Winners: CONDUCTORS (bands/wind ensembles), 2021

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, 2021, in the band/wind ensemble division, in professional band, college/university, community and high school band categories. 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.

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

The American Prize in Conducting (band/wind ensemble division), 2021, 

professional bands

The American Prize winner:

Melanie Brooks 

U.S. Army Band "Pershings Own" 

Arlington.  VA

Melanie Brooks

Melanie Brooks is the Director of Bands at Winona State University. She received her DMA and Masters degrees in Wind Conducting at Arizona State University in 2018 and 2016, studying with Gary W. Hill, Jason Caslor, and Wayne Bailey. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, MN, where she performed in many ensembles as a saxophonist and directed the college athletic bands.

In 2014-2015, Dr. Brooks received a Fulbright grant to study conducting with Peter Ettrup Larsen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. While in Finland, she conducted four of the country’s five professional military bands, worked at youth and adult music camps in Kouvola and Terälahti, directed student honor bands in Varkaus, Lahti, and Tampere, and visited music schools across the country.

Before pursuing graduate studies, Dr. Brooks taught 5th grade and high school band in Pine City, MN and grades 5-12 band at Bethlehem Academy in Faribault, MN.

The American Prize 2nd Place:

Danh T. Pham  

Seogwipo Philharmonic Wind Orchestra

Jeju Island   South Korea

Danh Pham

Danh Pham is Music Director of the Washington-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of the WSU Symphony Orchestra, and Director of Bands at Washington State University. Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Pham received his degrees from DePauw University, Indiana University, and the University of Oklahoma. He has appeared with several professional orchestras and various universities at home and abroad. He has conducted the Seogwipo Philharmonic Wind Orchestra (Korea), the Guang Xi Symphony Orchestra (China), the National Ballet and Opera Orchestra of Vietnam, the Saigon Wind Ensemble, the, Coeur D’Alene Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. He has also been a guest conductor-in-residence at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music in Vietnam. He is a Conn-Selmer Educational Artist, an Honorary Conductor for the Orchestra of Guangzhou Youth Palace, and serves on the Western International Band Clinic University Board of Directors.

 

The American Prize 3rd Place:

Vu Nguyen

Combined USAF Band of the Golden West 

and ANG Band of the West Coast Concert Bands

Port Hueneme  CA

Vu Nguyen

Major Vu Q. Nguyen is the Commander and Conductor of the Air National Guard Band of the West Coast, Channel Islands ANGS, Port Hueneme, CA. The Band of the West Coast is one of five ANG Bands in the United States and covers an eight-state area.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Major Nguyen is currently an associate professor of music and director of bands at University of the Pacific. Prior to his appointment at Pacific, Major Nguyen served on the faculties of the University of Connecticut, University of Indianapolis, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Major Nguyen has served as guest conductor with military and university bands, as well as regional honor bands throughout the country. Ensembles under his direction have performed at state music educator conferences in California and Indiana, at the Midwest Clinic, and at the 2020 College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Conference. 

The American Prize in Conducting (band/wind ensemble division), 2021, college/university bands

The American Prize winner:

J. Nick Smith 

University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble    

Minneapolis   MN 

J. Nick Smith

J. Nick Smith is Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands for the School of Music & Dance at Eastern Michigan University. Smith recently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Band Conducting with emphasis in Choral Conducting at the University of Minnesota with primary teachers Emily Threinen and Kathy Saltzman Romey. His doctoral thesis, “Reimagining Nänie, Op. 82, Johannes Brahms: Inspiration, Creation, and Challenges of a Transcription for Chamber Winds and Chamber Choir,” was authored in conjunction with his final doctoral project, a transcription which was intended to increase collaborations between the wind band, orchestra, and choral mediums. Prior to his doctoral studies, he received his Master of Music degree in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Michigan with primary teacher Michael Haithcock. Smith’s professional experiences range from work with middle school musicians through adult community and professional ensemble musicians.

The American Prize 2nd Place:

Chris Ramos 

UNM Wind Symphony & Chamber Players 

Albuquerque   NM

Chris Ramos

Chris Ramos is currently a DMA student in instrumental conducting at The Hartt School studying with Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming. He assists in conducting Hartt’s instrumental ensembles and the Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble, and he teaches courses in undergraduate conducting, brass methods, and jazz musicianship for music education majors. Before Hartt, Chris served as a band director at Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia, where he taught classical and jazz music in performing and theory courses across grades 6-12. He is also an active scholar working at the intersection of musicology, wind band studies, and music education. In 2016, he received the Joanne Kealinohomoku Prize from the Society of Ethnomusicology Southwest for scholarship combining these interests. He holds degrees from the University of New Mexico where he studied with Eric Rombach-Kendall, and from Texas A&M University-Commerce where he studied with Phillip Clements (conducting) and Luis Sanchez (piano).

The American Prize 3rd Place (there was a tie):

Julia Baumanis 

Florida State University Chamber Winds   

Tallahassee   FL

Julia Baumanis

Dr. Julia Baumanis is the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Central Missouri, where she directs the Symphonic Band, Chamber Winds, the Marching Band, and teaches courses in Music Education.

 

Dr. Baumanis is a graduate of Florida State University, where she received her Bachelors of Music Education, her Masters Degree in Instrumental Conducting, and her PhD in Music Education and Instrumental Conducting.  Prior to graduate school, she taught public school in Florida as the Associate Director of Bands and Orchestras at J.P. Taravella High School, and the Director of Orchestras at Ramblewood Middle School. 

 

Dr. Baumanis has presented her research nationally. Most recently, her research has focused on developing a conductor’s baton that records data collected from a conductor’s expressive gestures. She hopes to implement this technology in the conducting classroom as a technological tool to assist beginning conductors in developing their craft. 

The American Prize 3rd Place (there was a tie):

B. Drew Eary 

Schwob Wind Ensemble 

Columbus   GA

Drew Eary

Drew Eary is in his second year of the Masters of Music degree in Wind Conducting at Columbus State University in the Schwob School of Music studying under Dr. Jamie L. Nix. His responsibilities are to guest conduct the Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble as well as assist the CSU Cougar Pep Band and assist the annual CSU Conductors’ Workshop. Eary holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to the Schwob School of Music, Eary was the Director of Bands at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona. Under his direction, the Casteel High School band received multiple accolades at local and national festivals and invitations to share concerts with the Arizona State University Concert Band and The University of Arizona Wind Ensemble. He was named an ‘Educator to Watch’ by the Arizona Republic Newspaper in 2018. 

The American Prize in Conducting (band/wind ensemble division), 2021, 
community bands

The American Prize winner:

Gerald Guilbeaux  

Acadian Wind Symphony

Lafayette LA

Gerald Guilbeaux

Gerald Guilbeaux is the founding conductor of the Acadian Wind Symphony and has been the Conductor of the Lafayette Concert Band since 1993. Under his direction, the Lafayette Concert Band became the 1999 recipient of the Sudler Silver Scroll, an international award recognizing excellence in adult community bands.

 

He has earned a national reputation as an advocate for the adult community music movement and is Past-President of the national Association of Concert Bands. He has received the Diploma of the Order of Merit by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He serves on the Selection Committee for the Sudler Silver Scroll and is Vice-President/Treasurer for John Philip Sousa Foundation while serving  as the administrator and assistant conductor of the Foundation’s National Community Band. He is an associate member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and served as a member of the Board of Directors of ABA.

The American Prize 2nd Place:

Matthew Salvaggio  

University Heights Symphonic Band   

University Heights OH

Matthew Salvaggio

Matthew Salvaggio is an American conductor currently holding several musical directorships. The 2020/21 season marks his sixth year as Musical and Artistic Director of the University Heights Symphonic Band and fourth year as Music Director of the Euclid Symphony Orchestra.

Previously, Matt served as Director of Bands at Hiram College and adjunct professor of conducting at Lakeland Community College.

An advocate for new music, Matthew has helped commission fifteen works for winds in the last decade from composers including Mark Camphouse, Anthony O’Toole, Michael Kallstrom, Kevin Waczyk and Tony Manfredonia. Artistic collaborations include John Rautenberg (Cleveland Orchestra), John DiCesare (Seattle Symphony), Joshua Lauretig (Buffalo Philharmonic), Kyra Kester (Akron Symphony), Cameron Leach, J.c. Sherman, Emily Cornelius and ESO concertmaster Liesl Hook.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Matt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Akron and a Master of Music degree in conducting from Kent State University.

The American Prize in Conducting (band/wind ensemble division), 2021, high school bands

The American Prize winner:

P. Justin White 

Thompson HS Wind Ensemble 

Alabaster.  AL

Justin White

Justin White serves as instructor of bands at the University of Alabama. After graduating from Russellville High School in 2007, he attended the University of Alabama where he graduated magna cum laude with a B.S.Ed. Mr. White was a Master’s Conducting Associate at the University of North Texas, where he earned a M.M. in Wind Conducting with a related field in Music Education in 2014. While at UNT, he was a conducting student of Nicholas Enrico Williams, Dennis Fisher and Eugene Migliaro Corporon.

Mr. White is a published research assistant and assistant producer for two volumes of Teaching Music through Performance in Band, volume 10 and Beginner Band volume 3. In 2020, Mr. White was selected semifinalist in The American Prize conducting competition for winds and outstanding young band director by the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. He is a sought after conductor and adjudicator; recently judging the King’s Royal Trophy International Band Competition in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2017, he was selected as the winner of the World Music Competition’s Conducting Competition – North American Regional and represented the U.S. at the 2017 World Music Competition in Kerkade, Netherlands. The Alabama Music Educators Association selected Mr. White as the 2018 Outstanding Young Music Educator. Also in 2018, he conducted the United States Coast Guard Band during a clinic with H. Robert Reynolds at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Mr. White has served as the conductor of the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra, the community orchestra of Birmingham.

Prior to the University of Alabama, Mr. White served as Director of Bands at Thompson High School in Alabaster, AL. Ensembles under his direction consistently earned superior ratings. In 2017, the Thompson Jazz Ensemble was selected finalist and competed at the Swing Central competition in Savannah, GA. The following year, the Thompson Jazz ensemble performed at the AMEA conference with Wycliffe Gordon. Under his direction the Thompson Symphonic band performed at the inaugural Crimson Festival of Winds. In 2019, Mr. White and colleague Michael Chambless presented a session titled “From Fussing to Focused” at the AMEA conference. Currently, he is leading a consortium for a new work by Donald Grantham to be premiered in Spring 2022.

His professional memberships include Phi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, Jazz Education Network and the Alabama Music Educators Association.

The American Prize 2nd Place:

Justin Swaim 

Wharton HS Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Band

Tampa    FL

Justin Swaim

Mr. Justin O. Swaim has experiences in orchestral, wind, and chamber music settings. He currently serves as Director of Bands at Wharton High School in Tampa, Florida where he oversees all aspects of the music program and serves as department chair. His career began in North Carolina where his students earned honors at the NCMEA Orchestra MPA as well as positions in county and state honors events. He holds a BM in Music Education and a MM in Instrumental Conducting from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. At UNCG, he studied instrumental conducting with Dr. John Locke and Dr. Kevin Geraldi. At UNCG he made appearances with the Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia, Wind Ensemble, Casella Sinfonietta, and Symphonic Band. He served as Assistant Conductor of the University Band, was a graduate assistant for the Music Education department, and was a founding member of the Foothills Chamber Ensemble of Winston-Salem, NC. www.justinswaim.us

The American Prize 3rd Place:

Harold Goldstein  

Newfield HS Wind Ensemble 

Selden   NY

Harold Goldstein

Harold Goldstein has been one of the band directors at Newfield High School in Middle Country School District on Long Island for the past eighteen years. While at Newfield, his responsibilities have included directing the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, 9th Grade Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Pit Orchestra. Dr. Goldstein has lead these programs to high praise and award-winning success. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Education from Boston University. As an active member of the New York State School Music Association, he is an All-State Woodwind and Instrumental Major Organization adjudicator. Dr. Goldstein has served as a guest conductor for both the Suffolk County and Nassau County Music Educators Associations' All-County Band programs and the Atlantic Wind Symphony.   

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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