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| Vytautas Marijosius |
The American Prize—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming honors the memory of the great Lithuanian conductor, Maestro Vytautas Marijosius, music director of the Lithuanian State Opera, and for nearly thirty-five years Director of Orchestral Activities at the Hartt School of Music. The Prize recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community.
You can read more about Maestro Marijosius here: http://rememberingmarijosius.blogspot.com/2010/11/t-o-t-h-e-r-e-c-i-p-i-e-n-t-o-f-h-e-v-y.html
Or visit the collection of historic documents, programs and photographs of the artist here: https://marijosius.tumblr.com/
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: Because of many requests from artists with late spring and early summer performances, The American Prize 2019-20 will accept applications from CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new extended deadline date of
Monday, July 1, 2019, with extensions available by email request. (theamericanprize@gmail.com)
Applications from COMPOSERS, CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES, ARTS MARKETERS and in the performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until
Monday, August 5, 2019. (Please note that although the dates on the application forms may not be changed, rest assured that your materials will be accepted if sent by the new deadline dates in the respective contest areas.)
Please make us aware of any misprints: theamericanprize@gmail.com
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming / Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award—college/university division
The American Prize Winner:
Jeffery Meyer
ASU Symphony Orchestra
Tempe AZ
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| Jeffery Meyer |
In 2010, he led the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in its United States debut with three performances at Symphony Space’s “Wall-to-Wall” Festival in New York City which the New York Times called “impressive”, “powerful”, “splendid”, and “blazing.” His programming in the United States has been recognized with three ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming. He was a prizewinner in the 2008 International Conducting Competition “Antonio Pedrotti” and the winner of the 2013 American Prize in Conducting.
2nd Place:
Rachel L. Waddell
University of Rochester Orchestras
Rochester NY
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| Rachel L. Waddell |
In addition to her work with the CSO and CYS, Waddell became the first women to guest conduct Cleveland’s Suburban Symphony Orchestra in 2016. In January 2018 she guest conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Peter and the Wolf with the Nazareth College Dance Ensemble. Cleveland Classical describes Waddell’s conducting as “distinctly animated” with “charismatic fervor….a sensibility eagerly reciprocated by the orchestra as it responded with marvelous tonal depth and palpable exuberance.”
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Chris Younghoon Kim
Cornell Orchestra
Ithaca NY
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| Chris Younghoon Kim with Wynton Marsalis at Cornell. |
3rd Place (there was a tie):
David Rahbee
University of Washington Symphony Orchestra
Seattle WA
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| David Rahbee |
Washington School of Music in Seattle, where he is Director of Orchestral Activities and teaches conducting. He also serves of faculty of the Pierre Monteux School and Music Festival as Conducting Associate. He is recipient of the American- Austrian Foundation's 2003 Karajan Fellowship for Young Conductors, the 2005 International Richard-Wagner-Verband Stipend, and the Acanthes Centre in Paris in 2007. He has recently worked with the Seattle Symphony, Orchesterakademie der Bochumer Symphoniker, the Seattle Modern Orchestra, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Loja. He participated in masterclasses with Kurt Masur, Sir Colin Davis, Jorma Panula, Zdeněk Mácal, Peter Eötvös, and Zoltán Peskó. His principal conducting teachers were Charles Bruck and Michael Jinbo at the Monteux School. He holds degrees from Indiana University, New England Conservatory, and University of Montreal. He also studied at Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Vienna.
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming / Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award—community/youth division
The American Prize Winner:
David William Oertel
Starlight Symphony Orchestra
Wimberley TX
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| David William Oertel |
2nd Place:
Robert Boardman
South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras
South Bend IN
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| Robert Boardman |
His recent artistic engagements include the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music where he has served as Assistant Conductor for two seasons. As assistant to Music Director Maestra Marin Alsop, he worked along side composers John Adams, Philip Glass, Jennifer Higdon, and Mark Anthony Turnage, to name a few. Robert has relished a lifelong interest in contemporary orchestral music. In addition to having composed over a dozen original works, he is drawn to the music's freshness, sense of event, and artistic relevance to our time.
Since 2006, Boardman has served as Assistant Conductor for Howard Shore's film score "The Lord of the Rings Symphony" with CAMI Music for which he has assisted in over 30 performances, including a tour of Germany. In this position, he has worked with the orchestras and choruses of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic and Minnesota Orchestra, among others.
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Donald L. Appert
The Jewish Community Orchestra of Portland
Portland OR
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| Donald L. Appert |
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Reuben Blundell
Landsdowne Symphony Orchestra
Landsdowne PA
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| Reuben Blundell |
The year was Reuben Blundell’s fourth as Music Director. Attaining degrees in violin performance in Australia, he attended Tanglewood and Michael Tilson Thomas’ New World Symphony. With a doctorate in conducting from Eastman (Neil Varon and Zvi Zeitlin), and Monteux School studies, his career has included two tenure-track positions, conducting three commercial CDs, directing the Riverside Orchestra in New York, and conducting the Chelsea Symphony, and orchestras in Chile, Iraq and Lebanon. He also teaches at Trinity School, NYC. www.reubenblundell.com
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