The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University has announced the 2019 commission winners.
After reviewing 276 submissions from 28 countries, the judging panel awarded Bekah Simms of Toronto the 2019 Barlow Prize for $12,000 to compose a major new work for Pierrot Ensemble with percussion and electronics. Learn more about Simms and her music here.
In considering 200 applications in the General and LDS commissioning programs, the Endowment granted $87,000 to 15 composers who will write works for the following ensembles and musicians:
Katherine Balch (Exceptet), Rohan Ravi Chander (Chromic), Takuma Itoh (Albany Symphony), Tonia Ko (Parhelion Trio), Andrew Maxfield (Salt Lake Symphony), Alyssa Morris (Richmond Symphony), David Reminick (Wendy Richman), Steve Ricks (SPLICE Ensemble), Erin Rogers (Kamraton), Kyle Shaw (Daniel Edwards), Joseph Sowa (Hub New Music), Jonny Stallings (Ned McGowan and Bart DeVrees), Ben Taylor (Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Greater Indianapolis), George Tsontakis (F-Plus), and Craig Woodward (Adam Woodward).
The judging panel included the Endowment’s Board of Advisors: Daniel Bradshaw, Chen Yi, Ben Sabey, and Neil Thornock. Dan Visconti served as a guest judge during all deliberations, and Crystal Young-Otterstrom, Reed Criddle, and Jeremy Grimshaw served as guest judges during General Commission deliberations. Kate Ellis (Crash Ensemble), Emi Ferguson (New York New Music Ensemble), and Lisa Kaplan (Eighth Blackbird) represented the performing consortia in selecting the Barlow Prize. Crash Ensemble, the New York New Music Ensemble, and Eighth Blackbird will premiere the winning composer’s new work in 2021.
