Congratulations to Dutch composer and ASCAP member Michel van der Aa, who has won the University of Louisville's 2013 Grawemeyer Award for music composition in recognition of his work "Up-close" for cello, string ensemble, electronic soundtrack and film. The celebrated work blends musical and visual art and is defined by interaction between the live musicians and a mysterious woman featured in its film component.
Grawemeyer Award Director Marc Satterwhite said in a statement on the award-winning piece: "It's a virtuoso cello concerto but also a fascinating multimedia experience that defies simple classification. It really creates its own genre."
The Grawemeyer is one of the world's most lucrative music prizes, valued this year at $100,000. The University of Lousville presents four Grawemeyer Awards each year for outstanding works in music composition, world order, psychology and education.
The European Concert Hall Organization commissioned "Up-close," which was first performed at Stockholm in 2011. It was written for the cellist Sol Gabetta and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
Preview the 30-minute work with the trailer to "Up-close" below.
Up-close | trailer from Michel van der Aa on Vimeo.
To visit Michel on the web, go to www.vanderaa.net.
Follow Michel on Twitter: @vanderaanet