DAVID DANIELS is posthumous recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award

Maestro David Daniels

Conductor, colleague, mentor, professor and historian DAVID DANIELS has been selected posthumously as the first recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award, given annually at this time of year to an individual (or organization) who has provided exceptional service to the art and profession.

The award, which consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing important contributions to the art, coincides with the announcement of the David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund, created by The American Prize organization to provide up to 80% fee assistance to high school-age musicians who wish to apply for the contests of The American Prize in any eligible category.

David Daniels, author of five editions of "Daniels' Orchestral Music" spanning almost 50 years, passed away Friday morning, April 24, 2020 of natural causes in Rochester Hills, Michigan. David Daniels was an easy friend, colleague and mentor to many. He humbly and openly shared his extensive knowledge. His smile was contagious, his patience had no boundaries, and his eyes sparkled when he was ready to share something humorous. People knew of him locally, nationally, and internationally. Yet, he had an innocence to his fame and name recognition.


Daniels had five published editions of the "Daniels' Orchestral Music" (the "Daniels") with the 1st edition printed in 1972 and the 5th edition in 2015. Daniels had the forethought to recruit two conductors, David Rahbee and David Oertel, (both laureates of The American Prize), to carry on his work. The 6th edition will be released in 2022 on the 50th anniversary of his 1st edition. More editions of the “Daniels” are already planned for the years to come. A website also hosts his database and is updated monthly. His legacy continues. 

Daniels is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Jimmie Sue, and his three children.



The announcement of The American Prize National Arts Award, the first of a number of new initiates The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions will be announcing in the month of July 2020, was in the works before David's passing. Following his death, the family's gave its permission for this recognition. Abigail Daniels, daughter of the recipient, wrote "(we) would be proud to accept The American Prize National Arts Award on Dad's behalf…And having the scholarship program named in his memory -- that is an amazing gesture, and I know it would have been very near and dear to Dad's heart.  Thank you for bestowing these honors on Dad.  As I've said before, my brothers and I grew up knowing Dad touched many people's lives through his teaching and conducting, and it's only been as adults that we have realized just how much of an impact he has had on the classical music world through his books.  It's been an eye-opening experience, learning about his influence from people all over the world…"



Donations to The American Prize David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund may be made through this Paypal link. https://www.paypal.me/theamericanprize.
 (Hat City Music Theater, Inc. is the registered  501(c)3 nonprofit organization that administers The American Prize contests.) Donors wishing to give to the Fund in other ways should contact David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law, each will be listed on our website, and all will receive an emailed receipt for their tax records. Donations to the Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity. Only the income of the Fund maybe used for scholarship purposes.



Parents, teachers and others interested in applying for a Daniels Scholarship, which covers up to 80% of application fees to The American Prize contests for high school-age students only (currently enrolled or home schooled in any U.S. state, territory or protectorate), please write to David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. Place the words "Daniels Scholarship Endowment" in the subject line of the email. The number of scholarships is limited. Please apply early. Sorry, there are no refunds for previously submitted applications but those current high school applicants who request it will be on the top of the list to receive scholarships for the 2021-22 season of contests.



Upon his passing, David Katz, founder and chief judge of The American Prize, wrote on the death of David Daniels: "David Daniels was a wonderful colleague who I had the pleasure to know for close to thirty years.

We first became acquainted via our podiums, a couple of dozen miles apart in southeast Michigan. Later, he was an early, lasting and vocal champion of The American Prize. Even later he provided meaningful opportunities for me to share with his audiences “Muse of Fire,” my one-man play about Charles Bruck and the art of conducting.

He was a warm, gracious and kind friend and I will miss him dearly.

God’s speed, David. The whole profession thanks you."
 


To read more about the contests of The American Prize, please visit: http://www.theamericanprize.org/



To read more about the life and accomplishments of David Daniels, please follow this link:
http://ucmapps.oakland.edu/NewsArchive/Data/20150225-David-Daniels-A-Life-in-Music.html

DAVID DANIELS is the first recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award

Maestro David Daniels

Conductor, colleague, mentor, professor and historian DAVID DANIELS has been selected posthumously as the first recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award, given annually at this time of year to an individual (or organization) who has provided exceptional service to the art and profession. The award, which consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing important contributions to the art, coincides with the announcement of the David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund, created by The American Prize organization to provide up to 80% fee assistance to high school-age musicians who wish to apply for the contests of The American Prize. Gifts to the David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity; only the income they generate will be used to fund the scholarship program.

David Daniels, author of five editions of "Daniels' Orchestral Music" spanning almost 50 years, passed away Friday morning, April 24, 2020 of natural causes in Rochester Hills, Michigan. David Daniels was an easy friend, colleague and mentor to many. He humbly and openly shared his extensive knowledge. His smile was contagious, his patience had no boundaries, and his eyes sparkled when he was ready to share something humorous. People knew of him locally, nationally, and internationally. Yet, he had an innocence to his fame and name recognition. 

Daniels had five published editions of the "Daniels' Orchestral Music" (the "Daniels") with the 1st edition printed in 1972 and the 5th edition in 2015. Daniels had the forethought to recruit two conductors, David Rahbee and David Oertel, (both laureates of The American Prize), to carry on his work. The 6th edition will be released in 2022 on the 50th anniversary of his 1st edition. More editions of the “Daniels” are already planned for the years to come. A website also hosts his database and is updated monthly. His legacy continues. 

Daniels is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Jimmie Sue, and his three children.

The announcement of The American Prize National Arts Award, the first of a number of new initiates The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions will be announcing in the month of July 2020, was in the works before David's passing. Following his death, the family's gave its permission for this recognition. Abigail Daniels, daughter of the recipient, wrote "(we) would be proud to accept The American Prize National Arts Award on Dad's behalf…And having the scholarship program named in his memory -- that is an amazing gesture, and I know it would have been very near and dear to Dad's heart.  Thank you for bestowing these honors on Dad.  As I've said before, my brothers and I grew up knowing Dad touched many people's lives through his teaching and conducting, and it's only been as adults that we have realized just how much of an impact he has had on the classical music world through his books.  It's been an eye-opening experience, learning about his influence from people all over the world…"

Donations to The American Prize David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund may be made through this Paypal link. https://www.paypal.me/theamericanprize.
(Hat City Music Theater, Inc. is the registered  501(c)3 nonprofit organization that administers The American Prize contests.) Donors wishing to give to the Fund in other ways should contact David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law, each will be listed on our website, and all will receive an emailed receipt for their tax records. Donations to the Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity. Only the income of the Fund maybe used for scholarship purposes.

Parents, teachers and others interested in applying for a Daniels Scholarship, which covers up to 80% of application fees to The American Prize contests for high school-age students only (currently enrolled or home schooled in any U.S. state, territory or protectorate), please write to David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. Place the words "Daniels Scholarship Endowment" in the subject line of the email. The number of scholarships is limited. Please apply early. Sorry, there are no refunds for previously submitted applications but those current high school applicants who request it will be on the top of the list to receive scholarships for the 2021-22 season of contests.

Upon his passing, David Katz wrote on the death of David Daniels: "David Daniels was a wonderful colleague who I had the pleasure to know for close to thirty years.

We first became acquainted via our podiums, a couple of dozen miles apart in southeast Michigan. Later, he was an early, lasting and vocal champion of The American Prize. Even later he provided meaningful opportunities for me to share with his audiences “Muse of Fire,” my one-man play about Charles Bruck and the art of conducting.

He was a warm, gracious and kind friend and I will miss him dearly.

God’s speed, David. The whole profession thanks you."
 

To read more about the contests of The American Prize, please visit: http://www.theamericanprize.org/

To read more about the life and accomplishments of David Daniels, please follow this link:
http://ucmapps.oakland.edu/NewsArchive/Data/20150225-David-Daniels-A-Life-in-Music.html

Winners: BANDS / WIND ENSEMBLES, 2019-20

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, chief judge, is honored to announce the winners, runners-up, honorable mentions and citation recipient of The American Prize in Band / Wind Ensemble Performance, 2019-20, in all 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.

REMINDER: ecause 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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of Monday, June 23, 2020. Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.


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


The American Prize in Band / Wind Ensemble Performance, college/university division, 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
UNLV Wind Orchestra 
Thomas G. Leslie   
Las Vegas  NV 

UNLV Wind Orchestra

THE UNLV WIND ORCHESTRA has received international acclaim for its fresh and creative approach to music making. Performing contemporary repertoire in addition to classical masterworks, the Wind Orchestra at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has been responsible for commissioning and premiering numerous significant new works by America’s finest young contemporary composers including Eric Whitacre, Wendell Yuponce, Jonathon Newman, Steven  Bryant, and many others. In addition, the Wind Orchestra has recently commissioned and premiered new compositions by landmark American contemporary composers Bruce Broughton, Roger Nixon and James Barnes. Special highlights to past UNLV Wind Orchestra performances showcase many of the world’s finest musicians. Such notables include Brian Bowman, Eric Marienthal, Stefan Karlsson, Steve Houghton, Hideo Sano, Gregg Field, Ted Atkatz, and other fine musicians. The ensemble is comprised of music majors, non-majors and includes select graduate students enrolled in the masters and doctoral performance degree programs at UNLV.


2nd Place:
Texas A&M Kingsville Wind Symphony  
Scott Jones               
Kingsville  TX

Texas A&M Kingsville Wind Symphony  

Comprised of 60 talented musicians from South Texas, the Wind Symphony is the premiere concert band at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Directed by Dr. Scott Anthony Jones, the Wind Symphony maintains a highly active annual performance schedule of five to six concerts, regular collaborations with composers, and serves as host ensemble to the winners of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Music Department Concerto and Conducting Competitions. The ensemble is also committed serving the region through concert tours, clinics, and its High School Invitational Concert series. Since 2014, the Wind Symphony has performed off-campus for over 40 public schools and more than 10,000 students, educators and families.

This distinguished ensemble has been recognized for its outstanding performances at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 1993, 2001, 2006, 2010 and 2019, and at the 2002 College Band Directors National Association Southwest Division Conference in Houston. In recent years, the ensemble has developed a tradition of commissioning new works by composers such as Joseph Schwantner, Frank Ticheli, James Syler, Zhou Tian, Jess Langston Turner, Roy Magnuson, and others.


3rd Place:
Liberty University Wind Symphony      
Stephen Kerr
Lynchburg  VA

Liberty University Wind Symphony     

The Liberty University Wind Symphony, Liberty’s premier wind band, is a select instrumental ensemble comprised entirely of musically advanced residential students. Repertoire includes original and transcribed exceptional wind symphony works from all eras, including exploration of new sounds and rhythms by contemporary composers.  Directed by Dr. Stephen Kerr, this fabulous ensemble has enjoyed critical acclaim from audiences, composers, and peer review.  Each year, the Wind Symphony records an album, performs at least 8 times on campus, and travels on an extensive spring tour, where they perform multiple concerts at a variety of prestigious venues, including multiple performances at the CBDNA Southern Division Conferences.  The Wind Symphony is proud to perform advanced works from the finest composers writing for wind bands, including John Mackey, Steven Bryant, Philip Sparke, David Maslanka, Mason Bates, and many others.  In addition, the Wind Symphony regularly participates in commissions of new works for wind band.


The American Prize in Band / Wind Ensemble Performance, community band division, 2019-20

The American Prize winner: 
Boulder Concert Band
Kenneth Singleton               
Boulder  CO

Boulder Concert Band

The first records of a performing band in the city of Boulder, Colorado, date back to 1870. The ICC Silver Cornet Band, as it was known, performed weekly concerts in the pioneer town of Boulder. In the spring of 1897 a larger band organization was formed. This group, called the Boulder Band, was said to be the best organization of its type in Colorado. Several decades later, the Boulder Municipal Band was formed and was the first to include women musicians.

The Boulder Concert Band as we know it today was reorganized in 1976 by the late Hugh McMillen, former Director of Bands at the University of Colorado. Considered to be one of the premier adult community bands in the state, the current organization has more than 60 volunteer musicians. Its members are from the business, professional, and educational communities in the Boulder County and Denver metro area.


2nd Place:
Connecticut Flute Orchestra          
Nadya Potemkina            
Middletown  CT

Connecticut Flute Orchestra          

The Connecticut Flute Orchestra (CTFO), founded in 2016 by a handful of enthusiastic flute players, is a collective of professional flutists that celebrates the rich culture of our state with the unique sound palette, ambitious and engaging repertoire, and diversity of a multi-flute orchestra that features piccolo, E-flat flute, C flute, as well as alto, bass, contrabass, and sub-contrabass flutes. CTFO members greatly enjoy negotiating exciting musical challenges together in a supportive and nurturing environment, and strive to make a difference in their communities by providing unique, inspiring musical and educational experiences suitable for listeners of all ages and from all walks of life.


3rd Place:
The Allentown Band 
Ronald Demkee      
Allentown  PA

The Allentown Band 

Since its first performance on July 4, 1828, Allentown Band’s venerable existence is a testament to the value the community has placed upon its contributions to the arts, culture and education.  Celebrating 190 years of service in 2018, the band has broadened its impact and reach through increased concert programming and extensive concert repertoire. Presenting 45+ stellar concerts annually with national and regional guest artists the band additionally offers high-quality youth educational opportunities reaching more than 14 regional school districts.  As a charitable organization the band presents unparalleled music experiences for all ages with performance level concerts like those performed by the premier U.S. military service bands in Washington DC and major symphony orchestras.  Band members are highly engaged in the success of the organization. Membership represents diverse occupations that include: doctors, dentists, banking personnel, educators, administrators, private business owners and accountants, all who value musicianship and stellar artistic standards.
 

The American Prize in Band / Wind Ensemble Performance, high school band division, 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
Cuthbertson Blue Note Winds         
Todd Ebert                
Waxhaw   NC

Cuthbertson Blue Note Winds         

Cuthbertson High School opened in 2009.  The instrumental program challenges students to pursue a musical journey of excellence.   In its tenth year, the band has grown from 29 students to over 160 today and houses three band classes including the nationally recognized Blue note Winds.

The Blue Note Winds Performances include NCMEA State Convention in 2012 and 2015.  The Percy Grainger Festival in 2014.  A Featured Band at the Music for All National Band Festival in 2015 and 2018.  The MFA Southeast Regional in 2017.  The University of Georgia and South Carolina Band Festivals, and as one of two bands selected as a North Carolina Honors Band at Highpoint University.

Cuthbertson has won the Southeast division award for the National Band Associations Blue Ribbon of Excellence and a Merit winner for 5 years with the NAMM foundation.  The Band received a residency with the John Lennon Tour Bus In 2017.


2nd Place:
Rivera Wind Ensemble
Alex R. Torres               
Brownsville  TX

Rivera Wind Ensemble

The Rivera High School Wind Ensemble serves as the Flagship ensemble for the Rivera Raider Band program. Located in the city of Brownsville at the very southern tip of Texas, the Rivera Band is proud to contribute to the incredible depth of musical culture found within the high school programs of the city. The Rivera Raider Band consistently receives Division I ratings in both UIL Marching and Concert evaluations in addition to strong representation at TMEA Region, Area and State contests of individual competition. Under the recent direction of Alex R. Torres the band has put together some of the most accomplished concert programs in the history of the program, gaining both local and regional attention.


3rd Place:
James Bowie Wind Symphony            
Rumaldo Solis                
Arlington TX           

James Bowie Wind Symphony            

The James Bowie Wind Symphony is a premiere group at James Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas. The Wind Symphony has been a featured performer at the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington. The Wind Symphony has been selected as a National Commended Winner in the Mark of Excellence Project and is a consistent 1st division award winner at the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight reading contest.  Through a broad range of repertoire, the students are challenged and committed to achieve excellence and artistry at a high level. 




*** 
Congratulations!

Winners: CONDUCTORS (chorus), 2019-20

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.


The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, chief judge, is honored to announce the winners and runners-up of The American Prize in Conducting, 2019-20, in the choral 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.

REMINDER: 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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of Monday, July 20, 2020. Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.

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


The American Prize in Conducting—chorus (community division), 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
Anthony Blake Clark, conductor
Baltimore Choral Arts Society        
Baltimore MD

Anthony Blake Clark

Music Director Anthony Blake Clark has conducted Baltimore Choral Arts for three seasons and is one of the freshest young voices in classical music. Mr. Clark is Director of Choral Activities in The George Washington University’s Corcoran School of Art and Design. He has prepared choruses for esteemed maestros Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Simon Halsey, CBE, and Gijs Leenaars for concerts with internationally renowned ensembles, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, and the National Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Clark prepared choruses for David Lang’s 1,000-voice the public domain and John Luther Adams’ In the Name of the Earth at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival.

A Texas native, Mr. Clark studied composition and conducting at Baylor University School of Music and earned a Master of Music in conducting from the University of Birmingham under Simon Halsey, CBE. His compositions have been heard across the U.S. and Europe.


2nd Place:
Timothy McDonnell            
Catholic University of America Chamber Choir  
Washington DC

Timothy McDonnell            

Timothy McDonnell has served as the Director of Choral Activities at The Catholic University of America since 2016.  Before coming to CUA, he served as the Director of Choral Activities at Ave Maria University in Florida where he led the Ave Maria University Choir and the Ave Maria University Chamber Choir.   Under McDonnell’s direction, the University ensembles won enthusiastic recognition and critical acclaim for their self-produced concerts as well as their collaborations with the Naples Philharmonic and the Southwest Florida Symphony in numerous masterworks.  In spring of 2018, McDonnell prepared the CUA Chamber Choir for a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel.  Dr. McDonnell is active as a composer and arranger.  His works have been performed by orchestras and choruses around the world, including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Chamber Orchestra of Flanders, the Kennet Symphony, and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.  http://www.timothy-mcdonnell.com/


3rd Place:
Carol M. Cei 
Paoli Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir  
Paoli   PA 

Carol M. Cei 

Carol Cei, B. Mus Ed., M.M., Ch.M.  is Director of Traditional Music at Paoli Presbyterian Church.  Ms. Cei has conducted choruses in area private schools, and at numerous area churches.  She also spent a year as interim Artistic Director/Conductor for the Choristers, based in Lansdale, PA.

During the summer months, Ms. Cei participates in Choral and Orchestral Conducting Institutes. In June 2018, she was an Honorable Mention for the Respighi Prize for Orchestral Conducting with the Chamber Orchestra of NY.  She was also recognized by Thomas LaVoy for her conducting of “I Shall Not Live In Vain”.  Chosen by audition, Ms. Cei will participate in the first Women’s Conducting Institute and Halifax Conducting Institute in Nova Scotia where she conducted in a public concert in August 2019. Recently, Ms. Cei was named Conductor of the New Horizons Glee Club in Narberth, PA.


The American Prize in Conducting—chorus (school division), 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
Philip Brown                
Angelica Cantanti Treble Singers
Bloomington   MN

Philip Brown                

Philip Brown is the director of choral activities at Thomas Jefferson Senior High School in Bloomington and conductor of the Treble Singers and Cantanti Singers with Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs. He graduated summa cum laude from Bethany College (KS), majoring in K-12 music education. He received his M.M. degree in music education from Northern Arizona University. His choral groups have been selected for performances at CMEA Conference, CU-Boulder Madrigal Festival, MMEA Mid-Winter Conference, ACDA-MN Fall Conference, NC-ACDA Conference, MSU-Mankato Choral Festival, ACDA-MN Choral Arts Finale, St. Olaf College Choir Festival, Concordia College Choir Festival, and the Northern Voice Festival. Choirs under his conducting have collaborated with the Minnesota Oratorio Society, Minnesota Choral Artists - The Singers (Morten Lauridsen Festival), Great Northern Union, VocalEssence (!Cantare!), Northern Lights Chorale, and Cantus. While on tours to New York, Florida, Wisconsin, and Illinois, his choirs have consistently received superior ratings, best in class awards, and grand sweepstakes awards.


2nd Place:
Brian J. Winnie               
Western IL University Singers             
Macomb    IL

Brian J. Winnie               

Brian J. Winnie, D.M.A., is the Director of Choral Activities at Western Illinois University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting & literature courses and conducts the University Singers. An active festival conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Winnie has worked with festival choirs throughout the United States and in Russia. He has presented at state and regional NAfME, ACDA, and International Conferences. He has published articles in the Voice and Speech Review, ChorTeach, and is editor and contributing author of "The Voice Teacher's Cookbook."

Dr. Winnie received his B.S. in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Master of Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington. He is an Estill Master Trainer and Estill Mentor & Course Instructor of Estill Voice Training, and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Voice and Speech Review. http://brianwinnie.com/


3rd Place:
Michael G. Martin, conductor      
Hilliard Darby Symphonic Choir       
Hilliard  OH   

Michael G. Martin

Michael G. Martin is the Director of Choral Activities at Hilliard Darby High School. Martin pursued a college career at The Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor, Masters, and Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in choral music education and conducting.

While at OSU, Martin had the opportunity to study with and serve as accompanist for Robert Shaw. He has performed and conducted major concerts throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, and France and performed on the BBC network. Martin has conducted the Hilliard Darby Symphonic Choir on tours of England, Ireland, Italy, and the United States.

Martin has prepared choirs for notable conductors, and his compositions are published with Alliance Music, Lawson Gould, and Alfred Publications.

He currently serves as Director of Music for New Albany Methodist Church and is called upon as clinician and commissioned composer for various honor choirs and festivals throughout the Great Lakes region.



*** 
Congratulations!

Winners: OPERA COMPANIES, 2019-20

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, chief judge, is honored to announce the winners, runners-up, and citation recipients of The American Prize in Opera Performance, 2019-20, in both 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.

QUICKNOTES: Although The American Prize does not usually provide written evaluations to semi-finalists, some semi-finalist composers will receive in their certificate packets short comments, suggestions or overall impressions made during the judging. We hope they will prove valuable. All finalists receive written evaluations from a member of The American Prize judging panel.

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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of Monday, July 20, 2020. Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.

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

The American Prize in Opera Performance, professional division, 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
Pacific Opera Project
Josh Shaw 
Los Angeles  CA
Madame Butterfly / Magic Flute

Madame Butterfly

Pacific Opera Project (POP) was founded in July 2011 with the mission of providing "accessible, affordable, and ENTERTAINING" opera to audiences across Los Angeles. Over the past nine seasons, POP has performed over 30 operas employing hundreds of singers and musicians from Southern California and across the country. Noteworthy productions include an updated take on La bohéme, subtitled "The Hipsters" (now and annual tradition), a setting of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio as an episode of Star Trek, and an updated setting of The Magic Flute which sets the opera in the worlds of 1980s video games. Perhaps POP's most ambitious production is a reimagining of Madama Butterfly, sung as if the story really happened, in Japanese and English featuring a cast of over 40 singers, all appropriately cast with Japanese-American singers for the Japanese roles.


2nd Place:
Queen City Opera     
Isaac Selya
Cincinnati OH
Iolanta

Iolanta

Queen City Opera was founded in 2012 to advance the careers of emerging singers, instrumentalists, designers, and conductors by giving them valuable professional engagements in high-quality productions. In recognition of their high artistic quality and work to transform neighborhoods through the arts, the company was profiled in August 2014 in the Business section of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Recent projects have combined high-caliber opera with relevant contemporary issues: Their production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni featured workshops on sexual assault and consent, and their production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta was presented in collaboration with the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Their performance of Siegfried was the first complete performance of the work in the state of Ohio in over a century. For more information or to see recordings of any of our past productions, visit QueenCityOpera.Org.
 

3rd Place:
Heartland Opera      
Rachel M. Harris
Joplin  MO      
La Boheme

La Boheme

Heartland Opera Theatre strives to bring professional performances of opera and musical theatre to the Four-State Area, engaging regional, national, and international performers, as well as promoting exceptionally talented local artists. Heartland Opera Theatre is a 501(c)(3) performing arts organization established in 1998 by Terrence O’Brien. Since its creation the Heartland Opera Theatre, or HOT, has provided professional performances of opera and musical theatre to the Four-State Area. HOT has hosted performers from around the globe and toured full productions through Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. HOT strives to not only engage national and international performers, but also to showcase exceptional local artists from the community and surrounding universities.  Heartland Opera Theatre has worked for years in collaboration with Missouri Southern State University, Pittsburg State University, the upsideDown Theatre, Crowder College, Community Theatre Productions and others, striving to bring professional theater to the Four-State Community.
 


The American Prize in Opera Performance, college/university division, 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
The Crane School of Music   
SUNY Potsdam        
Kirk Severtson            
Potsdam    NY
MAYO (Cipullo)   

MAYO (Cipullo)   

The award-winning Crane Opera Ensemble at The Crane School of Music is a significant source for opera and music theatre in the North Country region of New York State. The ensemble is unique as it integrates the SUNY Potsdam mission of teaching, scholarship and public service, into its fully staged production each semester. MAYO, by Tom Cipullo, was the 2018 winner of the Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Competition, which awarded a full commission and production award for the composer to create this work, which was premiered by the Crane Opera Ensemble in November 2018.  https://www.potsdam.edu/academics/Crane/opera


2nd Place (there was a tie):
University of NC at Greensboro
David Holley
Greensboro  NC        
Falstaff

Falstaff

The UNCG Opera Theatre, led by David Holley, is highly acclaimed and the recipient of a number of awards. Seven productions have won First Place in the National Opera Association Opera Production Competition, including Susannah, Little Women, Orpheus in the Underworld, The Consul, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Don Giovanni, and five production have placed Second: Galileo Galilei, L’Enfant et les sortilèges, La vida breve, Albert Herring and Gianni Schicchi; Amahl and the Night Visitors also won Third Place.

2016's Amahl received honorable mention recognition in The American Prize Competition and other productions have been finalists: Galileo Galilei (2015), Dialogues of the Carmelites (2016), and Die Zauberflöte (2018).  The UNCG Opera Theatre commissioned renowned American composer Libby Larsen to write an opera based on William Inge’s play, Picnic, with a libretto written by David Holley.  Picnic was premiered in April 2009.  For more information: http://opera.uncg.edu.


2nd Place (there was a tie):
Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at
Louisiana State University  
Dugg McDonough           
Baton Rouge  LA     
Elizabeth Cree (Puts)  

Elizabeth Cree (Puts)  

The Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at LSU embodies one of the first major university programs in the United States, producing exceptional singers who have graced world opera stages such as the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, New York City Opera, The Santa Fe Opera, and the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.  LSU annually creates four new productions, two fully staged, designed, costumed, and accompanied by the LSU Symphony Orchestra, alongside two smaller shows and additional outreach performance possibilities.  Mainstage repertoire is balanced between standard and classical European operas, performed in a variety of original languages, and a strong dedication to American contemporary works, often collegiate premieres.  At LSU, in addition to private voice lessons with faculty, students receive one-on-one coachings with the opera music director and extensive training in acting and stagecraft from the opera stage director.

 
3rd Place:
Lawrence University  
Copeland Woodruff             
Appleton   WI   
Mass (Bernstein)    

Mass (Bernstein)    

Lawrence University and Conservatory of Music is an all-undergraduate, liberal arts institution. The opera studies division is dedicated to training the young singing actor in all the elements for success: musical styles, acting, text/languages, and modern as well as traditional theatrical techniques. Recent productions have garnered national attention, because of their well-crafted and dedicated musical and dramatic performances. Offering performance opportunities as varied as improvised micro-operas, scenes programs, main stage operas, and re-imagined recital formats, LU is preparing the 21st-Century singing artist to meet the challenges of today’s market. Opera studies faculty: Copeland Woodruff and Andrew Crooks. Voice faculty: Kenneth Bozeman, Joanne Bozeman, Steven Paul Spears, Karen Leigh-Post, John Holiday, and John Gates.



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Congratulations!

Winners: CONDUCTORS (musical theater), 2019-20

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.

The American Prize, David (Volosin) Katz, chief judge, is honored to announce the winner and runners-up of The American Prize in Conducting, Musical Theater Division, 2019-20. 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.

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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of Monday, July 20, 2020. Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.

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


The American Prize in Conducting,  Musical Theater Division, 2017-18

The American Prize winner:  
Michelle Perrin Blair
Revival Theatre Company              
Cedar Rapids  IA    
Sunday in the Park with George 

Michelle Perrin Blair

Director of Orchestras and Assistant Professor of Music at Coe College, Michelle Perrin Blair was one of twelve fellows for the 2018 International Women's Conducting Workshop in New York City. Blair's other recent honors include the Perrine Faculty Fellowship (2016), the PEO Scholar Award (2014), the Schissler Fellowship in Orchestral Conducting (2013), and the Bernard Osher Scholarship (Monteux School 2012). Blair currently serves as Founder & Artistic Director of PREMIER Chamber Orchestra, Conductor-in-Residence of Revival Theatre Company, and Conductor of Durward Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. Blair holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Houston, where she studied with Franz Anton Krager and served as Assistant Director of the AURA Contemporary Ensemble. Blair earned her Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of Texas at Arlington under Dr. Clifton Evans. An active violinist, Blair holds a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from Southwestern University.  https://michellepblair.wixsite.com/conductor
 

2nd Place:
Russell G. McCutcheon           
Department of Theater & Sunderman Conservatory of Music      
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg PA                
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Russell G. McCutcheon           

Russell McCutcheon serves as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music in the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he conducts the Wind Symphony and teaches courses in conducting and music education.

Dr. McCutcheon received his Ph.D. in Music Education with a concentration in Wind Conducting from the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he studied conducting with Dr. David A. Waybright. He earned an M.S. in Music Education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama.

McCutcheon is the founding conductor of the Atlantic Chamber Winds and Musical Director of the Pennsylvania Lions All-State Band. Bands under his direction have performed at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Smetana Hall in Prague, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He is a contributor to the best-selling book series, “Teaching Music through Performance in Bands,” and is an active clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator. https://www.rmccutcheon.com


3rd Place:
Ana Flavia Zuim 
NYU Steinhardt School
New York   NY                
Anything Goes

Ana Flavia Zuim 

Ana Flavia is an award winning musical director, an accomplished conductor, pianist, singing health specialist and electric bassist. She is a Music Assistant Professor serving as Director of Vocal Performance at Steinhardt School at NYU. She concluded her bachelors at State University of Londrina (UEL - 2003) in her native country, Brazil. She holds a Masters in piano performance (Lynn University - 2006), a Doctorate - PhD in Fine and Performing Arts (FAU - 2012) and a Vocology certification (University of Utah -2015).

 Prior to joining NYU she served as Director of Contemporary Voice at the Frost School of Music with a secondary appointment as Lecturer of Otolaryngology at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami. Among her credits are the Broadway Musical Hamilton (Rehearsal Pianist), the Broadway Across America tours of Billy Elliot (Associate Conductor/Vocal Coach), and key’s sub on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Matilda, Kinky Boots, The Wizard of Oz, Annie and The Sound of Music. Website: www.anaflaviazuim.com

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Congratulations!

Winners: MUSICAL THEATER COMPANIES, 2019-20

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.

Marilyn Miller, 1920s-30s Broadway star

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, chief judge, is honored to announce the winners and runners-up of The American Prize in Musical Theater Performance, 2019-20. 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.

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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of Monday,  July 20, 2020. Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.


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

The American Prize in Musical Theater Performance, 2019-20

The American Prize winner:
Bob Jones University                 
Dr. Darren P. Lawson               
Greenville  SC       
Titanic    

Titanic    

The Bob Jones University Opera Association was founded in 1942 as part of the university’s commitment to liberal arts training for all of its students, who are provided free tickets to the productions. It has become a national award-winning organization that mounts major operatic works, including Aida, Mefistofele, Samson et Dalila, Tosca, Andrea Chenier, L’Elisir d’Amore, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, La Cenerentola, and others. The group also presents large-scale musicals as part of its season, including Little Women: The Broadway Musical and Titanic: The Musical.  Productions are presented regularly, with guest artists featured in the principal roles along with student and faculty soloists. Supporting roles and chorus parts are taken by students who show requisite ability. http://www.bju.edu/events/fine-arts/concert-operadrama/archive/


2nd Place:
Belmont University
School of Music       
Nancy Allen                
Nashville  TN 
Side Show

Side Show

Belmont University is the home of our award-winning, nationally ranked musical theatre training program located in Nashville, TN.  Our program is known for excellence in the vital foundational training required to sustain a career in musical theatre performance; Belmont University provides an outstanding liberal arts education in a faith based environment. Our alumni are currently on Broadway, in television and film, and performing in equity houses throughout the country. For more information, please go to belmont.edu/music or contact coordinator, Nancy Allen at nancy.allen@belmont.edu.

3rd Place:
University of Wisconsin—Madison          
David Ronis                
Madison  WI  
Into the Woods

Into the Woods

UW-Madison University Opera is a cultural service of the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison whose mission is to provide comprehensive operatic training and performance opportunities for students and operatic programming to the community.  Since 1992, we have presented an annual season of two fully staged operas, as well as evenings of opera scenes.  Our recent production of Falstaff won an Honorable Mention in the 2017-18 American Prize Competition in Opera Performance.  Four other recent productions – The Turn of the Screw, Le nozze di Figaro, Albert Herring, and Transformations - won awards in the National Opera Association Opera Production Competition.  Other recent productions have included Falstaff, The Magic Flute, Ariodante and Beatrice et Benedict.  Many alumni of the program are currently enjoying significant opera careers, performing at major houses in the U.S. and abroad. http://www.music.wisc.edu/opera/
 

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Congratulations!

Finalists: BACON AWARD (AMERICAN MUSIC) ensembles, 2019-20

Ernst Bacon

The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce NATIONAL FINALISTS for the ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC, 2019-20, in the ensemble division. Congratulations! (Finalists in the solo division were published last week on this blog.)

"Many semi-finalists have been advanced. 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—and never more so than during this very difficult time in the world history of the performing arts."—DK

The finalist categories are listed below in this order:
   *professional ensembles
   *college/university ensembles
   *community ensembles
   *youth 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 winners 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.

REMINDER: 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 CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended COVID deadline date of Monday, July 20, 2020. (The new date is not yet published on the website, but applications will be accepted.) Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted through Monday, July 20, 2020. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.


NATIONAL 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 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)

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)

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

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)

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

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

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)   

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)


NATIONAL 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)

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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, 2019-20. 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.