For the 47th consecutive year, orchestras demonstrating exceptional commitment to contemporary composers were honored at the American Symphony Orchestra League's National Conference, which was held this year in Pittsburgh. The annual ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards recognize American orchestras whose concert programs prominently feature music composed within the last twenty-five years.

The Awards were presented at the David L. Lawrence Center at the annual conference of the American Symphony Orchestra League. Introducing the Awards presentation, ASCAP’s Frances Richard said, "These awards recognize the most vital advocates of the music of our time. Just as we rebuild our concert halls and replenish the ranks of our orchestras, ASCAP congratulates those orchestras and their music directors who enrich the repertory and keep our great concert music tradition vibrant and alive."

Richard introduced ASOL Board member Michael Morgan, an exciting, young American conductor and strong advocate of the composers and music of our time, who presented the 2004 ASCAP Awards. Morgan is currently the Music Director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the Sacramento Philharmonic, the Oakland Youth Orchestra, and Artistic Director of the Festival Opera of Walnut Creek (CA). For a list of winners, visit www.ascap.com/press/2004/asol_06150.html

ASCAP/CBDNA Frederick Fennell Prize Winner Announced

Yotam Haber, 28, Wins $5000 First Prize in Competition for Young Composers of Concert Band Music

ASCAP’s VP and Director of Concert Music Frances Richard and President of the CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) Gary Hill, have announced the second bi-annual ASCAP/CBDNA Frederick Fennell Prize winner. The competition, named for living legend Frederick Fennell, ASCAP member and founder of the CBDNA, was established to encourage gifted American composers to create new works for Concert Band. The winning work was selected via a juried national competition, which attracted submissions from eligible composers (between the ages of 18 and 30) from across the United States.

The $5000 Prize, for a wind ensemble work, has been awarded to Yotam Haber, age 28, for "Espresso," which will be performed during the National CBDNA Conference in New York City on February 24, 2005 by Rutgers University Wind Ensemble at NYU’s Skirball Center. Haber was commissioned to write "Espresso" by Cornell University. The premiere was performed by the Cornell University Wind Ensemble, conducted by David Conn at Ithaca College in 2004. Haber is a 2004 ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award winner. He has been a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival, and been in residence at the Aaron Copland House, and the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Haber received his Doctoral Degree from Cornell University. Born in Holland, and a citizen of Israel, Haber currently resides in New York City and is Information Services Coordinator at the American Music Center.

Carnegie Hall Commissions

Four young ASCAP composers received commissions to write new music for The John Harbison/Dawn Upshaw Workshop

James Matheson

Gabriela Lena Frank

Lisa Bielawa

Keeril Makan

In a special workshop, The John Harbison/Dawn Upshaw Workshop for Composers and Singers, four young ASCAP composers received commissions from Carnegie Hall to write new music for singer and small ensemble. The four composers are James Matheson, Gabriela Lena Frank, Lisa Bielawa and Keeril Makan. Four singers were also selected by competitive audition to workshop and then perform the works at a culminating concert on October 10th. Composer John Harbison and opera singer Dawn Upshaw worked with the participating students twice – once in workshop sessions while the pieces were still in the early stages of progress, and then again in rehearsals leading up to the premiere performance at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall.

Philadelphia Orchestra Commissions Work for Ben Franklin’s 300th Birthday

ASCAP Composer Daniel Kellogg to write piece to premiere in November 2005

The Philadelphia Orchestra Association, in partnership with the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Composers Forum, has announced the commission of a work for The Philadelphia Orchestra in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth. ASCAP composer Daniel Kellogg, a Young Concert Artists Composer-in-Residence, was awarded the commission. Kellogg was chosen from among 110 applicants by a panel comprising of five composers and Philadelphia Orchestra Director of Education and Community Partnerships Sarah Johnson. Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Christoph Eschenbach made the final selection. The resulting work will receive its world premiere in November 2005 and will be performed on the Orchestra’s subscription series. The commission is made possible through the generous support of the Neubauer Family Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Ornette Coleman Receives Gish Prize

Ornette Coleman was recently presented with the prestigious Gish Prize. Pictured at the ceremony (l-r) are Wynton Marsalis (2004 Gish Prize Speaker), Ornette Coleman and Bill Ivey (2004 Gish Prize Selection Committee Chairman). Photo by Tat Leong.

Orianna Webb Receives Sackler Prize

Orianna Webb, acting composition department head at the Cleveland Institute of Music, has received the 2004 Raymond and Beverly Sackler Music Composition Prize.

The prize, sponsored by the University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts, carries a $20,000 award. The annual competition supports and promotes aspiring composers and the performance of their works. The prize will allow Webb to develop a chamber orchestra work for strings, winds, and brass scheduled for performance in March at the university. Webb, a native of Akron, holds degrees from the Yale School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, and University of Chicago. Webb is currently in residence at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France.