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Ernst Bacon |
"Many semi-finalists have been advanced. The breadth of achievement and commitment to excellence shown by the finalists in this year's Bacon contest in the performance of American music is simply astonishing. So very impressive. At The American Prize, it is never about 'too many finalists' —why should there be an arbitrary number?—but about respecting (and encouraging) artists at all levels of endeavor."—DK
The finalist categories are listed below in this order:
*professional ensembles
*college/university emsembles
*community ensembles
*secondary school ensembles
Among the many contests of The American Prize, the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music is unique. It recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide, based on submitted recordings. Applications are accepted from professional, college/university, community and high school age solo artists, chamber ensembles or conducted ensembles, competing in separate divisions, and from composers with excellent recordings of their works. Beginning in 2017-18, categories were expanded to encompass performances of American music in practically any instrumentation or genre, with very few repertoire restrictions.
Focused exclusively on works by American composers from any period and in any style, the contest not only judges performances, but in the case of new or unfamiliar works, the music itself.
Ernst Bacon (1898—1990) was one of that pioneering generation of composers who, along with Thomson, Copland, Harris, and others, found a voice for American music. Winner of a Pulitzer Scholarship (for his Symphony in D minor) and no fewer than three Guggenheim Fellowships, Ernst Bacon set out to create compositions that expressed the vitality and affirmative spirit of our country. It is fitting, and with honor, that The American Prize creates an annual award in the memory of Ernst Bacon, recognizing the finest performances of American orchestral music worldwide. To learn more about the music & legacy of Ernst Bacon, please visit the website of the Ernst Bacon Society.
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.
As the contests unfold, 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 the end of the contest year. 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.
NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, PROFESSIONAL ensemble division, 2018-19
Edward Benyas
Southern IL Music Festival Orchestra
Southern IL
American Symphony—Lionel Semiatin
Reuben Blundell
Gowanus Arts Ensemble
Brooklyn IL
Foster / Foote / Cadman / Van Gelder
Oliver Caplan
Juventas New Music Ensemble
Boston MA
You Are Not Alone—Oliver Caplan
Justin Croushore
Some Assembly Required
Boston MA
Higdon / Kline / Stark
Darrell J. Jordan
Vox Nova
Columbia MO
Billings / Ives / Heruth, more
Yoon Lee
Noree Chamber Soloists
New York NY
Soul Garden—Derek Bermel
Nanette McGuinness
Ensemble for These Times
San Francisco CA
music by David Garner
Kevin Purcell
The Synchron Stage Orchestra / Bratislava Studio Orchestra
Vienna / Bratislava
Nan Schwartz / Brenton Broadstock
Elaine Rinaldi
Orchestra Miami
Miami FL
Inquisition & Masada—Marvin David Levy
Tom Trenney
Sounding Light
Plymouth MI
Diorio / Clausen / Elder
Dean Whiteside
New World Symphony
Miami Beach FL
Symphony in One Movement—Barber
NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ensemble division, 2018-19
Nicholle Andrews
University of Redlands
Redlands CA
Messages from Myself—Christopher Theofanidis
Heather C. Barclay
Palomar/YPO Percussion Ensemble
San Marcos CA
Daugherty / Peel / Davilla
Mark Bartley
West Texas A&M University Choirs and Orchestra with Canyon HS Chamber Singers
Canyon TX
Psalm 150—Rene Clausen
Brian Coffill
University of Maryland Wind Ensemble
College Park MD
Decoration Day—Charles Ives
Daniel Cook
Northwestern University Chamber Ensemble
Evanston IL
Sparrows—Joseph Schwantner
Austin Davis
University of Redlands Symphonic Band
Redlands CA
Ticheli / Whitacre / Clarke
Zachary Durlam
UW Milwaukee Combined Choirs and Symphony Orchestra
Milwaukee WI
Chichester Psalms—Leonard Bernstein
Jeffrey D. Gershman
Capital University Symphonic Winds
Columbus OH
George / Runestad / Ives / Maslanka
Joseph Higgins
Rowan University Wind Ensemble
Glassboro NJ
Mr. Tambourine Man—John Corigliano
Zebulon M. Highben
Muskingum Concert Choir
New Concord OH
Simikic / Luboff / Jarjisian, more
Jeremy D. Jones
Miami University Men's Glee Club
Oxford OH
Night, Veiled Night—Anthony J. Maglione
Travis Jurgens
Ohio Northern Symphony
Ada OH
Mandolin Concerto: From the Blue Ridge—Jeff Midkiff
Chris Younghoon Kim
Cornell Symphony Orchestra
Ithaca NY
Blues Symphony—Wynton Marsalis
Chris Knighten
University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble
Fayetteville AR
Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Ensemble—Mackey
Pamornpan Komolpamorn
The University of Texas Wind Ensemble
Austin TX
Dooley / Brant / Gershwin
Ianthe Marini
Columbus State University Schwob Singers
Columbus GA
Whitacre / Bernstein / Hogan
Matthew C. Morse
Sacramento State Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Sacramento CA
Bernstein / Bennett / Mackey
Joseph P. Scott
University of Maryland Wind Ensemble
College Park MD
Amerian Guernica—Adolphus Hailstork
Shayna Stahl
University of Washington Recital Ensemble
Seattle WA
Albert / Schwantner
Kevin Sutterlin
The Concordia Orchestra
Moorhead MN
Hanson / Hochstatter / Glass, more
John William Trotter
Wheaton College Concert Choir
Wheaton IL
Psalm 121—Stephen Paulus
Chris David Westover
Denison University Wind Ensemble
Granville OH
Persichetti / Barber
Jeremy Wiggins
The Florida State University Choral Union
Tallahassee FL
O Magnum Mysterium—Libby Larsen
Lisa Wong
The College of Wooster Chorus
Wooster OH
Runestad / Whitacre / Lauridsen, more
NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, COMMUNITY ensemble division, 2018-19
Donald L. Appert
Clark College Orchestra
Vancouver WA
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra—Donald L. Appert
Reuben Blundell
Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra
Lansdowne PA
David Stanley Smith / Carl Busch
Patricia Brown
Texas Medical Center Orchestra
Houston TX
Merry Mount Suite—Howard Hanson
Philip Brunelle
Vocal Essence Chorus & Ensemble Singers
Minneapolis MN
Larsen / Heggie / Paulus
Elizabeth Patterson, conductor
Gloriae Dei Cantores Choir
Orleans MA
Neswick / Ned Rorem / Samuel Adler
Curt Ebersole
Westchester Symphonic Winds
Tarrytown NY
Brooklyn Bridge—Michael Daugherty
Lois Ferrari
Austin Civic Orchestra
Austin TX
Copland / Bernstein / Ives / Barber, much more
Trent A. Hollinger
Quincy Concert Band
Quincy IL
Give Us This Day—David Maslanka
Brian Hughes
Quad City Wind Ensemble
Davenport IA
Willson / Giroux / Moross / Curnow
Ryan James Brandau
Monmouth Civic Chorus
Red Bank NJ
Fern Hill—Corigliano, more
Erik Peregrine
Ensemble Companio
Niskayuna NY
Betinis / Trumbore
NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, OUTH & HIGH SCHOOL division, 2018-19
Catherine Fish
Herricks HS Chamber Orchestra
New Hyde Park NY
Michael Daugherty / David Diamond
Michael Isadore
Houston Youth Symphony Philharmonia
Houston TX
Red Line Tango—John Mackey
Chris Maunu
Arvada West HS Vocal Showcase
Arvada CO
Mulholland / Muehleisen
Noreen Murdock
David Hattner, conductor
Camerata PYP
Portland OR
Muse—Christopher Theofanidis
***
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.
Here is a sample announcement:
"Great News! I've just been selected as a finalist in the (blank) division of The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, 2018-19. Here's the link: (copy link here). The American Prize will be announcing results 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.
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