The American Prize is pleased to announce the WINNER and runners-up for
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award, 2012.
(For other 2012 The American Prize ensemble and conducting winners, please visit our campanion websites: The American Prize blog, and The American Prize.
From David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize:
"The second annual contest for The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award,
attracted some of the country's most persuasive and creative music
directors—individuals who would be no more likely to program a concert
with a standard overture followed by a standard concerto, followed by a standard intermission, followed by a standard symphony as they would be to conduct standing on their
heads. These are conductors who recognize program-planning as central
to the growth of their ensembles, the enrichment of their audiences and
the future of the art.
In 2012, The American Prize has selected one national winner, three
runners-up, a citation recipient and four honorable mentions. Each of
these music directors is worthy of special recognition; each creates
programs with the unique circumstances of ensemble and constituency clearly in mind. I hope to elaborate on their strengths in a
future blog post. I applaud them all.
For nearly thirty five years
Director of Orchestral Activities at the Hartt School, Vytautas
Marijosius programmed concerts that were alive in every sense—not
programming for novelty’s sake alone, nor neglecting the great masters
of the past—but always bringing to the awareness of his students and his
audiences great composers of the current time and potential masters of
the future. I believe he would be pleased in different ways with each of
this year's honorees." —DK
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award
The American Prize Winner:
Lawrence Golan, music director, Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Yakima, WA for "A Titanic Season"
Lawrence
Golan, 3-time Global Music Award winner, is currently in his second
season as the Helen N. Jewett Music Director of the Yakima Symphony
Orchestra. In addition, he is a tenured full professor at the University
of Denver’s Lamont School of Music where he is Music Director and
Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre. Golan
guest conducts professional orchestras, opera, and ballet companies in
the United States and around the world. Having conducted in 25 U.S.
states and 16 countries, recent engagements include performances in
Boulder, Macon, Memphis, Tucson, China, Czech Republic, Italy, Korea,
and Taiwan.
2ND PLACE:
Tara Towson Villa, music director Lee County Community Orchestra, Sanford, NC for "The Elements"
Tara
Towson Villa is in her ninth season as music director of the Davidson
College Symphony Orchestra in Davidson, North Carolina, and in her third
season with the Lee County Community Orchestra in Sanford, North
Carolina. Villa has conducted various orchestras across the southeast,
including the Union Symphony Orchestra, Macon Symphony Orchestra, and
Hot Springs Music Festival Orchestra. Abroad, Villa has worked with
several orchestras across Europe and in Brazil. She has won conducting
competitions and contests in Bulgaria and Germany with the help of
grants from the Global Partners Project and the League of American
Orchestras.
3RD PLACE:
Timothy Hutto, music director, New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble, New York, NY for "Mahler: Aspects"
Timothy
Hutto was appointed the music director of the New York Symphonic Arts
Ensemble at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season. His New York
conducting debut came with NYSAE in 2000, and subsequently he appeared
annually as a guest conductor. Raised and educated in Texas, he holds
degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University, the University of North
Texas, and Sam Houston State University. From 1996-97, he was music
director of the Huntsville Texas Youth Orchestra. In 2000, he was a
fellow at the Conductors Institute at Bard College, where his teachers
included Harold Farberman and Leon Botstein.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Ken Selden, music director, Portland State University Symphony Orchestra, Portland, OR for 2010-11 Season
In
the fall of 2006, Ken Selden was appointed Conductor and Music Director
of the Symphony Orchestra at Portland State University. Since arriving
in Portland, he has appeared as guest conductor of the Oregon Symphony,
Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Portland Youth Philharmonic and the
Newport Symphony. Most recently, his recording of Mahler and Debussy
arrangements with the newly established Martingale Ensemble was released
on MSR Classics.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Richard Chiarappa, founding music director, West Hartford Symphony Orchestra, West Hartford, CT for 2010-11 Season
Richard
Chiarappa is the founding music director and conductor of the West
Hartford Symphony Orchestra of Connecticut (2002). As a composer, he
completed his first opera in August, 2011, titled The Miraculous
Staircase. His work prior to that was “Uncle Sal’s Cello,” a piece for
orchestra and narrator. That was preceded by “The Gettysburg Address”
for orchestra and narrator, published by Robert Wendel Music of New York
City. Chiarappa studied orchestral conducting with Vytautas Marijosius
at The Hartt School. Since 1979 he has been a faculty member at the
Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford. His music can be heard
at www.cmpub.com.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Donald Appert, music director, Oregon Sinfonietta, Portland, OR for 2010-2011 Season
Donald
Appert has been Music Director/Conductor of the Clark College Orchestra
since 1990. He has guest conducted orchestras in Europe, Central
America, Japan and Australia. Currently he is a Professor of Music and
Head of the Music Department at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.
In addition he is the Music Director/Conductor of the Oregon Sinfonietta
in Portland, Oregon. He received The American Prize in Orchestral
Programming—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in 2011 for his work
with the Oregon Sinfonietta. He has received the ASCAPLUS Award
numerous times. His music may be heard via the Internet on his web site
at www.maestroappert.com.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Alyze
Dreiling, artistic director/conductor, YPO Philharmonic String
Orchestra and Soloist Ensemble, San Diego, CA for 2010-11 Season and
Bartok Birthday Celebration
Ms.
Dreiling is honored to have been awarded second prize in The American
Prize Competition for her conducting of the YPO Philharmonic String
Orchestra and Soloist Ensemble in the 2011 Competition. Presently Ms.
Dreiling is on the faculty at University of San Diego and USD Chamber
Music Festival and is violinist with Trio Licenza, the piano trio, in
residence at USD,she also performs a violinist with Quartetto Sorrento
,and she is the violinist with The California Consort, founded by
legendary contrabassist, Bertram Turetzky. Violinist, Alyze Dreiling was
born in Detroit, Michigan. She began her studies with Mischa
Mischakoff. Ms. Dreiling graduated from Indiana University where she
studied with Josef Gingold. Since then she has appeared as soloist with
the Detroit Symphony, Philharmonica Hungarica at the Vienna Summer
Festival, the Florida Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony, Knoxville
Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Dreiling was founding Artistic Director/
Conductor of Classics for Kids. Alyze served as the Violinist/Conductor
of the International Chamber Players at USIU. She has played
concertmaster for Donna Summers, Smoky Robinson, Dionne Warwick and Tom
Scott, to name a few and for shows at the Old Globe, Civic Auditorium,
LaJolla Playhouse, Lawrence Welk and Starlight Theater. She has also
played with San Diego Symphony, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Hutchins
Consort.
SPECIAL CITATION
for UNIQUE PATRIOTIC SERVICE through MUSIC
Victor
Wahby, music director, Musical Medical Group Chorale and Symphony
Orchestra, Washington, DC "Veterans Commemoration—Healing for the
Nations"
Victor
Wahby, MD, Ph.D., FACP is a Renaissance man. Trained in medicine and
music, he studied conducting with Joseph Sissi, the Vienna-trained
conductor of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. At Mayo Clinic he conducted
the Mayo Medical Chorale and Orchestra, and while on Yale Medical School
faculty he conducted the Yale Medical Musical Group, the forerunner of
the current national group he founded. The Washington Post praised Dr.
Wahby for his "sincere interpretations of music." Dr. Wahby composed
the award-winning Veterans Hymn. He is the recipient of many
recognitions, a Congressional Tribute and, dearest to his heart, awards
by various veterans organizations.
*****
Congratulations to all honorees. Information about the 2013 contests of The American Prize will be posted to our website soon.
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