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Ernst Bacon as a young man |
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce winners, runners-up and honorable mentions of the ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, 2019-20, in the solo division. Congratulations! (An announcement in the ensemble division will be made separately.)
REMINDER—COVID EXTENSIONS:
Because of the current national and international situation, many rules have been changed and requirements eased to make it easier to apply for The American Prize 2020-21, In addition, we will accept applications from COMPOSERS, CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new Covid-extended deadline date of Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Applications from CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS ADMINISTRATORS (arts marketing, arts education) and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Further extensions may be granted pending the most current information about he virus. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.
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 ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, PROFESSIONAL division, soloists or composers, 2019-20
Hyunjung Rachel Chung, piano
Roswell GA
My Cherished Garden
piano music by Higdon, Zwilich, Thomas, Park and Leon
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Hyunjung Rachel Chung, piano |
Dedicated to the music of our time as well as the neglected and forgotten music, she has performed and recorded various piano solo works by women composers in her two award-winning albums in the Studio Jeeb label: My Cherished Garden: Piano Works by American Women Composers (2017) and Three Piano Sonatas by Women Composers (2018). She has enjoyed collaborations with many instrumentalists and singers. Also, Rachel frequently shares a stage with her husband and a tenor Dr. Sungbae Kim.
A devoted educator, Hyunjung Rachel Chung is an associate professor at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Seoul National University, a Master of Music degree and a Professional Study Diploma from the Mannes College of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Robert G. Patterson, composer
Rhodes College Mastersingers, Coro Rio, Memphis Symphony
William Skoog, conductor
Memphis TN
Requiem
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Robert G. Patterson, composer |
In addition to his musical activities, Patterson also has been a professional software developer. This led him to become an expert in musical engraving using a computer. His Patterson Plug-Ins Collection for Finale software is a staple of composers and copyists worldwide.
William Skoog, conductor
William Skoog is Professor of Music at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where he served as Chair of the Department of Music from 2009-2018, and continues as Director of Choral Studies. He conducts the Rhodes Singers, Chamber Singers, and the MasterSingers Chorale, conducting them with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Nolan Stolz, composer
Brno Philharmonic
Brno Czechoslovakia
Lincoln Highway Suite
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Nolan Stolz, composer |
Dr. Stolz is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music at University of South Carolina Upstate. Previously, he taught at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Southeast Missouri State University, University of South Dakota, and at two community colleges in Connecticut. Stolz has been Artist-in-Residence at Goldwell Open Air Museum, Osage Arts Community, Prairie Center of the Arts, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, and VCCA.
Susan Merdinger, piano
Highland Park IL
American Melting Pot:
Pieces of China (Gould), Ballade in F-sharp minor (Vasquez), Piano Sonata (Alter), Toccata (Barilari)
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Susan Merdinger, piano |
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, mezzo-soprano
Elizabeth Avery, piano
Springfield MO
Songs to the Moon (Heggie)
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Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, mezzo-soprano |
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Elizabeth Avery, piano |
The collaboration of Dr. Ann Marie Daehn and Dr. Elizabeth Avery earned the pair the 2017-2018 Ernst Bacon American Prize for their performance of songs by Sergius Kagen.
Finalist Honorable Mention:
Cayla Bellamy, bassoon
Cedar Falls IA
Jazz Variations (Larsen), Elegy and Dance (Davis), Deep (Shapiro)
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Cayla Bellamy, bassoon |
In the 2019 season, she will be featured performing Libby Larsen’s Full Moon in the City (Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra) and Joan Tower’s Red Maple (wcfsymphony), as well as premiering John Steinmetz’s new Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (Herricks High School). A dedicated educator, Cayla spends her summers as Conductor for the New York Summer School of the Arts and has held positions with Interlochen Arts Camp, Gwinnett County Public Schools, and the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. Cayla completed the Doctor of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2015, and she also holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Music Education and Bassoon Performance from the University of Georgia, where she was distinguished as a National Presser Scholar and invited to perform with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra. Find out more online at www.caylabellamy.com.
The American Prize ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, college/university division, soloists or composers, 2019-20
The American Prize winner:
Matt Ridge, composer & percussionist
Bloomington IN
Small Talk (A Portrait of Social Skepticism)
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Matt Ridge, composer & percussionist |
Matt comes from a diverse performance background, running the gamut from contemporary vocal music with Indiana University’s acclaimed NOTUS to years of world class DCI/WGI membership as a percussionist. He gained recognition as the winner of The American Prize (Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music) for the 2019-20 season, as well as finalist standing in two categories of The American Prize in Composition.
Matt maintains an active presence within the marching arts community, writing for ensembles of varying skill level each year. Most notably, he has earned two WGI Concert World Class championships and three BOA Grand Nationals semifinals appearances with Fishers High School (IN), for whom he regularly writes and consults. His performance experience in this realm spans four seasons with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps and two with Music City Mystique, serving a prominent leadership role in both ensembles.
Matt holds a BM in Composition (high distinction) from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, with a minor in electronic music and specialized studies in orchestration, scoring for media, and choral music. His teachers included Tansy Davies, David Dzubay, Sven-David Sandström, Jeffrey Hass, Claude Baker, Don Freund, John Gibson, Aaron Travers, and Larry Groupé. In addition to his formal studies, Matt developed skills as an engraver working for percussion-oriented publisher Tapspace Publications, LLC.
Currently residing in his hometown near Indianapolis, IN, Matt is a member of ASCAP, PAS, and SEAMUS. Outside of music, he takes interest in science, film, the universe, and the endless void of Internet humor. Discover more at www.mattridgemusic.com.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Martin Hebel, composer
CCM Wind Ensemble
Dr. Terence G. Milligan, conductor
Cincinnati OH
Tides Within
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Martin Hebel, composer |
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Zachary Ploeger, composer & trumpeter
Tempe AZ
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano
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Zachary Ploeger, composer & trumpeter |
Zach is currently pursuing a doctorate in trumpet performance at the University of Minnesota where he holds a Music Fellowship and studies with Professor Marissa Benedict. He recently completed a master's degree at Arizona State University where he was the Rafael Mendez Scholar in Brass. At ASU he studied with Regents Professor David Hickman, one of the most highly regarded trumpet pedagogues of all time. Zachary also holds undergraduate degrees in trumpet performance and composition from Western Michigan University, where he graduated summa cum laude. At WMU, Zach studied with Professor Scott Thornburg, trumpet, and Dr. Richard Adams, composition.
Zachary has received numerous awards and accolades. Among them are five “American Prize” awards for excellence in the field of music composition. He is also frequently commissioned and his works regularly performed. Recent engagements include the Mivos String Quartet, the Western Michigan University Symphonic Band, the International Trumpet Guild, and many prominent soloists. A CD of his own original trumpet works composed and performed by Zachary has been released. And an album of standard trumpet repertoire is currently in progress.
Young Jun Lee, composer
New Thread Saxophone Quartet
New York NY
Tsunami
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Young Jun Lee, composer |
Finalist—Career Encouragement Certificate
Annika Huprikar, composer & pianist
Deerfield IL
Ballade in F minor; Arabesque; Olympus
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Annika Huprikar, composer & pianist |
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Congratulations!
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