Inaugural New Music Prize Announces Four Winning Compositions And Online Performance

Washington National Cathedral, leading choral publisher Walton Music and Grammy-winning, British vocal ensemble The King's Singers announce the 4 winning composers of their inaugural New Music Prize (for the US and Canada), as well as 4 honorable mentions and 11 commended compositions out of the staggering 347 submitted.

Using one of five texts chosen by The King's Singers and historian, poet and leading choral lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri, composers submitted an original choral piece into one of four categories. The winning composers each receive a cash prize, a premiere performance and recording of their work, and the opportunity to have their piece published by Walton Music. Due to the current pandemic, the planned live event in the National Cathedral has been re-shaped into a webcast featuring The King's Singers (from the UK) and members of the Cathedral's choirs conducted by Director of Music at Washington National Cathedral, Michael McCarthy. The event will feature a premiere performance of each of the new works woven within a wider program of glorious choral music.

The webcast performance is part of Washington National Cathedral's Sacred Choral Music Online Festival, Sunday Feb 28th at 4pm ET. Tickets are $10, available through Washington National Cathedral's website.

The winners were selected by an illustrious jury chaired by multi-award winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank, alongside Artistic Director Toronto Children's Chorus, Elise Bradley MNZM; composer/arranger, Stacey V. Gibbs; The King's Singers' (bass), Jonathan Howard; former King's Singer and educator, David Hurley; Director of Music, Washington National Cathedral, Canon Michael McCarthy; conductor, composer and Director of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, Francisco Núñez and conductor, composer and Music Director of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Dr. Mack Wilberg.

"Our primary aim for the New Music Prize has always been to show how powerful both creativity and music can be for revitalizing and restoring us. This was evidenced many times over by the submissions we received across our four categories. On behalf of all The King's Singers and my fellow jury members, I'd like to thank each of you who took the time to write a piece for the New Music Prize - it's truly moved and humbled us. I'm thrilled we'll be able to hear all four of our winning entries performed live at the end of next month, and I'm particularly pleased that I'll get to sing one of them myself." The King's Singers bass and juror, Jonathan Howard.

In the under-18 category, Eli Hooker Reese of Minnesota won first prize for his four-part SATB work set to Charles Anthony Silvestri's poem When All Falls Silent. The jury hailed his piece as a "gem of lyricism and open voicings that truly allow for its beautiful harmonies to shine."

Philadelphia-based composer, keyboardist, conductor and collaborative musician Parker Kitterman, won over judges with his four-part SATB choral arrangement of the poem The Singing Bowl by Rev. Dr. Malcolm Guite, earning him first place in the over-18 category. Judges applauded Kitterman's "winning composition for being unafraid of vocal movement and exhibiting an effortless mastery of natural-sounding text-setting amidst quickly shifting harmonies."

Jeremy Beck won first prize for his composition for children's choir. The Kentucky composer who Gramophonemagazine once described as "knowing the importance of embracing the past while also going his own way" impressed judges with his composition of Invitation to Love by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The a cappella work left several members of the jury longing to present it to their own youth choirs.

The judges unanimously agreed that Belgian-American composer Geert D'hollander's setting of When All Falls Silent by Charles Anthony Silvestri for The King's Singers was a worthy winner, citing the "closeness and lushness of the chording and the rhythmic and metrical variations within the music and text-setting giving it a freshness not often seen in this kind of modern writing."

"In a year full of challenges, setbacks and divisions we were all profoundly encouraged and inspired by the number of first-rate composers across North America who felt moved to write a new piece of music for this competition. We are thrilled finally to be able to acknowledge all of our winning and commended entrants, and to congratulate them for such accomplished composing." Composer, conductor and juror Francisco Núñez

From The King's Singers: Throughout history, music has provided hope and healing at some of our societies' most challenging times. Following two hugely successful composition competitions ("A Carol for Christmas") in the United Kingdom in association with King's College Cambridge, we launched The King's Singers New Music Prize in the US and Canada to recognize, develop, and encourage creativity in today's world - in the hope of leaving it a musically richer place than we found it. Hundreds of submissions across four categories, one series of free digital masterclasses, and a panel of eight world-renowned judges later, we are thrilled finally to reveal the names of all of our winning and commended composers and their compositions. The New Music Prize has been generously supported by Ronald C. Gunnell and The King's Singers Global Foundation, and forms part of the Foundation's vision for #FindingHarmony in our divided world.

"Washington National Cathedral is honored to partner with The King's Singers and Walton Music in bringing the New Music Prize to fruition to celebrate four winning entries. It has been wonderful to see so many composers of all ages inspired to compliment and elevate the remarkable poetic selections. The power of words and music combined is as seminal today as ever. Custodians of the choral artform, be they composers or patrons, are critical to that well-being and we are excited to salute your work here at the Cathedral." Michael McCarthy, Director of Music, Washington National Cathedral.

To post a comment, you must register and login.