Finalists: CONDUCTORS (orchestra), 2021

 

 

The American Prize BLOG is getting a NEW LOOK! Changes begin the week of June 14th.

This listing was revised on 6/21/21 to move a finalist to the correct division.—DK

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce 2021 FINALIST conductors in the orchestra divisions. Congratulations!

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

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

From Maestro Katz: 

"Why so many finalists?" Different from some other contests, The American Prize is first and foremost about encouraging artists, not about eliminating contestants. Each of the individuals below was judged to be worthy of further consideration as we move towards selecting winners and runners-up in the various divisions. At the end of the contest year each will receive a written evaluation. Especially during this most difficult time for the performing arts everywhere, we welcome these conductors and hope the recognition conveyed by finalist status will prove valuable, both personally and professionally. —DK

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.
  
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.

COVID EXTENSIONS to APPLY for 2022: 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, 2022. In addition, application deadlines have been extended with further extensions available by email request. 

Applications from COMPOSERS, CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS will be accepted through the revised deadline of Tuesday, July 20, 2021, with extensions available by email request. 

Applications from CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS ADMINISTRATORS (arts marketing, arts education) in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) and in the new category of VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE will be accepted until Tuesday, July 20, 2021, with extensions available by email request. 

Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest information.

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NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Conducting—professional orchestra division, 2021

Matthew Aubin 

Jackson Symphony Orchestra 

Jackson MI    

Thomas Taylor Dickey

Danube Symphony Orchestra  

Budapest Hungary 

Ho-Yin Kwok  

Eastern Festival Orchestra 

Greensboro    NC    

Dongyul Lee   

World Mission Orchestra    

Los Angeles   CA        

David A. Rahbee   

National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia  

Yerevan   Armenia

Tigran Shiganyan   

The National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan

Tashkent Uzbekistan  

Mariusz Smolij

Acadiana Symphony Orchestra 

Lafayette     LA    

Luis Viquez

Orquesta Sinfonica de Heredia    

Heredia Costa Rica  

NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Conducting—college/university orchestra division, 2021

"An extraordinary year in this division with many exceptional performances. 

Please do see 'why so many finalists?' in the introduction to this contest, above."—DK

Adam Bodony   

Purdue Philharmonic Orchestra     

West Lafayette   IN

Robert Bott     

University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra 

Denton     TX

Matthew J. Brooks   

JMU Symphony Orchestra

Harrisonburg     VA

Heather Buchman  

Hamilton College Orchestra  

Clinton    NY

Austin Chanu    

Eastman School Symphony Orchestra 

Rochester  NY

Filippo Ciabatti 

Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra

Hanover    NH

Maurice Cohn     

Eastman School Symphony Orchestra 

Rochester  NY

Alexandra Dee

Northwestern University Orchestras, IL State University Symphony Orchestra     

Evanston IL

Thomas Dickey   

OSU Symphony Orchestra

Stillwater OK

Keith Dodson   

FSU University Symphony    

Tallahassee FL

Mark Dupere   

Lawrence Symphony Orchestra 

Appleton   WI

Edo Frenkel  

Ossia: New Music

Rochester  NY

Jean Gomez    

University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra   

Athens     GA

Jeffrey Klefstad 

McGill Symphony Orchestra   

Montreal   Quebec 

Ho-Yin Kwok     

University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra   

Minneapolis MN

Jackson Leung    

Wright State University Chamber Orchestra  

Dayton     OH

Matthew Lovelace 

Texas Christian University Symphony Orchestra    

Fort Worth TX

Yunn-Shan Ma 

Rochester Institute of Technology Philharmonic Orchestra  

Rochester  NY

Nicoletta Moss     

University of North Carolina at Greensboro Symphony Orchestra

Greensboro NC

Keun Oh 

Arizona Symphony

Tucson     AZ 

Pyeongkang Park     

Georgia State Symphony Orchestra  

Atlanta    GA

David A. Rahbee   

University of Washington Symphony Orchestra  

Seattle    WA

Hannah Schendel 

Bethel Chamber Orchestra    

Arden Hills MN

Jonathan Spatola-Knoll  

Alma Symphony Orchestra     

Alma MI

Luis Viquez   

University of South Dakota Symphony Orchestra

Vermillion SD 

NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Conducting—community orchestra division, 2021

Pierre-Alain Chevalier

Baytown Symphony Orchestra    

Houston    TX 

Livia  Gho

Women's Orchestra of Arizona  

Phoenix    AZ 

Thomas E. Rainey   

Williamson County Symphony Orchestra

Round Rock TX 

John Masko    

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra  

Wellesley  MA 

Taka Matsunaga

Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra

Schaumburg IL 

David P. Sartor   

Parthenon Chamber Orchestra   

Nashville  TN 

Hannah Schendel 

Bethel Philharmonic Community Orchestra   

Arden Hills MN 

Matthew Christopher Shepard  

Village Orchestra 

Prairie Village  KS 

Chris David Westover-Munoz 

Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra

Newton     KS

NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Conducting—youth & school orchestra division, 2021

Emmanuel Coraza

Cavalier Chamber Orchestra 

The Woodlands TX

Mary Gerard

All About Music

San Diego     CA 

Jim Kollias     

Beckman HS Chamber Orchestra    

 Irvine  CA

Ulli Reiner

Bernardo Heights Twin Peaks Orchestra  

Poway   CA

Michael Webster    

Houston Youth Symphony     

Houston TX 

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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. 

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 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 finalists.