FiNALISTS: Piano (solo), 2019-20

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce FINALIST pianists for 2019-20 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.

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 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 social media, 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 National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. The American Prize is unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings. Now in its tenth year, The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. Contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Piano Performance, 2019-20, professional solo division:

J. Bradley Baker  
Newton     KS

Jiyoung Jeoung 
Muncie     IN

John Kamfonas    
Devon PA

Lei Weng   
Greeley    CO

Jentao Yu 
Oakland    CA

Yuting Zhou   
New York   NY


The American Prize in Piano Performance, 2019-20, college/university solo division:

Igor Filipe Do Amaral 
New York   NY     

Eunhae Choi   
Savoy IL     

Shun-Jung Hsu    
Madison    WI     

Bogyeong   Lee    
North Liberty  IA     

Jiayun Li 
Panzhihua  Sichuan

Chenyu Wang   
Hartford   CT  


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Piano Performance, 2019-20, high school solo division:

Marc Soong  
Alhambra   CA     

Christopher Zhu    
West Roxbury   MA


***

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: Piano (concerto)—The Lorin Hollander Award, 2019-20

Lorin Hollander

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, chief judge, is pleased to announce FINALIST pianists for 2019-20 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.

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 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.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. The American Prize is unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings. Now in its tenth year, The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. Contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Piano Performance, concerto, The Lorin Hollander Award, 2019-20
—professional division

Hyekyeong Hanna Cho 
Lacey   WA      
Stenhammar—Concerto No. 2 in D minor

Anna Dmytrenko    
Newark DE     
Prokofiev—Concerto No. 2 in G minor

Susan Merdinger    
Highland Park IL      
Tchaikovsky—Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor

Amaury Morales  
Pittsburgh PA   
Beethoven—Choral Fantasy, op. 80  

Lei Weng
Greeley CO       
Rachmaninoff—Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Gershwin—Concerto in F


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Piano Performance, concerto, The Lorin Hollander Award, 2019-20
—college/university division

Eunhae Choi
Savoy   Il     
Beethoven—Concerto No. 3  in C minor

Bogyeong  Lee 
North Liberty   IA        
Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 24 in C 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, 2019-20

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce NATIONAL FINALIST chamber music ensembles for 2019-20. 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 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 social media, 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 National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. Unique in scope and structure, The American Prize is designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings. Now in its tenth year, The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. Contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.  

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


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2019-20: professional division

Szlubowska-Belsky Duo
Svetlana Belsky
Northbrook  IL

Fidelis Quartet
Jeffrey Butler
Houston TX

Anima Vox
Carole Jean Ott Coelho
Greensboro NC

Duo MemDi
Igor Kalnin
Decorah IA

Serenade Duo
Michelle LaPorte
Saint James NY

Pure Winds
Natalie Law
Lansing MI

Pegasus Chamber Ensemble
Jonathan Lusher
Guanajuato  GTO

Eason-Seregow Duo
Michael Seregow
Muncie IN

Sophia Tegart and Michael Seregow
Michael Seregow
Muncie IN

Luna Nova
Sabrina Laney Warren
Cordova TN


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2019-20, college/university division:

The Raritan Trio
Alexander Bui
Egg Harbor  NJ

Khroma Quartet
Michael Chapa
The Colony  TX

Tsukervanik-Liu Duo
Ming-Jui Liu
Arcadia  CA


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2019-20, high school division:

Zeitlos Trio
Tia Chang 
Palo Alto  CA 

Trio Centauri
Lei Gui 
San Jose CA 

Vivo String Quartet 
Ya-Fei Hsu 
Pittsburgh PA

Quantum Quartet
Mark Smith 
Carrollton TX 


***

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: Instrumental Soloists, 2019-20

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, chief judge, is pleased to announce FINALIST instrumental soloists for 2019-20. 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.

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 season. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. Unique in scope and structure, The American Prize is designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings. Now in its tenth year, The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. Contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation. 

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 often honored semi-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.

We invite 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. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Instrumental Performance, 2019-20, professional division:

Mary Elizabeth Bowden
Winston-Salem  NC 
Trumpet 

Mili Chang 
Jersey City NJ 
Flute
 
Christopher Dickey
Pullman WA 
Tuba 
 
Andrew Harrison
Riverside CA 
Alto Saxaphone 
 
Cora Swenson Lee
Rochester NY 
Cello
 
Christopher Leslie
New York NY 
Euphonium 
 
Sam Nelson
Sarasota  FL 
Organ
 
Todd Oxford
Austin TX 
Saxophone 
 
Sarah Shin  
Centreville VA 
Flute
 


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Instrumental Performance, 2019-20, college/university division:

Nicholas Buonanni
Lansing MI 
Flute
 
Giorgio Consolati  
Baltimore MD 
Flute
 
Logan Fox
Greenwood IN 
Percussion
 
Anita Graef 
Evanston IL 
Cello
 
Sooah Jung  
Rochester NY 
Violin  
 
Rajan Kapoor
Hebron CT 
Cello
 


NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Instrumental Performance, 2019-20, high school division:

Aaron Hsia 
Santa Clara CA
Violin 
 
Phoebe Wang 
Englewood CO
Cello
 
Christian Wong 
Huntington NY
Violin 

Sheeline Yu
Brentwood TN
Violin  


***

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 (ensembles): ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the Performance of American Music, 2019-20

Ernst Bacon

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce SEMI-FINALISTS in the ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC contest, 2019-20 in ensemble 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 the end of the contest year. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

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.

The American Prize is the nation's most comprehensive series of non-profit competitions in the performing arts, unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States based on submitted recordings. The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. 

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.

NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, PROFESSIONAL ensemble division, 2019-20

Oliver Caplan 
Juventas New Music Ensemble
Boston   MA
Shell & Wing (David Biedenbender)

Tyson Deaton 
US Army Soldiers' Chorus and Field Band
New York  NY
The Falling and the Rising  (Zach Redler/Jerre Dye)     

Audrey Johnson
Chicago  IL
Songs of Sac Prairie (a song cycle) (Ronald William Hill)

Jessica Koebbe 
Prairie Duo   
Prairie Village  KS
La boite `a bijoux (The Jewelry Box) (Philip Lasser)

Jason  Lim
McKinney Philharmonic
McKinney TX
Three Latin American Sketches; Music for Movies (Copland)

Dean Whiteside      
New World Symphony
Miami Beach  FL
Chamber Symphony No. 2  (Arnold Schoenberg)

 
NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ensemble division, 2019-20

Dr. Eddie W. Airheart
The TCU Wind Symphony     
Fort Worth   TX
The Seven Deadly Sins (Robert Xavier Rodriguez)

David  Anderson
Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra
Lake Geneva       WI
Hold fast to dreams (Dana Wilson)  

Heather C. Barclay
Palomar/YPO Percussion Ensemble
San Marcos CA
Sofapilla (Chuck Ricotta); Fidget (Nathan Daughtrey) 

Daniel Cook
Northwestern University Chamber Ensemble   
Evanston IL
Appalachian Spring   

William B. Drury  
New England Conservatory Symphonic Winds  
Boston MA
Whitman Tropes (Richard Toensing)

Tracelyn Gesteland      
University of South Dakota Opera      
Vermillion SD
The Consul

Michael Hancock
University of Oklahoma Wind Symphony
Norman OK
Urban Requiem; Labyrinth of Love  (Michael Colgrass/Michael Daugherty)

Janet Heukeshoven    
St. Mary's University of Minnesota Concert Band
Winona   MN
Nigun Prophecy; Ayshet Chayil (A Woman of Valor)  (David Ashalomov / Steven L. Rosenhaus) 

Scott Jones  
Texas A&M University Kingsville Wind Symphony  
KingsvilleTX
Innsmouth, Massachusetts—1927   (Roy D. Magnuson)

Minji Kim
University of Maryland University Chorale
College Park MD
A Jubilant Song (Norman Della Joio)

Tremon Kizer  
University of Central FL Wind Ensemble  and
Orlando  FL
(Grainger, Holst, Thomas, Reed)

Thomas Kociela
New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble
Boston MA
Double Quintet  (Gunther Schuller)

Hon Pan Benson Lee
TCU Symphony Orchestra and TCU Chamber Orchestra  
Fort Worth   TX
A Christmas Festival; Adagio for Strings  (Anderson/Barber)

Jorge  Machain
UNLV Wind Orchestra
Las Vegas  NV
Thomas G. Leslie, conductor
Festive Music (Morton Gould)

James Reddan 
Western Oregon Voices     
Monmouth  OR
(Marsh, Zegree, Morrison/Fox, Meaader, Carr)

James Reddan 
Western Oregon University Chamber Singers  
Monmouth  OR
(Rudoi, Berger, Erb, Foster/Keller, Guillaume)

Carl T. Rowles 
Kansas Wesleyan University Wind Ensemble   
Salina KS
Concerto for Flute and Wind Ensemble (Peter Senchuk)   

Ethan Stolen 
Queens College Conductors Workshop Festival
New York NY
Divertimento  (Bruce Sayon)

Margaret Vignola
SUNY Purchase Opera
Purchase NY
Confession (Raphael Lucas)

Adam Waller 
Peabody Wind Ensemble     
Baltimore MD
Requiem (David Maslanka)   

Carolyn Watson 
University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra    
Kansas City  KS
Fanfare Ritmico (Jennifer Higdon) 

Brian J. Winnie 
Western IL University Singers  
Macomb   IL
(Runestad, Dawson, Whitacre, Smith)


NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, COMMUNITY ensemble division, 2019-20

Donald L.  Appert 
Clark College Orchestra   
Vancouver WA
Symphony No. 2  (David Diamond)

Patricia Brown  
Texas Medical Center Orchestra
Houston  TX
Libi Lebel, conductor
New Beginnings (Peter Boyer)  

Ronald Demkee 
The Allentown Band
Allentown PA       
(Reed, Hanson, Daughtery, Williams, Meij)

Michael Driscoll
Andover Choral Society    
Andover  MA
Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight (Florence Price)   

Jessica Koebbe 
Midwest Chamber Ensemble  
Prairie Village   KS
Ballade  (Philip Lasser)

Nancy  Magee  
Harmonium Choral Society  
Morristown   NJ
Song of the Open Road (Mark Miller)    

Matthew Melendez
Great Bend Chorale & Youth Chorale    
Union   WA
Borders  (John Muehleisen)  

John J. Palatucci      
Orpheus Club Men's Chorus 
Ridgewood NJ
(Benz, Martin, Lane, Van Heusen)

Erik Peregrine      
Ensemble Companio 
Northeastern US    
Wonderous Glow; The New Colossus; Hard Times  (Valverde; Choi; Foster)      

Martha Stoddard
Oakland Civic Orchestra   
Oakland  CA
(Reiprich, Johnson, Stoddard)

Ethan Stolen 
Queens College Conductors Workshop Festival
New York NY
Divertimento  (Bruce Sayon)


NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, YOUTH division, 2019-20

Michael Isadore
John Foster Dulles HS Honors Orchestra
Sugar Land  TX
Supermaximum (Kenji Bunch)  

Dr. Michael G. Martin 
Hilliard Darby Symphonic Choir
Hilliard OH
Great God Almighty; Angelus Ad Virginem; Peace Like a River   (Stacey G. Gibbs/ Carol Barnett/ Mack Wilberg)

Kelly Waltrip
Denver Young Artists Orchestra
Denver CO
Wes Kenney, conductor
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #4 (Joan Tower)



***

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 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 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 (soloists): ERNST BACON Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music, 2019-20

Ernst Bacon

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce SEMI-FINALISTS for the ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, 2019-20, in the solo division. Congratulations! (A separate announcement will be made in the ensemble division tomorrow afternoon, February 7, 2019.)

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.

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 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 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. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, semi-finalists, PROFESSIONAL soloists or composers, 2019-20

Aaron Alter
NM Performing Arts Society and The Santa Fe Women's Ensemble    
Santa Fe  NM       
Lo Lanu Ha-Shem

Cayla Bellamy
Cedar Falls  IA       
Jazz Variations, Elegy and Dance, Deep           

Lisa  Bryce
Brooklyn  NY       
Kiss Me Not Goodbye Po'moner, Litany, Compensation

Luke  Carlson
Aether Eos            
New York  NY      
Last Light

Hyunjung Rachel Chung
Roswell  GA       
My Cherished Garden       

Alice Anne Light
Lubbock  TX       
Abide with Me: 5 Songs of Love (Price Walden)      

Susan Merdinger            
Highland Park  IL       
Pieces of China; Ballade in F-sharp minor; Piano Sonata; Toccata (Gould/Vazquez/Copland)    

Robert G. Patterson            
Rhodes College Mastersingers, Coro Rio, Memphis Symphony      
MemphisTN       
Requiem

Megan Roth
Boston MA       
Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House

Kurt Sander  PaTRAM Institute Singers 
Chicago IL       
The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom           

Jackie Schiffer
New York  NY    
The Great American Songbook

Neil  Stipp
Glendora  CA       
Sonata for Clarinet and Organ       

Nolan Stolz
Brno Philharmonic     
Brno   Czechoslovakia    
Lincoln Highway Suite      

Shiwei Wan 
APEX 
Boston MA       
Chemical Emotions      

Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn            
Springfield  MO       
Songs to the Moon (Heggie)          

Heidi Louise Williams
Tallahassee  FL       
Sonata for Piano, Op. 26 (Barber)     



NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, semi-finalists, COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY soloists or composers, 2019-20

Lindsay Bronnenkant
Ann Arbor MI       
Prayer of the Burdened   

Cassidy Dixon
Newark DE       
Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (Barber)      

Martin Hebel
CCM Wind Ensemble     
CincinnatiOH       
Tides Within 
Dr. Terence G. Milligan, conductor        

Annika Huprikar
Deerfield IL       
Ballade in F minor; Arabesque; Olympus

Young Jun Lee 
New Threat Saxophone Quartet
New York  NY       
Tsunami  

Zachary Ploeger
Tempe  AZ       
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano 

Matt  Ridge
Bloomington  IN       
Small Talk (A Portrait of Social Skepticism) 


***

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 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 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: MUSICAL THEATER COMPANIES, 2019-20

Marilyn Miller, 1920s Broadway star

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce NATIONAL SEMI-FINALIST musical theater companies for 2019-20. 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 the end of the contest year. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts, unique in scope and structure. Founded in 2010, contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation. 

We invite semi-finalists to make the most of their selection by announcing it social media, 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 SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize in Musical Theater Performance, 2019-20

Belmont University
School of Music       
Nancy Allen                
Nashville  TN 
Side Show
                                   
Denison University                   
Belinda Andrews-Smith        
Granville  OH   
Chicago                                 

Bob Jones University                 
Dr. Darren P. Lawson               
Greenville  SC       
Titanic     

Schwob School of Music
Columbus State University
Joshua May  
Columbus   GA     
Speed Dating Tonight                       

University of Wisconsin—Madison          
David Ronis                
Madison  WI  
Into the Woods
 
***

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: OPERA COMPANIES, 2019-20

Enrico Caruso at Canio in I Pagliacci

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David Volosin Katz, chief judge, is pleased to announce NATIONAL SEMI-FINALIST opera ensembles for 2019-20. 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 the end of the contest year. Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints in the listings below, please email: theamericanprize@gmail.com

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts, unique in scope and structure. Founded in 2010, contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.    

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. A sample announcement may be found at the end of the post.


NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize in Opera Performance—professional division, 2019-20

Heartland Opera      
Rachel M. Harris
Joplin  MO      
La Boheme           

Queen City Opera     
Isaac Selya
Cincinnati OH
Iolanta    
          
Pacific Opera Project
Josh Shaw 
Los Angeles  CA
Madame Butterfly / Magic Flute 

 
NATIONAL SEMI-FINALISTS: The American Prize in Opera Performance—college/university division,  2019-20

Arizona State University Music Theatre    
Brian DeMaris              
Tempe    AZ 
Mass (Bernstein)
                   
University of South Dakota Opera     
Tracelyn Gesteland            
Vermillion  SD     
The Consul               

Stony Brook University    
Brenda Harris
Stony Brook  NY   
Dido and Aeneas                 

University of Missouri
Rachel M. Harris
Kansas City  MO         
La Finta Giardiniera           

Michigan State University Opera Theatre   
Melanie Helton
East Lansing  MI  
Die Fledermaus                  

Michigan State University Opera Theatre   
Melanie Helton
East Lansing   MI     
La Scala di Seta / Gianni Schicchi               

University of NC at Greensboro
David Holley
Greensboro  NC        
Falstaff            

Eklund Opera
University of Colorado       
Leigh Holman
Boulder  CO        
Eugene Onegin            

Schwob School of Music
Columbus State University   
Joshua May  
Columbus   GA        
Cendrillon              

Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at
Louisiana State University   
Dugg McDonough            
Baton Rouge  LA      
Elizabeth Cree (Puts)              

University of Wisconsin—Madison           
David Ronis
Madison    WI      
L’incoronazione di Poppea

Moores Opera Center
University of Houston       
Buck Ross 
Houston    TX    
School for Scandal (Nelson / Ross)               

The Crane School of Music   
SUNY Potsdam        
Kirk Severtson            
Potsdam    NY
MAYO (Cipullo)                     

Purchase Opera
SUNY Purchase      
Margaret Vignola              
Purchase   NY   
Confession / Suor Angelica / Gianni Schicchi                 

Lawrence University  
Copeland Woodruff             
Appleton   WI   
Mass (Bernstein)   


***

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! Our ensemble has 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 the 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.