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| Maestro Vytautas Marijosius |
The American Prize is pleased to announce the WINNER and runners-up for
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award, 2013.
(For other 2013 ensemble and conducting winners, please scroll up or down or use the archive feature to the right.)
Please make us aware of any misprints by emailing: theamericanprize@gmail.com
From David Katz, chief judge: "The third annual contest for The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award,
attracted more 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 2013, The American Prize has selected one national winner and two runners-up. Each of
these music directors is worthy of special recognition; each creates
programs with the unique circumstances of their ensemble and their
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
For more about Maestro Marijosius, please visit the companion blog here.
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award
The American Prize Winner:
Jason Love Columbia Orchestra Ellicott City, MD
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| Jason Love |
As Music Director of the Columbia Orchestra, Jason Love has
been praised for his “intelligent and innovative programming” by the
Baltimore Sun, who noted that “Love has the musicians playing not only
with verve and passion, but with an awareness to enter into the
emotional core of the works they perform.” During his tenure with the
Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestras he forged community partnerships, led
concert tours of Austria, Japan, and Russia and helped create its
Bridges program to provide instruments and lessons for hundreds of
Baltimore children. Love has premiered dozens of works and was
co-founder of Baltimore’s new music group, the New Horizons Chamber
Ensemble.
Love has guest conducted a wide variety of ensembles
including the Baltimore Symphony, Washington Sinfonietta, Hopkins
Chamber Orchestra, and the new music ensemble RUCKUS. He is the 2008
Winner of the “Howie” Outstanding Artist Award, recognizing achievement
in the arts in Howard County, Maryland.
Among judges' comments: "A courageous programmer with a clear vision for his audience and his ensemble...Impressive."
2nd Place:
Tara Villa Keith Lee County Community Orchestra Sanford, NC "An Orchestral Bouquet"
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Tara Villa Keith
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Tara Villa Keith is in her tenth season as music director
of the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra in Davidson, North Carolina,
and in her fourth season with the Lee County Community Orchestra in
Sanford, North Carolina. Keith has conducted various orchestras across
the south, including the Union Symphony Orchestra, Macon Symphony
Orchestra, and Hot Springs Music Festival Orchestra. Abroad, Keith 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, and won North Carolina’s Metrolina Theatre
Association’s Award for Outstanding Musical Direction/Conducting in
2011.
Among judges' comments: "delightfully creative
programming and marketing ideas...absolutely charming, effective and
appropriate."
3rd Place:
Alyze Dreiling YPO Soloist Ensemble San Diego, CA
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| Alyze Dreiling |
Presently Ms. Dreiling is on the adjunct faculty at
University of San Diego and faculty for the USD Chamber Music Festival
and is adjunct faculty at Grossmont College. She is the violinist with
Trio Licenza, the piano trio, in residence at USD, she also performs as
violist with Grossmont Symphony String Quartet, and she is the violinist
with The California Consort, founded by legendary contrabassist,
Bertram Turetzky. Violinis/Violist, 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 to
name a few. Ms. Dreiling was founding Artistic Director/ Conductor of
Classics for Kids. Alyze also 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, 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 and Hutchins Consort.
Among
judges' comments: "Working in an educational setting, Dreiling mixes
ancient masters and modern music in ways that cannot but help embolden
her students for a lifetime of musical exploration."
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Congratulations!
