"WHAT's on TAP"
E-newsletter for contestants, laureates, judges & friends of
The American Prize, the National Nonprofit Competitions
in the Performing Arts
July 4, 2021
*INDEPENDENCE DAY HONORS ANNOUNCED
*UP-TO-DATE listings of 2021 FINALISTS and WINNERS
announced thus far.
*WEBSITE UPDATED for 2022 with revised deadlines,
new options, new contests and
EASED REQUIREMENTS to APPLY
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Independence Day HONORS 2021 |
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Internationally renowned choral conductor
DALE WARLAND
is the 2021 recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement
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Presented by The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts in conjunction with The Gothic Catalog family of record labels, the award consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing Maestro Warland’s contributions to the art, and coincides with the renaming of The American Prize in Choral Conducting to The American Prize Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting. A seed gift of $2000 from The American Prize and The Gothic Catalog creates the Dale Warland Endowment for The American Prize, to insure that the Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting remains a permanent annual offering of The American Prize contests.
Dale Warland has made an indelible impression on contemporary choral music, nationally and internationally. In a quarter-century with The Dale Warland Singers (DWS), he shaped an all-professional a cappella ensemble lauded for its exquisite sound, technical finesse, and stylistic range. From that platform, Warland offered stunning performances of traditional repertory and premiered commissioned works on national and international stages.
NEW WINNERS PAGE DEBUTS:
Our Independence Day Honors also feature the publication of the very first page of our new WINNERS blog, highlighting the complete history of The American Prize, by category. We will continue to add more pages and categories to the blog over the summer and fall.
Link to list of past winners of The American Prize in Choral Conducting (The Dale Warland Award):
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Internationally known soprano and vocal pedagogue
AMY JOHNSON
is honored as a Distinguished Vocal Artist of The American Prize
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Internationally known soprano and vocal pedagogue AMY JOHNSON has been honored as a Distinguished Vocal Artist of The American Prize, 2021, in recognition of a career which evidences "sustained artistic excellence" over an extended period of time.
Presented by The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts in memory of the great Wagnerian baritone, Friedrich Schorr (pictured as Wotan at Bayreuth), and his wife, Virginia, the award consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing Ms. Johnson’s contributions to the art. The award was announced as part of The American Prize annual Independence Day Honors, July 4, 2021.
Ms. Johnson has earned special praise for her portrayal of the title role in Puccini’s Tosca, which she has performed nearly 100 times with Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera (also broadcast on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center), Palm Beach Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Spier Festival in South Africa, Arizona Opera, Nashville Opera, El Paso Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Greensboro Opera and many other organizations. Ms. Johnson currently serves as Associate Professor of Voice and Co-Director of Undergraduate Opera Workshop at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati.
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Internationally known mezzo-soprano and vocal pedagogue
ADRIANA ZABALA
is honored as a Distinguished Vocal Artist of The American Prize
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Internationally known mezzo-soprano and vocal pedagogue ADRIANA ZABALA has been honored as a Distinguished Vocal Artist of The American Prize, 2021, in recognition of a career which evidences "sustained artistic excellence" over an extended period of time.
Presented by The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts in memory of the great Wagnerian baritone, Friedrich Schorr (pictured as Wotan at Bayreuth), and his wife, Virginia, the award consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing Ms. Zabala’s contributions to the art. The award was announced as part of The American Prize annual Independence Day Honors, July 4, 2021.
Adriana Zabala is acclaimed for operatic, concert and recital performances throughout the U.S. and abroad. The New York Times has hailed her as “a vivid, fearless presence,” and the L.A. Times as “an extraordinary, vibrant mezzo-soprano.” She is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at the Yale School of Music.
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2021 NATIONAL FINALISTS
and WINNERS ANNOUNCED in many categories
Below, please find links to published lists of 2021 NATIONAL FINALISTS in many categories and the first WINNER announcements.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
COMPOSITION:
2021 National Finalists
VOICE:
2021 National FINALISTS & WINNERS
(The Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Awards)
PIANO:
2021 National FINALISTS & WINNERS
CHAMBER ENSEMBLES:
CONDUCTORS:
2021 NATIONAL FINALISTS
ENSEMBLES:
2021 National Semi-finalists
(finalists to be announced shortly)
STAGE DIRECTORS:
Charles Nelson Reilly Prize
2021 National Semi-finalists
(finalists to be announced shortly)
AMERICAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE:
Ernst Bacon Memorial Award
2021 National Semi-finalists
(finalists to be announced shortly)
ARTS ADMINISTRATION:
2021 National Semi-finalists
(finalists to be announced shortly)
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HOW to UPDATE YOUR AUDITION RECORDINGS:
To update your audition materials, please share the information by writing NEW LINK in the subject line of an email to us. theamericanprize@gmail.com
Remember—contestants are responsible for the viability of links they send, Please be sure yours continue to work correctly. Links must remain viable until the end of the contest year in all categories.
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2020 CERTIFICATE PACKAGES
2020 Certificate Packages have now been sent
to all contestants in the following categories:
*all 2020 winners
*all 2020 instrumental soloists
*all 2020 chamber ensembles
*all 2020 composers
*many more conductors, directors, ensembles and Bacon recipients
If you have not received yours yet, it will be sent soon
as we start to catch-up from staffing issues during the pandemic.
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IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED
recently, especially if you are studying remotely and not currently residing at a university or college address listed on your application, please send us the updated information by putting "NEW ADDRESS" in the subject line of an email to theamericanprize@gmail.com
We need this information to send certificate packages.
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REVISED DEADLINE for all 2022 Contests
Because of many requests,
we have REVISED the DEADLINE
in ALL CATEGORIES for 2022
and are continuing the COVID CHANGES
we made last season, to make it easier to apply.
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NEW in 2022 for all applicants:
NEW "VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE" CONTEST:
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The American Prize in Virtual Performance recognizes and rewards the best virtual (remote, streamed) performances made since February 2020 in response to the pandemic by ensembles and soloists in the U.S., based on submitted recordings.
Applications are accepted from professional, college/university, community and high school age solo artists, chamber ensembles or conducted ensembles, competing in separate divisions, and from composers with excellent recordings of their works.
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NEW in 2022 for all COMPOSER applicants: COVID related and SOCIAL JUSTICE related categories.
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Two special categories have been added for 2022. One category allows you to designate your work "COVID related;" the other is for compositions you designate "SOCIAL JUSTICE related." These are subcategories of each main composition contest for which a separate prize will be awarded, should there be enough entrants.
Also, the "Student Composer" category has been eliminated. Two new categories, one for "College/University Composer" and one for "High School Composer" replace it.
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RULE CHANGES in response to COVID continue
when you APPLY for 2022 contests
In response to unprecedented national and international events surrounding the COVID virus, we have CHANGED RULES and EASED REQUIREMENTS for all 2022 contests, to make it easier to apply. Questions? Please email us at theamericanprize@gmail.com
ALL CONTESTS:
Later application DEADLINES are in place for all contests. (We will be especially flexible with deadlines this season, knowing the challenges many artists continue to face preparing their materials.)
COVID RULES CHANGES for CONDUCTORS and ENSEMBLES in ALL DIVISIONS:
We will now accept archival recordings (older than five years) in all conductor and ensemble divisions, and for the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award.
COVID RULE CHANGE for COMPOSERS / RECORDINGS:
If readings or performance recordings of composers' music are not available, we will accept midi, synthesized or computer generated recordings in all divisions this year.
COVID RULE CHANGE for COMPOSERS / PDF OPTION:
We continue to accept PDFs of scores attached to online applications. Please identify PDFs clearly. (Only one copy of the PDF need be sent.)
COVID RULE CHANGE for COMPOSERS:
In the OPERA / THEATER / FILM / DANCE division, we will accept "concert" (unstaged) and computer generated performances in the division this year.
COMPOSERS NEW CATEGORY:
A new category for composers has been added for POPS / LIGHT MUSIC in the CHAMBER MUSIC composition contests. Also see the note above about "SOCIAL JUSTICE" and "COVID" related works.
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CHANGES for SINGERS and SOLO INSTRUMENTALISTS:
COVID RULE CHANGE / ACCOMPANIMENTS:
Pre-recorded accompaniments will be accepted this contest year.
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CHANGES for PIANISTS:
COVID RULE CHANGE / SECOND PIANO:
This year we will accept concerto performances with the accompaniment performed by a second pianist (or pre-recorded.) Also, in the high school division, only a single concerto movement need be performed.
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Taking advantages of any of these changes in no way negatively affects a contestant's application or eligibility.
-The American Prize Team
"We at The American Prize wish all our laureates, contestants, judges, friends & their families health and safety during this difficult time."---DK
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ALL CONTESTS are updated on the website for 2022.
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions
in the Performing Arts,
the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the musical and theater arts, has now updated all competitions on our website for the 2022 season.
Please click on the links below to be taken directly to the contest pages on our website.
The AMERICAN PRIZE in COMPOSITION
The AMERICAN PRIZE in PIANO PERFORMANCE
The AMERICAN PRIZE in VOCAL PERFORMANCE
The Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Awards
The AMERICAN PRIZE in INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
The AMERICAN PRIZE in CHAMBER MUSIC PERFORMANCE
The AMERICAN PRIZE ERNST BACON MEMORIAL AWARD for the PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC
The AMERICAN PRIZE in CONDUCTING
The AMERICAN PRIZE in ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
The AMERICAN PRIZE in DIRECTING
The AMERICAN PRIZE in ARTS ADMINISTRATION
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MAESTRO DAVID DANIELS
is posthumous recipient of
The American Prize
National Arts Award
High School Scholarship Fund Created in His Honor
Conductor, colleague, mentor, professor and historian DAVID DANIELS has been selected posthumously as the first recipient of The American Prize National Arts Award, given annually each summer to an individual (or organization) who has provided exceptional service to the art and profession. The award, which consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing important contributions to the art, coincides with the announcement of the David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund, created by The American Prize organization to provide up to 80% fee assistance to high school-age musicians who wish to apply for the contests of The American Prize.
Donations to The American Prize David Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund may be made through this Paypal link. (Hat City Music Theater, Inc. is the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that administers The American Prize contests.) Donors wishing to give to the Fund in other ways should contact David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law, each will be listed on our website, and all will receive an emailed receipt for their tax records. Donations to the Daniels Scholarship Endowment Fund are held in perpetuity. Only the income of the Fund will be used for scholarship purposes.
Parents, teachers and others interested in applying for a Daniels Scholarship, which covers up to 80% of application fees to The American Prize contests for high school-age students only (currently enrolled or home schooled in any U.S. state, territory or protectorate), please write to David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, at theamericanprize@gmail.com. Place the words "Daniels Scholarship Endowment" in the subject line of the email. The number of scholarships is limited. Please apply early. Sorry, there are no refunds for previously submitted applications but those current applicants who request it will be on the top of the list to receive scholarships for the next season of contests.
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ENSEMBLE / CONDUCTOR / DIRECTOR / AMERICAN MUSIC contest results, 2020
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The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is happy to again share 2020 contest results in ensemble, conducting, directing and American music categories. Please click on the links below to be taken directly to the winners' announcement on our blog, where runners-up, citation recipients and honorable mentions are also profiled with their photos and bios.
(Composer, vocalist, pianist, instrumentalist and chamber music results may also be found on the blog. Please use the search tool in the right-hand column.) CONGRATULATIONS to all our 2020 honorees.
Questions, or to make us aware of any misprints or broken links in the
listings below, please email us.
2020 WINNERS: CONDUCTORS
2020 WINNERS: STAGE DIRECTORS
2020 WINNERS: CONDUCTED ENSEMBLES/ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
2020 WINNERS: PERFORMANCE of AMERICAN MUSIC (Bacon Award)
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"LIKE NO OTHER..."
The American Prize: "a competition
for the rest of us"
David Katz, chief judge of The American Prize, writes about the unique nonprofit competitions of The American Prize-—how they are different, why they are truly:
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The American Prize
National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts
is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the musical and theater arts.
The American Prize is nonprofit, unique in scope and structure, and is designed to evaluate,
recognize and reward the best performers, composers, conductors, ensembles and directors
in the United States, based on submitted recordings.
There is no live competition.
Founded in 2010 and now celebrating its eleventh anniversary, The American Prize has awarded
more than $100,000 in prizes in all categories since its creation. Thousands of artists
representing all fifty states have derived benefit from their participation in the contests of
The American Prize.
David (Volosin) Katz is founder and chief judge of The American Prize.
The American Prize is administered by Hat City Music Theater, Incd., a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization based in Danbury, CT.
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