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| Vytautas Marijosius |
The American Prize wishes everyone safety and health during this difficult time.
The American Prize National Nonprofit
Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and
chief judge, is pleased to announce the 2019-20
winners and runners-up in orchestral programming,
The Vytautas
Marijosius Memorial Award. Congratulations!
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.
REMINDER—COVID EXTENSIONS:
Because
of the current national and international situation, many rules have
been changed and requirements eased to make it easier to apply for The
American Prize 2020-21, In addition, we will accept applications from
COMPOSERS, CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, PIANISTS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLES and
INSTRUMENTAL SOLOISTS postmarked or emailed by the new Covid-extended
deadline date of
Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
Applications from CONDUCTORS, STAGE DIRECTORS, CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES,
ARTS ADMINISTRATORS (arts marketing, arts education) and in the
performance of American Music (BACON AWARD) will be accepted until
Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
Further extensions may be granted pending the most current information
about he virus. Visit theamericanprize.org for complete contest
information.
Please make us aware of any misprints: theamericanprize@gmail.com
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming / Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award—college/university division, 2019-20
The American Prize winner:
Brian Coffill
The Randolph-Macon Ensemble
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland VA
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| Brian Coffill |
Dr. Brian Coffill, DMA, is the Founding Director of
Instrumental Ensembles and Assistant Professor of Music at
Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, where he created the R-M
Ensemble, a cutting- edge chamber orchestra focused on the performance
of works from across the musical spectrum. He is a conductor and
pedagogue committed to the expansion of the instrumental repertoire, the
performance of works by under-represented composers, and the
development of twenty-first century performance experiences for
musicians and audiences alike. He maintains an active schedule as a
conductor and clinician throughout the United States. Brian holds
postgraduate degrees in conducting from the University of Maryland and
the University of Illinois, as well as undergraduate degrees in music
and education from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Richmond,
Virginia.
2nd Place:
David A. Rahbee
University of Washington Symphony Orchestra
Seattle WA
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| David A. Rahbee |
David Alexander Rahbee is currently Senior Artist in
Residence at the University of 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.
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Nadya Potemkina
Wesleyan University Orchestra
Middletown CT
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| Nadya Potemkina |
Conductor, violist, and educator Nadya Potemkina
(Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT) directs Wesleyan University
Orchestra and Concert Choir, coaches chamber ensembles, teaches courses
in instrumental conducting and orchestral literature, and is the music
director of Connecticut Flute Orchestra, FluteFest, and AD HOC BACH
Collective, all performance and community engagement initiatives.
Professor Potemkina remains active as a violist and welcomes every
opportunity to play chamber music with her colleagues and to perform
works by student composers. She enjoys guest-conducting opportunities,
in the United States and abroad, with regional, community, and youth
orchestras. Prior to Wesleyan, Nadya Potemkina served as an assistant
conductor of The University of Memphis Orchestras, as the music director
of Mid-South Young People’s Orchestras in Memphis, TN, and was the
founding conductor of Memphis Occasional Orchestra, an all-volunteer
community outreach ensemble.
3rd Place (there was a tie):
Rachel L. Waddell
University of Rochester Orchestras
Rochester NY
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| Rachel L. Waddell |
Rachel L. Waddell is a vibrant young conductor
rapidly gaining recognition for her artistic leadership, innovative
programming, and creative collaborations. She currently serves as Music
Director of the University of Rochester Orchestras in New York, where
she won second place for the American Prize’s Vytautas Marijosius
Memorial Award for her 2017-18 season. She previously held positions
with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and Canton Youth Symphonies. In
addition Waddell has appeared as a guest conductor with ensembles
throughout the United States including the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Las Vegas
Philharmonic, among others. In 2019 Waddell was selected for the
prestigious Hart Institute for Women Conductors at the Dallas Opera.
She continues to dedicate herself to the advocacy of classical music
and strives to curate innovative seasons of the highest artistic
caliber.
The American Prize in Orchestral Programming / Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award—community division, 2019-20
The American Prize winner:
Donald L. Appert
Clark College Orchestra
The Jewish Community Orchestra of Portland
Vancouver WA / Portland OR
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| Donald L. Appert |
Donald Appert has been Music Director/Conductor of
the Clark College Orchestra since 1990 and Music Director/Conductor of
the Jewish Community Orchestra in Portland, Oregon since 2012. He has
guest conducted orchestras in Europe, Central America, Japan and
Australia. Currently he is a Full 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 Jewish Community Orchestra in
Portland, Oregon and of the Oregon Sinfonietta. He received The
American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial
Award in 2011, an Honorable Mention in 2012, 3rd Place in 2014, and 2nd
Place in 2015. He was also Honored Artist of the American Prize in 2015.
In 2014 he received the Clark County (WA) Arts Commission Lifetime
Achievement in the Arts Award. He has received the ASCAPLUS Award
numerous times. Videos of his conducting and his original compositions
may be seen and heard via the Internet on his web site at
www.maestrodonappert.com.
2nd Place:
Mark Perlman
Willamette Falls Symphony
Tualatin Valley Symphony
Oregon City and Tualatin OR
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| Mark Perlman |
Mark Perlman is Music Director and Conductor of the
Willamette Falls Symphony (Oregon City, OR) and Tualatin Valley
Symphony, as well as founder and Music Director of the Oregon Mahler
Festival. He has conducted internationally in Germany, Russia, Romania,
Bulgaria, and the U.K.. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where his
father, David Perlman, was Principal Bass with the Cleveland Orchestra.
Also a bass player, he later attended Ohio State University and
received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Arizona. His
conducting mentor was Dr. Leonard Pearlman, and his studies of
conducting include work with Jorma Panula, Sian Edwards, Murry Sidlin,
Petr Gribanov, Leonid Kochmar, Adrian Gnam, Diane Wittry, and Alexander
Polishchuck. Dr. Perlman is also Professor of Philosophy at Western
Oregon University, and has written books and articles on philosophy of
mind, biology, law, and music.
3rd Place:
David William Oertel
Starlight Symphony Orchestra
Wimberley TX
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| David William Oertel |
David William Oertel is the Music Director and
Conductor of the Starlight Symphony Orchestra (TX) and the Austin
Philharmonic. David Oertel is working with David Daniels and David
Rahbee as co-authors for the “gold-standard” reference book, Daniels’
Orchestral Music, 6th Edition (2022). Oertel is also co-author of
Choral-Orchestral Repertoire: A Conductor’s Guide, Omnibus Edition
(2019). He has appeared as guest conductor with several orchestras and
has been on the faculty of universities in North Carolina. He has
conducted youth orchestras, musical theatre and opera pit orchestras,
concert and jazz orchestras. Oertel received a Bachelor of Music from
the University of North Texas, a Master of Music from the University of
Houston and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. Oertel’s influential conducting mentors include
Robert Linder, David Daniels, Max Rudolf, Hans Graf, Niklaus Wyss,
Adrian Gnam, Franz Krager, and David Holley.
***
Congratulations!
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