NY

Ulysses Quartet

Winners of the Grand Prize and the Gold Medal in the Senior String Division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Ulysses String Quartet was founded in the summer of 2015. Hailing from Canada, the United States, and Taiwan, they competed in the Semifinals Round of the 2016 Banff International String Quartet Competition and garnered a Career Development Grant. Ulysses members also hold principal positions the Cape Symphony, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Shattered Glass, International Chamber Players, and Miami Symphony. Recent and upcoming season highlights include appearances on the Schneider Concerts, Music Talks, Nth Degree, and NOVA chamber series. In addition, the quartet will perform at the Kneisel Hall, “Produced by Ichiyanagi,” Oregon, and Emilia Romagna Music Festivals, as well as the La Jolla Music Society Summerfest. Members perform on instruments and bows graciously on loan from the Canada Council of the Arts Instrument Bank and the Maestro Foundation.  Ulyssesquartet.com


2nd PLACE:
Amarillo Virtuosi
Amarillo TX

Amarillo Virtuosi

Chamber Music Amarillo is a performing arts nonprofit organization located in Amarillo, Texas.  Our mission is to foster an appreciation for chamber music, chamber orchestra, and jazz by engaging and inspiring individuals, families and communities through unsurpassed, live, intimate musical experiences. CMA continually exceeds the artistic expectations of our region. One way CMA is able to do this time and time again is through the extraordinary abilities of The Amarillo Virtuosi. The Amarillo Virtuosi is a chamber orchestra ensemble comprised of professional musicians from all parts of the Texas Panhandle and beyond. In 2014, The Amarillo Virtuosi performed the inimitable Brandenburg Concerti by J.S. Bach. This performance was sponsored by generous local philanthropists and a large amount of community support.


3rd PLACE

icarus Quartet
Baltimore MD

icarus Quartet

Like the mythological figure from which it draws its name, the half piano, half percussion icarus Quartet dares to fly towards the sun, aspiring to new heights of artistry. Following their Carnegie Hall debut, composer Paul Lansky simply remarked, “This is music making of the highest order.”

While pursuing their graduate degrees at the Yale School of Music, the members of iQ were brought together to represent the school in its prestigious concert series, Yale in New York, with the Yale Percussion Group under the guidance of Robert van Sice. Composition chair Martin Bresnick regarded an appearance of the Quartet as “one of the best student performances of any work I have ever heard… They played with great energy, sensitivity and precision.” They have since performed throughout the northeast as well as in a recent set at the 2017 New Music Gathering in Bowling Green, Ohio. In the 2017-18 season, icarus serves as Ensemble-in-Residence for Music at St. David's in Baltimore, and will also be featured on Yale's distinguished Horowitz Piano Series.

Passionate about educating and engaging with the next generation of musicians, iQ often works in school and university settings. They give classes and coachings on chamber music, as well as composition seminars on writing for their instruments. The icarus percussionists (icarus Duo) are in residence with Yale College, reading, workshopping, and premiering new student works.

Larry Weng, Yevgeny Yontov, Matt Keown, and Jeff Stern are all celebrated soloists in their own rights, with international prizes to their names, and together they have found a special chemistry and inimitable joy playing chamber music. They are dedicated to the discovery, creation, and performance of new music, but what distinguishes their approach to contemporary music is a strong training and background in the classical genre. icarus Quartet is committed to performing new works with a studied and convincing interpretation that mirrors the validity of works with performance practices developed over centuries. visit www.icarusquartet.org

The American Prize 
in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18
(college/university division)

The American Prize winner:
Sound Out Loud
Madison WI

Sound Out Loud 

Sound Out Loud is a new music ensemble currently based out of Madison, Wisconsin. The group specializes in contemporary music from the early 20th century to the present, as well as commissions new works to be written for it. Having drawn inspiration from numerous performance ensembles (such as Eighth Blackbird, Silk Road, and the International Contemporary Ensemble), the group seeks to expand the realm of possibilities within the chamber ensemble repertoire through the implementation of experimental techniques, the incorporation of a variety of instruments and musical styles from the Middle East and Asia, innovative performance practice, and the use of live electronics. Website: www.soundoutloudensemble.com

 
2nd PLACE:
Bear Lake Wind Quintet
Greeley CO

Bear Lake Wind Quintet

The Bear Lake Wind Quintet is the University of Northern Colorado's flagship ensemble for woodwind performance.  Formed in 2015, and based in Greeley, Colorado, the Quintet is named for beautiful Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. The group’s members include flutist Justin Cook, oboist Pablo Hernandez, clarinetist Kaitlin Fahy, hornist Kerrie Pitts, and bassoonist Joshua Schairer.  All members are graduate teaching assistants at UNC in their instrument area and their studies are funded by their participation in the ensemble. Each year Bear Lake presents four to six outreach concerts all over Colorado and at least two full recitals.  The Quintet performs standard repertoire as well as new works, especially those by Colorado-based composers.

 

The American Prize 
in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18
(high school division) 

The American Prize winner:
The Bach Trio
Fremont CA

The Bach Trio

The Bach Trio, with violinist Pierce Wang, 13, cellist Ryan Har, 14, and pianist Josephine Chan, 13, is coached by Prof. Timothy Bach of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM). The trio has been performing in venues around the San Francisco Bay Area since 2014. Additionally, the trio members have performed and competed as soloists. Josephine Chan, student of Prof. Corey McVicar at SFCM, was a prizewinner in the 2015 Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, the 2015 Enkor International Piano Competition, and others. Pierce Wang, student of Prof. Wei He at SFCM, was a guest on NPR, From the Top, show #284, and the WXXI Backstage Live radio show. Ryan Har, student of Mr. Eric Sung of SFCM, has taken masterclasses from cellist Ben Hong and was a prizewinner in the 2017 Enkor International String Competition and a first prize winner in the 2017 American Protégé Competition.

 

2nd PLACE:
George Magub String Quartet
Santa Monica CA

George Magub String Quartet

From its humble lunchtime rehearsals at Santa Monica High School, the George Magub String Quartet has progressed into a mature and exciting young chamber ensemble. The George Magub quartet is comprised of four incredibly virtuosic and musical players. As individuals, they have won many prestigious local and national awards, and have taken part in festivals such as the Tanglewood Festival and the Heifetz Institute. Ranging from fifteen to seventeen years old, the public high school students have learned the the benefits of hard work, trust, and collaboration through their ensemble. Most recently, the George Magub quartet was the first place winner of the North Western Ensemble's competition. The repertoire they have selected shows their expressive and dynamic range as players, excelling from Debussy to Piazzolla. Through their hard work and shared love of music, the George Magub Quartet has become a uniquely bonded group of musicians and best friends.
 

3rd PLACE:
The Bright Boys
Knoxville TN

The Bright Boys

The Bright Boys Saxophone Quartet formed in Fall of 2016 with the intention of playing challenging staples in the saxophone quartet repertoire. Members of the quartet include Dalton DeLara, Carter Hatch, Spencer McDonald, and Marley Proffitt. The Bright Boys actively play in the community and were most recently invited to play at the Tennessee Music Education Association All-State Convention in Nashville this April. Three out of four group members attend the same school, and were brought together by multiple honor band events.

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Congratulations!

WINNERS: The American Prize in Instrumental Performance, 2017-18

The American Prize is honored to announce the winners and runners-up of The American Prize in Instrumental Performance, 2017-18, in professional, college/university and high school divisions. Congratulations!

Complete listings of finalists and semi-finalists in The American Prize competitions may be found elsewhere on this blog. Please use the chronological tool in the right hand column to find specific results.

Please make us aware of any misprints: theamericanprize@gmail.com

The American Prize 
in Instrumental Performance, 2017-18 (professional division)

The American Prize winner:
SEAN OSBORN, clarinet
Shoreline WA

SEAN OSBORN, clarinet

Sean Osborn has traveled the world as soloist and chamber musician, and during his eleven years with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.  He has appeared as guest principal clarinet with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and the American Symphony Orchestra.  The press has called him "...a master" (Gramophone), "...a miracle" (Boston Globe),"...excellent" (New York Times and Seattle PI) "...extaordinary" (Fanfare), "...beautiful" (Philadelphia Inquirer, Seattle Times, L'Orfeo). With over forty concertos in his repertoire, Sean has also recorded  dozens of CDs for London, Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, Albany, and others, as well as premiering works by John Adams, John Corigliano, Chen Yi, and Phillip Glass to name a few.  Former faculty of the University of Washington, he has given master classes at Eastman, Rice, Manhattan, Northwestern, and many other schools.  Sean is also an award-winning composer. Visit him on-line at www.osbornmusic.com


2nd PLACE:
BRITTANY LASCH, trombone
Bowling Green OH

BRITTANY LASCH, trombone

Trombonist Brittany Lasch is a winner of Astral Artist’s 2017 National Auditions and has been recently appointed as the new Instructor of Trombone at Bowling Green State University. A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, trombonist Brittany has performed as a soloist with ensembles such as the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and the Queens Symphony.Brittany spent two summers in the Verbier Festival Orchestra and has performed with orchestras such as the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the New World Symphony. A native of Park Ridge, Illinois, Brittany earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University and her MM from Yale School of Music. Her principal teachers include Toby Oft, Scott Hartman, and Steve Norrell. Brittany is an Edwards Trombone Performing Artist. www.brittanylasch.com


3rd PLACE
ALINA WINDELL, flute
AUBURN AL

ALINA WINDELL, flute

Dr. Alina Windell is on the faculty of Auburn University and Southern Union State Community College, and a member of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. She regularly plays with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and has also appeared with the Springer Opera House Orchestra, the Albany Symphony, the South Florida Symphony, the Bloomington Camerata Orchestra, the National Orchestral Institute Festival Orchestra, and the Opera Theatre and Music Festival Orchestra of Lucca in Italy. In the summer of 2016 and 2017, Dr. Windell was an Artist in Residence and Faculty member of the Orfeo Music Festival in Vipiteno, Italy; and has performed at the National Flute Association Convention in San Diego, CA and the International Double Reed Society Conference in Columbus, GA. Recent masterclass and performance engagements include The University of Nebraska in Omaha, Columbus State University in Georgia, and Sunway University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


The American Prize 
in Instrumental Performance, 2017-18 (college/university division)

The American Prize winner:
MICHEAL BARNES, percussion
Cincinnati OH

MICHEAL BARNES, percussion

Currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Micheal Barnes has performed with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, the Ft. Smith Symphony, and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He has been recognized in the Naftzger Young Artist Competition, the Coeur d’Alene Symphony National Young Artist Competition, the Hellam Young Artist Competition, and the U.S. Army National Collegiate Solo Competition. As a soloist, Barnes has been featured with the Cameron University Percussion Ensemble, the Oklahoma State University Wind Ensemble, the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, and the Delta Symphony, as well as having performed with the critically-acclaimed h2 Saxophone Quartet. In 2015, Micheal was awarded a teaching fellowship to work with the National Youth Orchestra and Choir of Belize. Micheal holds a BM from the University of Oklahoma. mbarnespercussion.com


2nd PLACE:
GABRIELLE CHOU, violin
Pembroke Pines FL

GABRIELLE CHOU, violin

Pianist and violinist Gabrielle Chou has played on both instruments with numerous orchestras, including the Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra, Mihail Jora Philharmonic Orchestra of Bacau, and National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. She is currently in her first year of undergraduate studies at the Juilliard School, where she studies piano with Jerome Lowenthal and violin with Lewis Kaplan. Her past studies include the Colburn Young Artists Academy in Los Angeles.

Gabrielle was the silver medal winner at the 6th Yamaha USASU International Senior Piano Competition, whose jury included legendary pianist Martha Argerich. She also received top prizes at the Young Composers’ Challenge, 10th Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists, NFMC National Composition Competition, 2nd Manchester International Piano Concerto Competition, and 21st Concorso Internazionale per Pianoforte e Orchestra Citta Di Cantu. Past festivals include the Aspen Music Festival and School, where she was a piano student and later two-year violin fellow.


3rd PLACE:
CHRISTOPHER LOWRY, violin
Antioch TN

CHRISTOPHER LOWRY, violin

Nashville native Christopher Lowry is emerging as one of the leading violists and most performed composers of his generation. A two-time winner of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition (winning Yuri Bashmet’s “President of the Jury Prize” in 2013 and “The Jury Panel Prize” in 2016), Lowry won grand prize in the Lewisville Lake Symphony International String Competition (2015) and has been a prizewinner in various national and international concerto and composition competitions.  He has appeared as a soloist with the Lewisville Lake Symphony, Nashville Philharmonic, Acadiana Symphony, Louisiana Sinfonietta, Nashville Sinfonietta, LSU Symphony, LSU Philharmonia, Vanderbilt University Orchestra, and Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, among others. Lowry is currently the principal violist of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Sinfonietta, and Acadiana Symphony.  Currently a Doctoral Candidate at LSU, he received his Master’s Degree from LSU and his Bachelor’s Degree from Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.


The American Prize 
in Instrumental Performance, 2017-18 (high school division) 

The American Prize winner:
RYAN HAR, cello
PALO ALTO CA

RYAN HAR, cello

Ryan Har, 15, is a scholarship student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Pre-College Division and is studying cello under Eric Sung and chamber music with Professor Timothy Bach. In addition, Ryan has taken masterclasses from cellist Ben Hong at the United States International Music Competition Festival. Ryan received 1st prize in the American Protegé Concerto Competition, 2nd prize in the Enkor International Music Competition, and an honorable mention in the Palo Alto Philharmonic Concerto Movement Competition in 2017. He had a solo performance at the SFCM Classical Kick-Off Weekend in 2016 and won first prize in his division at the Korean Times Youth Music Competition in 2011. He and his trio placed second in the Enkor International Music Competition in 2017, and they performed in the Concerts at the Presidio series. His trio was awarded first place at the DVC/HNU Young Artists String Competition in 2016.

2nd PLACE:
SAMUEL PERLMAN, violin
Highland Park IL

SAMUEL PERLMAN, violin

Samuel Perlman is a clarinetist, pianist, and saxophonist at Highland Park High School in Highland Park, IL. In addition to performing as a soloist, Samuel is a member of the Highland Park Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble and the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. He has studied clarinet with Walter Grabner and Barbara Drapcho.

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Congratulations!

FINALISTS: women in opera and operetta, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST women in opera and operetta for 2017-18 in all divisions, The FRIEDRICH and VIRGINIA SCHORR MEMORIAL AWARD in VOICE. Congratulations! To know the exact date when winners and runners-up will be announced, please "like" our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

The American Prize in Vocal Performance—Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award honors the memory of the greatest Wagnerian baritone of his age, Friedrich Schorr, who commanded the operatic stage between the world wars, and his wife, Virginia Schorr, who taught studio voice at the Manhattan School of Music and the Hartt School of Music for nearly fifty years. 

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—professional opera division (women), 2017-18

Melanie Ashkar   Arlington VA 

Chelsea Basler   Waltham MA 

Becca Conviser   Glencoe IL 

Maggie Finnegan   Winchester MA 

Jessica Fishenfeld   Great Neck NY 

Christine Lyons   Baltimore MD 

Meredith Mecum   Bronx NY 

Ariana Strahl   Ann Arbor MI 

Susan Wheeler   Burke VA 

Natalie Young   Lawrence KS 


The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—college/university opera division (women), 2017-18

Sarah Cooper  Lincoln MA

Clare Demer   Tucson AZ 

Lauren Frey   Croton on Hudson NY 

Kali Hardwick   Nevada City CA 

Sarah-Clementine Mire   Lubbock TX 

Kellie Motter   Bloomington IN 

Myka Murphy   Roswell GA 

Theodora Ivanova Nestorova   Acton MA 

Veronica Richer   Bryan OH 

Lauren Elizabeth Walker   Bloomington IN 

Ciera V. Williams   Detroit MI  


The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—high school opera division (women), 2017-18

Sarah Aaldering   Los Gatos CA 

Alina Dong  Houston TX

Abigail Marie Fletcher   Cape Coral FL 

Elisabeta Racolta   Cambridge MA 

Caroline Wolfe   Dallastown PA 

***

We encourage finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing winners in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists.

FINALISTS: piano performance (solo), 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST pianists for 2017-18 in the SOLO division. Congratulations! As the contests unfold, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when winners will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

It is a particularly exciting competition this year: very strong performances of some standard (and not so standard) repertoire. Bravi, tutti.

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


The American Prize in Piano Performance (solo)—professional division, 2017-18

Kris Carlisle   Rome GA

Jiwon Choi   Maryville MO

Mirna Lekic   Bayside NY

Qyunh Nguyen   New York NY

Roberto Plano   Holliston MA

Gabriel Quenneville-Belair   Minneapolis MN

Tomasz Robak   Baltimore MD

Michael Seregow   Pullman WA


The American Prize in Piano Performance (solo)—college/university division, 2017-18

Chia-Ying Chan   Urbana IL

Gabrielle Chou   Pembroke Pines FL  

Mimi Chun   East Lansing MI  

Ge Gao   Los Angeles CA  

William Hume   Rochester NY  

Yuan Jiang   Tempe AZ  

Mikhail Maurice Johnson   Bowling Green OH 

Ekaterina Paniukova   Lubbock TX  

Hyuna Park   Cincinnati OH  

Natasha Stojanovska   Chicago IL  

Nicholas Susi   Saint Louis MO   

John Wilson   Miami Beach FL  


The American Prize in Piano Performance (solo)
—high school division, 2017-18

All semi-finalists in the high school division were advanced. The level of artistry was high and The American Prize feels that each contestant listed below is worthy of the encouragement (and evaluation) finalist selection provides. Congratulations!

Megan Auyeung   Los Gatos CA  

Yuqing Liu   Sugar Land TX  

Avik Sarkar   Chestnut Hill MA  

Victor Shlyakhtenko   Los Angeles CA

Jarrett Mitsuhiro Takaki   Willmette IL  

Xiaoping Wang, Jr.   Highland Park IL  

Barbara Xiong   Brentwood TN 

***

Finalists are encouraged to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media and by including a link to this announcement on your website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a FINALIST in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing WINNERS in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists!

SEMI-FINALISTS: composers—instrumental chamber music, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce a grand list of 2017-18 SEMI-FINALIST composers of instrumental chamber music, in both professional and student divisions. Congratulations!

As the contests unfold, finalists, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when finalists will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

The American Prize in Composition—Instrumental Chamber Music (professional division), 2017-18

Mark Ackerley   Oakland CA
    "For Viola" for solo viola

Aaron Alter   Carlsbad CA
    Introspective Blues #1, Homage to Josquin

David Avshalomov   Santa Monica CA
    Trotzky's Train

Bruce Babcock   Pasadena CA
    Imagined/Remembered

Jay C. Batzner   Mt. Pleasant MI
    Two Slow Movements

Bjorn Berkhout   Forest Hills NY
    Séance

Steven R. Bernstein   West Hills CA
    "Suite 16" for 2 violins

Michael Boyd  Wilkins Township PA
    I Wouldn't Eat the Strawberries

Meredith Brammeier   San Luis Obispo CA
    Sonata for Horn and Piano

Harry Bulow   West Lafayette IN
    Sonata for Piano

Gustavo Casenave   Astoria NY
    Sol Negro

Rodrigo Bussad Cesar   Chicago IL
    Vermilion; Khaos

Timothy P. Chatwood   Carson City NV
    Midnight- The Second Noon

Brian Ciach   Mountain View CA
    Fourth Sonata for piano

Shawn Crouch   Miami Beach FL
    Lew Beach

Ethan Cypress   Oneonta NY
    Fickle Tone Zones

Joel Scott Davis   Hoover AL
    String Quartet No.1: Vespers

Dante De Silva   Tarzana CA
    WAKE THE DEAD

Cyril Deaconoff   Oakland CA
    Joys of Lights and Reflection

Nancy Bloomer Deussen   Mountain View CA
    Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano, The Pegasus Suite

Paul Elwood   Greeley CO
    Emissions Transparent

David Faleris   Annapolis MD
    A Martyred Village

Gregory Fritze   Daytona Beach Shores FL
    Uluru; Prelude and Dance

Robert Gans   Falmouth ME
    A DISTANT SHORE: A Musical Narrative for Piano in 5 Episodes

Ralf Yusuf Gawlick   Newton MA
    Imagined Memories

Milton Granger   Nutley NJ
    Sextet for piano and windquintet

Milton Granger   Nutley NJ
    Trio for piano, violin, cello in 3 movements, 1. Aubade. 2.Gigue. 3. Chanson

Jocelyn Hagen   Plymouth MN
    Test Pilot Suite

Douglas Hedwig   Chattanooga TN
    "A Certain Slant of Light"

Harlan Hodges   Glendale CA
    Six Poems ; Three American Etudes

Ching-chu Hu   Newark OH
    The Swash of Water and Red

Andrea La Rose   Praha 6 Czech Republic
    what presents itself (2017)

Daniel McCarthy   Akron OH
    Towers of Power: Chamber Symphony No. 4

Mel Mobley   Monroe LA
    Tributaries

Rebecca Oswald   Beaverton OR
    "My Blue Ocean, Your Eyes","To Solace My Heart","The Gentle Rain of Your Pure Love","The
Whisper of the Meaning","A Complete Life in Our Hands"

David R. Peoples   Buford GA
    Sonata "Riding Crepuscular Rays"

Bryan Anthony Percoco   Newark OH
    Summation-Vectors

Jakub Polaczyk   Astoria NY
    Tamburion

Clement Reid   Lakewood WA
    Robeson Overture, Theater Piece #1

Phil Salathe   Potsdam NY
    Three Street Pieces

Yitzhak Santis   1996000 Israel
    Elation

David P. Sartor   Hermitage TN
    Sonata for Trumpet and Piano

Peter Scartabello   Wickford RI
    Threshold for 5 Bb clarinets

Richard Silverman   Brooklyn NY
    String Quartet #7 "Elegy"

Tony Solitro   Philadelphia PA
    Shadow Confrontations

Greg A. Steinke   Depoe Bay OR
    From Songs of the Fire Circles

Ann Stimson   Weston MA
    Caracas for solo piano

Jorge Variego   Knoxville TN
    Crippled tango

William F. Vollinger   Woodcliff Lake NJ
    Dreams Before You Awake

C.G. Walden   Chatsworth GA
    Goethe's Revenge; Lenten Hope; Resurrection Dances; Fugeata

Charles Zoll Tempe AZ
    I REMEMBER SUMMER



The American Prize in Composition—Instrumental Chamber Music (student division), 2017-18

M.O. Abbott   Urbana IL
    Ascension Tube

Olga Amelkina-Vera   Plano TX
    Submerged Worlds

Tom Bar   Boston MA
    Thus the Past Buries its Dreams, The Prophetic Bird's Prophecy, The Pied Pier of Hamelin's Song, And I Will Be the Last One Laughing

Jacob Beranek   Oconomowoc WI
    Sonata for Violin and Piano

Shelby Rawlings Blalock   Charlottesville VA
    Agitato, Precarious, Fuse

Tyler Bouque   Troy MI
    Persian Dance, On the Blue Line, Samba de las Olimpadus

James Budinich   Northport NY
    Nothing Gold Can Stay

Zachary Gulaboff Davis   Salem OR
    Sonata for two pianos

Jonathan Embry   Fulton NY
    Passacaglia in F Minor, Op. 4, Solo Organ

Neal Endicott   Laingsburg MI
    "Against the Dying of the Light"

Kyle Franklin   Boston MA
    V Tableau

Joseph R. Gessler   Hendersonville NC
    Angels After Midnight

Paul Hwang   Palisades Park NJ
    In Nomine a 4; Music for Percussion; Short and Bittersweet

Dana Kaufman   Miami FL
    Peaporutus (Concussion)

Christopher Lowry   Antioch TN
    "Suite for Violin and Piano, Opus 5"

John Nydam   Wellesley MA
    Expanse

Zachary Ploeger   Pipestone MN
    Concert Piece

Heather Pryse   Charlottesville VA
    Opaque Figures

Victor Shlyakhtenko   Los Angeles CA
    Animated Ominosity

Kyle Simpson   Washington PA
    Beijing Impressions

Brandon Thibodeau   Holt MO
    Kaleidoscope

Chelsea Williamson   Norman OK
    Silhouettes

***

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a semi-finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing finalists in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all semi-finalists.

SEMI-FINALISTS: composers—vocal chamber music, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce an extensive list of 2017-18 SEMI-FINALIST composers of vocal chamber music, in professional and student divisions. Congratulations!

"Stunning displays of talent and creativity in a large field."

As the contests unfold, finalists, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when finalists will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

The American Prize in Composition—Vocal Chamber Music (professional division)

William Ashworth   Medford OR
    The Silver Apples of the Moon

David Avshalomov   Santa Monica CA
    TWO APOCALYPTIC SONGS (Ozymandias, The Ceremony of Innocence

Bruce Babcock   Pasadena CA
    THIS IS WHAT I KNOW- 4 songs on poems of Dorothy Parker

Jay C. Batzner   Mt. Pleasant MI
    Sufi Songs

John Beall   Morgantown WV
    New Testament Songs, 1. TheWord, 2.If Then We Have BeenRaised, 3. Let Us Love One Another, 4.The Holy City 5.If God Is On Our Side

Samuel Beebe   Brooklyn NY
    The Woods

Jennifer Bellor   Las Vegas NV
    Songs in the Dark

Curtis Bryant   Union City GA
    THE LAUGHING MONKEYS OF GRAVITY

Oliver Caplan   Medford MA
    Connect All. We All Connect.

Jerry Casey   Naples FL
    O, Death, Rock Me Asleep

Nancy Bloomer Deussen   Mountain View CA
    The World is a Butterfly's Wing

Ralf Yusuf Gawlick   Newton MA
    Kollwitz-Konnex (… im Frieden seiner Hande)

Ellen Ruth Harrison   Cincinnati OH
    All One Can Imagine

Timothy Lee Miller   Mahwah NJ
    Three Poems of Henry W. Longfellow

Michael Murray   Springfield MO
    Three Donne Songs

Craig Thomas Naylor   Kalispell MT
    our voices, for now, sustained

Eugene O'Brien   Bloomington IN
    ALGEBRA OF NIGHT

Denice Rippentrop   Scottsdale AZ
    If at the Moment, If I Wonder, If I Feel Injured, If There Be Any Reserve

Scott Robbins   Spartanburg SC
    Blue Ridge A Cappella

Adam Schumaker   Portage MI
    The Best Thing Ever

Moshe Shulman   Buffalo NY
    Song of Songs

Tony Solitro   Philadelphia PA
    More Beautiful Than Night

Greg A. Steinke   Depoe Bay OR
    Random Blackouts I

Ingrid Stolzel   Lawrence KS
    Soul Journey - Three Whitman Songs

Reginald Unterseher   Kennewick WA
    Here, Bullet, a cycle of songs

William Vollinger   Woodcliff Lake NJ
    Acts of Kindness

David von Kampen   Lincoln NE
    UNDER THE SILVER AND HOME AGAIN

C.G. Walden   Chatsworth GA
    Songs of Ascents, Final Praise


The American Prize in Composition—Chamber Music (student division)

M.O. Abbott   Urbana IL
    Transistor

Olga Amelkina-Vera   Plano TX
    Emily's Garden

Hans Bridger Heruth   Columbia MO
    To Decipher the Art

Jihyun Kim   Houston TX
    Gorilla

Michael Lanci   Saratoga Springs NY
    Songs For Joe Hill

***

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a semi-finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing finalists in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all semi-finalists.

FINALISTS: men in art song & oratorio, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST men in art song and oratorio for 2017-18, The FRIEDRICH and VIRGINIA SCHORR MEMORIAL AWARD in VOICE. Congratulations! To know the exact date when winners and runners-up will be announced next month, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

The American Prize in Vocal Performance—Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award honors the memory of the greatest Wagnerian baritone of his age, Friedrich Schorr, who commanded the operatic stage between the world wars, and his wife, Virginia Schorr, who taught studio voice at the Manhattan School of Music and the Hartt School of Music for nearly fifty years. 

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—art song/oratorio, professional division (men),  2017-18

Andrew Chukwuka Egbuchiem   Brooklyn NY 

Vahagn Hovents   Glendale CA 

Justin John Moniz   Tallahassee FL  

Bryan Pinkall   Manhattan KS 



The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—art song/oratorio, college/university division (men),  2017-18

David John Davani   Sea Cliff NY 

Jake Hemminger   Greensboro NC  

James Ley   Elkton MD  

Ben M. Reisinger   Rochester NY

***

We encourage finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing winners in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists.

FINALISTS: men in opera & operetta, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST men in opera and operetta for 2017-18 in all divisions, The FRIEDRICH and VIRGINIA SCHORR MEMORIAL AWARD in VOICE. Congratulations! To know the exact date when winners and runners-up will be announced, please "like" our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

The American Prize in Vocal Performance—Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award honors the memory of the greatest Wagnerian baritone of his age, Friedrich Schorr, who commanded the operatic stage between the world wars, and his wife, Virginia Schorr, who taught studio voice at the Manhattan School of Music and the Hartt School of Music for nearly fifty years. 

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—professional opera division (men), 2017-18

Stefan Barner   Jamaica Plain MA 

Evan Bravos   Chicago IL 

Scott J. Brunscheen   Chicago IL 

Ryan Francis Burns   Vernon CT 

Kyle van Schoonhoven   Chicago IL 


The American Prize in Voice / Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award—college/university opera division (men), 2017-18

David John Davani   Sea Cliff NY 

Jake Hemminger   Greensboro NC 

Ben M. Reisinger   Rochester NY 


***

We encourage finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing winners in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists.

SEMI-FINALISTS: composers—music for orchestra, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce an extensive listing of 2017-18 SEMI-FINALIST composers for orchestra in both professional and student divisions, representing many styles and aesthetics. Congratulations!

As the contests unfold, finalists, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when finalists will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

The American Prize in Composition—Orchestra (professional division)

Lee Actor   Monte CA
    Premonition

Jack D. Ballard, Jr.   Alliance OH
    El Corazon (Mvt III from Symphony No.5)

Brian Ciach   Mountain View CA
    The Einstein Slide from Collective Uncommon: Seven Orchestral Studies on Medical Oddities

Dr. Michael Cox   Fort Worth TX
    Concertante for Piano and Orchestra

Nancy Bloomer Deussen   Mountain View CA
    Reflections on the Hudson, Ascent to Victory

Rocco Di Pietro   Columbus OH
    Cyborg

Stephen Ferre   Cincinnati OH
    Labyrinth

Gregory Fritze   Daytona Beach Shores FL
    Concertino ; Slava

Eric Funk   Bozeman MT
    Variation on a Theme on Jan Hanus, Op 127

William P. Gorton   Haddon Township NJ
    Fantasy on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Danny Gray   Briarcliff Manor NY
    Summer Mountains

Ryan M. Hare   Pullman WA
    "Stanzas" After Poe

Laurie Betts Hughes   Bellevue WA
    Fragile

Daniel McCarthy   Akron OH
    The Tao of Infinity

David McKee   Arden NC
    Vigil

Mel Mobley   Monroe LA
    Labored Breathing

Anthony Mosakowski   Springfield PA
    Concert Overture

Lawrence Mumford   Laguna Niguel CA
    SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

Elena Roussanova   Jamaica Plain MA
    Moments of Arrival for Orchestra

Dr. Walter Saul   Fresno CA
    Rhapsody for Oboe and Orchestra (Kiev 2014)

Mark Edwards Wilson   Bowie MD
    The Phoenix

Rain Worthington   Nassau NY
    Fast Through Dark Winds

Gregory Yasinitsky   Pullman WA
    Jazz Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

Judith Lang Zaimont   Maricopa AZ
    CHROMA—Northern Lights


The American Prize in Composition—Orchestra (student division)

Nicolas Bizub   Cincinnati OH
    Reflective Distortion

Shelby Rawlings Blalock   Charlottesville VA
    Out of Ashes

Weijun Chen   Amherst NY
    Dancer (2016)

Daniel Despins   Wilminston DE
    Yetzer Hara

William Carson Graham   Marina Del Rey CA
    Start Here

Alison Yun-Fei Jiang   Elmhurst NY
    Waves, Exile

Jihyun Kim   Houston TX
    At Dawn

Christopher Lowry   Antioch TN
     Golden Rhapsody, Opus 17

Antonio Juan Marcos   Berkeley CA
    Amanece

Justin Ralls   Portland OR
    Tree Ride

Avik Sarkar   Chestnut Hill MA
    PURVI

Kyle Simpson   Washington PA
    On The Road Suite

***

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a semi-finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing finalists in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all semi-finalists.

FINALISTS: Piano Concerto, 2017-18, The Lorin Hollander Award

Lorin Hollander

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST pianists for 2017-18 in the CONCERTO division, The LORIN HOLLANDER AWARD. Congratulations! As the contests unfold, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when winners will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

It is a particularly exciting competition this year, especially in the professional division, which heralds very strong performances of some standard (and not so standard) repertoire. Bravi, tutti.

The American Prize LORIN HOLLANDER AWARD celebrates the artistry of one of the greatest pianists of his generation. Lorin Hollander has appeared as guest soloist with virtually every major symphony orchestra in the world and is a veteran of over 2,500 performances across the globe. The American Prize is delighted to share the legacy of this legendary artist through the re-naming of the award for Piano Concerto Performance in his honor.
For more about the extraordinary life and career of Lorin Hollander, please visit http://lorinhollander.com/

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


The American Prize in Piano Performance, concerto, The Lorin Hollander Award, 2017-18
—professional division

Richard Bosworth   Naples FL   
    Tchaikovsky Concerto in B-flat minor

Jacob Clark   Beaumont TX
    Hartley Concerto #2 for Piano and Wind Ensemble

Paul Dykstra   Sanbornton NH  
    Beethoven Emperor Concerto

Quynh Nguyen   New York NY
    Mozart K. 453 (G major)

Roberto Plano   Holliston MA
    Busoni Concerto in D minor

Tomasz Robak   Baltimore MD 
    Mendelssohn Concerto in G minor


The American Prize in Piano Performance, concerto, The Lorin Hollander Award, 2017-18
—college/university division

Xiao Chen   Los Angeles CA
    Rachmaninoff Concerto #2
   
Pei-Sin Chen   Columbus OH
    Prokofiev Concerto #1

Lishan Xue   Urbana IL
    Bartok Concerto #2



The American Prize in Piano Performance, concerto, The Lorin Hollander Award, 2017-18
—high school division

Annika Huprikar   Highland Park IL
    Mozart K 414 (A major)
  
Leyla Kabuli   Davis CA
    Rachamninoff Concerto #2

Victor Shlyakhtenko   Los Angeles CA 
    Beethoven Choral Fantasy

Xiaoping Wang, Jr.   Highland Park IL
    Saint-Saens Concerto #2 (G minor)

***

Finalists are encouraged to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media and by including a link to this announcement on your website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a FINALIST in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing WINNERS in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists!

FINALISTS: Chamber Ensembles, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce FINALIST chamber music ensembles for 2017-18. Congratulations! To know the exact date when winners and runners-up will be announced, please like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

If you are not a finalist this year, please remember that the contests are not yet over. The American Prize reserves the right to award Honorable Mentions and Citations for Special Achievement to any contestant, regardless of final placement. TAP has honored a number of semi-finalists and quarter finalists in the past--to recognize a unique talent or focus, unusual repertoire, vital programming or outreach. Citations and Honorable Mentions are usually awarded at the same time as winners and runners-up, but can be presented at any time up to the last winners' announcement of the contest year.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

Finalists are listed by ensemble name, contact person, city and state.


The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18: professional division  

Duo Concertato
Richard Bosworth
Naples FL
 
Ulysses Quartet
Colin Brookes
New York NY
 
The City Of Tomorrow
Rane Moore
Medford MA
 
MATIMA
Maiko Sasaki
Houston TX
 
Amarillo Virtuosi
Catie White Shanks
Amarillo TX
 
icarus Quartet
Jeff Stern
Baltimore MD
 
Bell'Art Ensemble
Lenny Young
Pittsburgh PA



The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18: college/university division

Bear Lake Wind Quintet
Justin Cook
Greeley CO
 
Sound Out Loud
Kyle Johnson
Madison WI



The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2017-18: high school division

The Bright Boys
Ryan Bright
Knoxville TN
 
Orpheus Duo
Samuel Perlman
Highland Park IL
 
George Magub String Quartet
Leo Santi
Santa Monica CA
 
The Bach Trio
Evan Wang
Fremont CA



***

Finalists are encouraged to make the most of their selection by announcing it on social media and by including a link to this announcement on your website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a FINALIST in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing WINNERS in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all finalists!

SEMI-FINALISTS: composers—music for chorus, 2017-18

The American Prize is pleased to announce an extensive listing of 2017-18 SEMI-FINALIST composers of choral music, representing a grand range of styles and techniques. Congratulations!

As the contests unfold, finalists, runners-up and winners will be selected from this list. To know the exact date when finalists will be announced, please "like" our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter #AmericanPrize, where that information will be published first.

All contestants are reminded they are responsible for the viability of their online links to audition materials. Those links must remain active until complete results in the contest are announced officially. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.

NOTE: This listing was revised on November 19, 2017 with the addition of another composer whose work was submitted in the incorrect category.

The American Prize in Composition—Choral (professional division)

 Aaron Alter   Carlsbad CA
    Together We Create and Sing!

Jesse Ayers   Canton OH
    There's a Stirrin' in the Water

Jennifer Bellor   Las Vegas NV
    898 Hildegard

Meredith Brammeier   San Luis Obispo CA
    "Blow, Winds, Rage, Blow!"

Douglas Buchanan   Cockeysville MD
    Rorate Coeli, Benedicite omni opera

Delvyn Case   Quincy MA
    Tenebrae Factae Sunt

Jerry Casey   Naples FL
    What Shall We Bring?

Bryan Christian   McLean VA
    Of a rose synge we

Dr. Michael Cox   Fort Worth TX
    Sacraments

Shawn Crouch   Miami Beach FL
    Visions and Ecstacies

David Horace Davies   Rowlett TX
    Hodie, Ubi Carita

Cyril Deaconoff   Oakland CA
    Kontakion for Pascha (Easter)

Joy DeCoursey-Porter   Bellevue WA
    "There Was The One"

Brian T. Field   Fairfield CT
    "Sweet Forgiveness"

Carlo Vincetti Frizzo   Bloomington IN 
  
    Fugue with Robin and Dogwood; Nightscape; Through the Caumberland; A la Noche

William P. Gorton   Haddon Township NJ
    Te Deum

Gerald Gurss   Columbia SC
    Be at My Side

Elaine Hagenberg   Windsor Heights IA
    "Music of Stillness","Refuge"," As the Rain Hides the Stars","Good Night,Love", "O Come, Emmanuel"

Marjorie Halloran   Austin TX
     Write it On Your Heart, Stillness, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, 8 Ways to Look at a Window

Julianna Horton   Louisville KY
    God Is In His Holy Dwelling Place

Laurie Betts Hughes   Bellevue WA
    The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Elise Letourneau   Orleans ON
    The Virgin Mary to the Child Jesus (cantata)

David Lipten   Tallahassee FL A
    Widows Song; How to

Michael D. McClish   Los Angeles CA
    Requiem of Remembrance

Timothy Lee Miller   Mahwah NJ
    Tears

Lawrence Mumford   Laguna Niguel CA
    QUIETEM

Michael Murray   Springfield MO
    After The Fall

Karen E. Peace   Colorado Springs CO
    Requiem

Scott Perkins   New Haven CT
    The Stolen Child, A Word Out Of The Sea. The World of Dream

Jakub Polaczyk   Astoria NY
    MISSA APUNCTA

Kurt Sander   Cincinnati OH
    Evlogitaria

Dr. Walter Saul   Fresno CA
    The Word Was Made Flesh

Joel Bentley Thompson   Snellville GA
    Seven Last Words of the Unarmed

Ludwig Tuman   Oxnard CA
    "The Happy Man's Shirt"

Reginald Unterseher   Kennewick WA
    If You Can Read This

Mari Esabel Valverde   Fort Worth TX
    "When Thunder Comes"

David von Kampen   Lincoln NE
    FLOOD THE GOLD EARTH, DAVID'S LAMENTATION

C.G. Walden   Chatsworth GA
    O My Dove, Come Up from the Fields, Set Me As A Seal

Michael Wolniakowski   Orland Park IL
    SONNET 73


The American Prize in Composition—Choral (student division)

Jacob Beranek   Oconomowoc WI
    Hodie Christus natus est!

Tyler Bouque   Troy MI
    Prayer for Light

Nicolas Chuaqui   Bloomington IN
    Qui Confidunt in Domino

Hans Bridger Heruth   Columbia MO
    Joy

Dana Kaufman   Miami FL
    Be Still My Heart

Jihyun Kim   Houston TX 
    A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky

Marlene Miller   West Grove PA
    Repeating Random

Xingzimin Pan   Salt Lake City UT
    What Flowers Tell You

Nathaniel Parks   Greensboro NC
    Messe de la Perdu

***

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it on their facebook page, tweeting the news, and including a link to this announcement on their website or blog.

Here is a sample announcement:

"Great News! I've just been selected as a semi-finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing finalists in my division soon. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize "

Please feel free to modify or expand this announcement to suit your needs.

Congratulations to all semi-finalists.