2020 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards Announced
The ASCAP Foundation has announced the 20 recipients and 3 honorable mentions of the 2020 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards. The recipients, who receive cash awards, range in age from 17 to 28 and hail from five continents. They were selected through a juried national competition; the ASCAP member composer/judges for the 2020 competition were Keyon Harrold, Hilary Kole, and Oscar Perez.
“Jazz is one of our most vital art forms and the recipients of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards carry its innovative spirit into the future,” said ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams. “We are grateful to the Herb Alpert Foundation for helping us to recognize and encourage these young music creators and congratulate them on their success.”
The 20 winners of the 2020 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards (pictured left to right):
(Row 1) David Bernot, Eri Chichibu, Eddie Codrington, Grace Corsi, Angelo Di Loreto;
(Row 2) Eliana Fishbeyn, Shimon Gambourg, Giveton Gelin, Bryce Hayashi;
(Row 3) Jisu Jung, Takumi Kakimoto, Dave Meder, Zachary Rich, Rin Seo, Jueun Seok;
(Row 4) Matthew Thomson, Elliott Turner, Gary (Kaiji) Wang, Matthew Whitaker, and Drew Zaremba.
(All photos courtesy of the ASCAP Foundation.)
The 2020 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipients are listed with their age and the titles of their award winning compositions. Audio recordings of performances of the composers are linked from the titles.)
- David Bernot (age 25): To Kill The Beast
- Eri Chichibu (age 27): The Sea-Seven Years Voyage
- Eddie Codrington (age 23): Nexus
- Grace Corsi (age 23): A Way Out
- Angelo Di Loreto (age 29): Malambo
- Eliana Fishbeyn (age 24): Quiet Recurrence
- Shimon Gambourg (age 24): Helicopters!
- Giveton Gelin (age 20): True Design
- Bryce Hayashi (age 17): The place I call home
- Jisu Jung (age 25): Veronica Persica
- Takumi Kakimoto (age 25): Tomorrow’s Eve
- Dave Meder (age 29): Break Points
- Zachary Rich (age 26): Story of the Mad Hatter
- Rin Seo (age 29): Jazz Suite
- Jueun Seok (age 27): Vulnerable
- Matthew Thomson (age 25): The Pursuit
- Elliott Turner (age 24): Alternative Facts
- Gary (Kaiji) Wang (age 23): Stargazer
- Matthew Whitaker (age 18): Underground
- Drew Zaremba (age 28): Blue Yonder
Composers and their works receiving Honorable Mention this year are:
- Michael Echaniz (age 25): Proxima Centauri
- Chase Kuesel (age 25): Senescence
- Martina Liviero (age 28): Entre Dos Mundos
2020 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards Honorable Mentions (pictured left to right):
Michael Echaniz, Chase Kuesel, and Martina Liviero. (Photos courtesy ASCAP Foundation)
The Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards program was established in 2002 to encourage young gifted jazz composers up to the age of 30. It carries the name of the great trumpeter and ASCAP member Herb Alpert in recognition of The Herb Alpert Foundation’s multi-year financial commitment to support this program. Additional funding for this program is provided by The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund. Through a partnership with the Newport Festival Foundation, one of this year’s Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards recipients will be featured on stage at the 2020 Newport Jazz Festival, slated for August 7-9 in Newport, Rhode Island.
