Winners: CHAMBER MUSIC PERFORMANCE, 2021
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.
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The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2020-21, (professional division)
Ensemble for These Times
San Francisco CA
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Ensemble for These Times |
Ensemble for These Times (E4TT) is a mixed-instrument chamber group consisting of award-winning soprano Nanette McGuinness, cellist Anne Lerner, pianist Dale Tsang, and American Prize in Composition winner David Garner, along with distinguished guest artists, including pianists Xin Zhao, Karen Rosenak, and Margaret Halbig, violinist Ilana Blumberg, English hornist Laura Reynolds, and others. The group focuses on 20th and 21st century music that is relevant, engaging, original and compelling—music that resonates with today and speaks to tomorrow, that harnesses the power of artistic beauty, intelligence, wit, lyricism, and irony to create a deep understanding of our times and the human condition. E4TT performed at the 2016 Krakow Culture Festival and was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Budapest in 2014 for a four-city tour in Hungary; the group’s first two CDs, The Hungarians: from Rózsa to Justus and Surviving: Women’s Words medaled in the Global Music Awards; a third “Once/Memory/Night: Paul Celan” was just released in summer 2020. www.E4TT.org
2nd Place (there was a tie):
TVMF Woodwind Quintet
Miami FL
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TVMF Woodwind Quintet |
The Tennessee Valley Music Festival Woodwind Quintet is the resident faculty woodwind quintet of the Tennessee Valley Music Festival. The current members of the group have worked together for over ten years returning each summer to Huntsville, AL to coach chamber music and lead woodwind masterclasses as well as serve as the principal winds for the festival orchestra. In that time, the group has given numerous world premieres and assisted with the Tennessee Valley Music Festival Young Composers’ Forum by giving feedback on composers’ works as well as tips on how to write effectively for their respective instruments.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Transept Consort
Sioux Falls SD
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Transept Consort |
Transept Consort consists of 8-12 professional vocalists per project and is a subset of Transept, a vocal ensemble of elite consort singers and select local musicians based in Sioux Falls, SD.
A transept’s span intersects the nave to give a structure its cruciform shape. The transept carries the weight of the structure’s meaning, in other words. It changes a physical space into a sign of transcendence.
Transept is inspired by the architecture of beauty. We interweave music for vocal consort, soloists, and choir to draw audiences into an intimate, meaningful journey. We fill spaces with the sounds of transcendence. Timothy J. Campbell, Founder & Artistic Director www.transept.org
3rd Place (tie):
Trio Village
Urbana IL
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Trio Village |
Trio Village is comprised of flutist Rebecca Johnson, oboist Elizabeth Sullivan, and pianist Cara Chowning, who teach at Eastern Illinois University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Ball State University, respectively. In its 10th anniversary season, Trio Village was originally formed as a way to continue to make music with friends in who lived in disparate locations, providing not only a professional village of support for each other, but also for their families. As an ensemble, they work to champion the music of underrepresented composers as well as working to discover older works that are not standard to the chamber music canon. Their work is included on Dr. Sullivan’s upcoming recording of music for oboe by Thea Musgrave, and the group regularly performs on university recital series’ and at conferences.
3rd Place (tie):
Bluestem Blaze
Stillwater OK
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| Bluestem Blaze |
Bluestem Blaze is the faculty woodwind trio for Oklahoma State University. They began performing together in fall 2019 and have performed at numerous conferences throughout the United States and internationally. The ensemble is comprised of flutist Erin Murphy, oboist Andrew W. Parker, and clarinetist Babette Belter. Erin Murphy serves as the Assistant Professor of Flute at Oklahoma State University and holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan. Babette Belter enjoys an active music career performing in Asia, Central America, Europe, Israel, Canada, and the United States. She served as principal clarinet with Signature Symphony, where she appeared frequently as a soloist. Andrew W. Parker is the Assistant Professor of Oboe at Oklahoma State University. He holds degrees from the SUNY Purchase, Yale, and the University of Texas at Austin.
The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2020-21, (college/university division)
The American Prize winner:
Sequoia Reed Quintet
North Platte NE
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Sequoia Reed Quintet |
Sequoia Reed Quintet is an ensemble based at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Comprised of members Gwen Goodman (oboe), Michael Miller (clarinet), Trevor Chu (saxophone), Lucas Slavin (bass clarinet), and Harrison Short (bassoon), the group seeks to further the repertoire and influence of the reed quintet in the modern chamber music scene. Equally comfortable performing a traditional recital as well as a community outreach, Sequoia feels that its music should be accessible by all. In addition to their work in the ensemble, each member is a dedicated orchestral musician, with members having performed concertos and won national solo competitions, in addition to attending orchestral training programs such as the Eastern Music Festival, AIMS Foundation in Spain, and the National Orchestral Institute. The group is coached by Chien-Kwan Lin, professor of saxophone at the Eastman School of Music.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
helios_
Tempe AZ
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| helios_ |
helÃos_ is a saxophone quartet formed in 2019 under the direction of Dr. Christopher Creviston at the Arizona State University School of Music in Tempe, AZ. Comprising both undergraduate and graduate students, helÃos_ is a diverse group with a mission to bring standard and contemporary chamber music literature to the public. helÃos_ is fortunate to represent the ASU School of Music in the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition held in Tempe, AZ where they were awarded 3rd Place, the finals of the Music Teacher National Association Chamber Music Competition hosted in Chicago, IL, and the quarter-finals of the 47th Annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. While having taken part in a Las Vegas tour, and having played at many schools within the Southwest Region, helÃos_ strives to be active performers in various settings. In the future, helÃos_ hopes to take part in more competitions and performances to help widen our audience nation-wide. |
2nd Place: (there was a tie):
Texas A&M University
Commerce Percussion
Royse City TX
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Commerce Percussion
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The Texas A&M-Commerce Percussion Ensemble has performed at state and international conventions including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) convention and College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) regional events. The group was one of the three winners of the prestigious 2010 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition (IPEC) and earned first and second place in the 2011 PAS Small Ensemble Competition. Since 2000, the ensemble has recorded three CD's: “Epic Proportions”, “New and Unknown Percussion Works of Minoru Miki”, and “Phage".
Individual students in the studio are perennial winners at PASIC competitions, winning the College Keyboard, Multiple-Percussion and Timpani categories multiple times. Current students are actively involved in DCI, WGI and festivals around the country. Graduating students have earned graduate assistant positions at many different programs across the country and are becoming successful professionals in their chosen fields.
3rd Place:
Solideo Quartet
Miami FL
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| Solideo Quartet |
Hailing from the four borders of the United States, the Solideo Quartet is a promising string quartet eager to explore music that has withstood time past and present. Just as each musician originates from a different part of the nation, the quartet seeks to share that music can bring people from diverse communities together into unity. Members of the Solideo Quartet hold leading positions at The Peabody Conservatory, Indiana University, Arizona State University, and the Frost School of Music. Members have also been soloists with the Granada, Concord, Santa Barbara, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras. The artists have performed in masterclasses with the St. Lawrence, Ying, Brooklyn Ryder, Dover, and Pro Arte Quartets. Established in 2019, the Solideo Quartet has worked closely with Charles Castleman, Shmuel Ashkenasi, David Ehrlich, and Csaba Erdélyi. They look forward to further supporting contemporary music and composer artists by bringing music to diverse communities.
Finalist Honorable Mention:
Column
Madison WI
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Column |
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Column Ensemble is an unusual mixed ensemble comprised of two percussionists and one vocalist performing contemporary works in the midwest area. Elisheva Pront, Cole Nasman, and Marc Hill are all recent alumni or current students of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where the ensemble first formed. Blending traditional vocal and percussive techniques with contemporary settings and improvisation, Column Ensemble aims to bring a new sound to the classical music scene in Madison.
Finalist Judges' Citation: "Championing the Music of Robert Owens"
Robert Owens Ensemble
Omaha NE
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| Robert Owens |
Karen Becker is an active soloist and avid chamber and orchestral player. She has performed in festivals throughout the United States, as well as Europe, Mexico, and South Korea. She regularly presents at national and international conferences, including the College Music Society, the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic. She has served as president of the Nebraska and Missouri chapters of ASTA and on national committees. She is the recipient of the ASTA Citation for Leadership & Merit at the national level. Becker is Professor of Cello in the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and principal cellist of the Lincoln Symphony. She tours regularly as a soloist and as a member of the Concordia String Trio, which has released two CDs on the Centaur label. Her performances have been aired on American Public Media’s Performance Today.
Admired for her consummate skill and for her “musical excellence, which is overshadowed only by her generous spirit and kindness to her colleagues” (Thomas Wilkins, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Omaha Symphony), pianist Stacie Haneline maintains an active career as a collaborator in vocal and instrumental repertoire. A versatile musician, she has performed as a collaborative pianist for the Sydney Opera House, New York City Opera, New York City Choral Society, Kennedy Center, Hawaii Opera, Hawaii, Vocal Arts Society, Virginia Symphony, Virginia Opera and Virginia Arts Society, Brooklyn Academy of Music, University of Australia, the Australian National Choral Association, Brevard Music Center, Omaha Symphony and Opera Omaha. An established collaborator with Nebraska-based soprano, Jamie Reimer, the duo performs regularly and were featured at the African American Arts Song Alliance featuring Robert Owens’ 4 Sonnets to Duse.
Clark Potter is Professor of Viola at the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, where he also serves on the conducting faculty. Mr. Potter is principal viola of the Lincoln Symphony and violist for two chamber music ensembles. He is also the director of NEBratsche, the viola ensemble at UNL, and he has conducted the Lincoln Youth Symphony since 2007. He has also conducted All-State Middle School Orchestras in Iowa, Oregon and Alabama. He was honored as the String Educator of the Year in Nebraska by the American String Teachers Association. Research interests include his study of breathing in string players, his edition of the Bach cello suites for viola, and the concert works of Ernest Gold. He received his graduate degrees from Indiana University and California Institute of the Arts and his bachelor's degree from Western Washington University.
Soprano Jamie Reimer has performed in opera, oratorio and recital venues around the United States, Italy, Germany, Brazil, and Australia. Concert appearances include performances of Mozart Requiem, Messiah, Chants d’Auvergne, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Choral Fantasy, and Liszt’s Christus for the American Liszt Society’s international festival. Favorite operatic repertoire includes Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Contessa Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Erste Dame (Die Zauberflote), and Anna Maurrant (Street Scene). Reimer’s interest in contemporary American art song focuses on the life and work of composer Robert Owens. In 2012, she gave the world premiere of Owens’ 4 Sonnets to Eleonora Duse,composed for her voice, and performed the role of Ursula in the North American premiere of his opera Culture! Culture! in 2015. Her CD, The Last Songs of Robert Owens, will be released by Centaur Records in Winter 2021.
The American Prize in Chamber Music Performance, 2020-21, (high school division)
The American Prize winner:
Quantum Quartet
Carrollton TX
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| Quantum Quartet |
Formed in the summer of 2016 in Carrollton, Texas, the Quantum Quartet consists of Bruce Moe, Ekdev Rajkitkul, Austin Dreyer, and Peyton Joffre. Members of the group have received many honors, including Gold Medal in the 47th Annual Fischoff Competition, 1st prize in the 4th Edition of the ENKOR International Music Chamber Music Competition, 1st place at 6th Annual Coltman Chamber Music Competition, 1st place at 11th annual Houston Underground Quartet Competition, 2nd Place in the 2019-2020 season of The American Prize, various other top finishes in the Houston Underground Saxophone Competition (Junior Division and High School Division), Texas All-State Band placement, and more. In addition to their competitive success, they have also had the privilege of being showcased in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and featured on the nationally syndicated program From the Top. Quantum Quartet attend Hebron High School.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
The Phillips Trio
Raleigh NC / Andover MA
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| The Phillips Trio |
The Phillips Trio is comprised of three seniors from Phillips Academy, Andover. Attending boarding school in Massachusetts, Ariel Wang, Luke Henderson and Evan Tsai came together from different countries and states to live, study and pursue music. Each accomplished soloists, they formed the Philips Trio at school to spend time playing music together, and they have become close friends. In 2019, The Phillips Trio won second prize in the ENKOR International Chamber Music Competition, and in 2020, they won the First Prize and GOLD MEDAL in the renowned National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and are Finalists in the ongoing Young Artists' Competition sponsored by the New York Chamber Players Orchestra. The Trio participates in the Chamber Music Intensive Performance Seminar, the premiere chamber music program at the New England Conservatory directed by Merry Peckham and coached by NEC faculty artists and members of the BSO.
2nd Place (there was a tie):
Mu Quartet
Paramus NJ
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| Mu Quartet |
The Mu Quartet is a classical ensemble founded by David Song, President of JCPO, in 2017. Composed of passionate and skilled high school students, the quartet strives to bring compassion and recreation to diverse communities through music. The quartet has performed in a variety of locations in New Jersey such as at the Wyckoff Reformed Church and the New Bridge Church in April 2018, Pilgrim Mission Church in December 2019, and the Bergen County Jail in May 2017 and June 2018. Mu Quartet also aims to create new leaders in music by teaching violin, viola, and cello to elementary and middle school students.
In June 2019, the quartet served as music teachers and performed at BICA: Bethel International Christian Academy in Mexico. Through music, Mu Quartet hopes to foster a community of unity and harmony, bringing people from all different backgrounds and cultures together.
Mu Quartet Members:
First Violin: Nayoun Kim, a student at the pre-college division of The Juilliard School. She won first prize for the Maurice Ravel Competition at Juilliard in NY.
Second Violin: Kathlyn Song. She won third prize at the NJ NYAIC Competition.
Viola: Yoona Park. She is a member of the New York Youth Symphony. She has won the Honorable Winner award at the National Youngarts Foundation and first prize for the Elite International Music Competition.
Cello: Joshua Seung, a student at the pre-college division of the Manhattan School of Music. He is a member of the New York Youth Symphony.
3rd Place (tie):
Cuthbertson HS Chamber Winds
Waxhaw NC
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| Cuthertson Chamber Winds |
The Cuthbertson Chamber Winds are an ensemble of students selected from the Cuthbertson High School Blue Note Winds. These students represent the top performing members at Cuthbertson High School. The chamber program at Cuthbertson was selected to represent our school and state at the Music For All National Chamber festival in 2020. The performance was cancelled due to COVID-19 on the day before our departure. The recordings submitted represent the ensembles last performance of the repertoire before the quarantine. The ensemble performed two selections. In concert order is an original arrangement commissioned by the Cuthbertson Chamber Winds of “Wayfaring Stranger” by Bill Locklear and the “Symphonies of Wind Instruments” (1947 edition) by Igor Stravinsky. The Cuthbertson Chamber Winds and their director would like to recognize the performing members of this ensemble, the supportive school faculty and administration, and our wonderful parent booster organization who all help make this program possible.
3rd Place (tie):
Annabel & Harriet Gensler
San Jose CA
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| Harriet and Annabel Gensler |
Harriet and Annabel Gensler, 15, are twin sisters from San Jose, California, and study piano with Professor Hans Boepple of Santa Clara University. They have won the United States Open Music Competition in piano solo, duet, and concerto, and have been selected as outstanding gold medalists for several years. Harriet and Annabel have used their piano talent to help their community. They were broadcasted by NBC news for their performance in raising over $1000 through a COVID-19 musician relief concert for the Bill Wilson Center to support homeless youth and families. They created a YouTube video featuring “River Flows In You” by Yiruma with their community pianists to lift the spirit of students learning remotely during the pandemic. They each directed episodes of the H.O.P.E. music sharing production with musicians across the world.
3rd Place (tie):
GGFF Duo
San Jose CA
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| GGFF Duo |
Formed in 2017, GGFF Duo is comprised of award-winning San Francisco Bay Area musicians: violinist Angela Tsang (16), and cellist Fiona Tsang (14). Coached by violinist Meichuan Song, GGFF Duo has received awards from Junior Bach Festival, Great Composers Competition – The Art of Chamber Music, and CMEA Bay Section Solo and Ensemble Festival.
As active members of the Bay Area Youth Music Society, both Angela and Fiona have received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award six years in a row. Besides performing in charity concerts three times a year, they play solo, ensemble, and orchestra works every other week at retirement and assisted living communities to bring the joy of live classical music to senior residences.
Honorable Mention:
Cadenza Trio
Pittsburgh PA
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| Cadenza Trio |
Emma, 16, studies with Dr. Marina Lupinacci. She has been a Steinway Society Young Artist for the past six years, Pittsburgh Concert Society young artist winner, awarded Unusual Combinations second prize, attended Tanglewood Institute, amongst others. She also plays piano for the North Hills Wind Ensemble and Choir.
Leila Fanien, 18, currently studies with Mr. Hong-Guang Jia, assistant concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Leila has been in chamber ensembles and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2016. She has been concertmaster of PYSO for two years and will attend Eastman School of Music in the fall.
Sophie Meloy, 15, attends Mt. Lebanon High School and studies with cellist Alexandra Thompson Lee of the PSO. Sophie was principal cellist of PYSO for the 2019-2020 season. She attended Interlochen Arts Camp in the summer of 2019. She has also participated in the Youth Chamber Connection for four years.
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Congratulations!
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the musical and theater arts. The American Prize is nonprofit, unique in scope and structure, and is designed to evaluate, recognize and reward the best performers, composers, conductors, ensembles and directors in the United States, at professional, college/university, community and school levels, based on submitted recordings. There is no live competition.
Founded in 2010 and now celebrating its eleventh year, The American Prize has awarded nearly $100,000 in prizes in all categories since its creation. Thousands of artists representing all fifty states have derived benefit from their participation in the contests of The American Prize.
The American Prize will accept applications for the 2021-22 contest season through September 14, 2021 or with extension request. www.theamericanprize.org
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