2014-2015 Commissioning Competition

C4's second Commissioning Competition, in 2014-2015, gave three finalists the opportunity to compose new works for C4.

C4 wholeheartedly thanks the esteemed competition judges Eric Banks, James Bassi, and Aaron Jay Kernis, who chose the winning composers from 22 semifinalists, then awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes after the commissions were completed.  Prior to this, a panel of C4 members had chosen the 22 semifinalists from over 300 initial entries. Prizes of $1,500, $1,000 and $600 respectively were given to the winners. All three winners attended the concerts on March 5th and 7th, 2015.

The winning piece, tape recorder, was later rerecorded by the group, and featured on C4's Cornerstones CD.

1st place winner Gordon Williamson of Hannover, Germany composed tape recorder (YouTube recording). Mr. Williamson is a Canadian composer currently based in Hannover, Germany. Recent activities include commissions and performances by RSO Stuttgart, the Swedish Radio Choir, International Ensemble Modern Academy, Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal+ and the Kairos Quartet, as well as residencies at the Centre Récollets in Paris, Künstlerhaus Worpswede, Kunsthof Dahrenstedt and the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. Visit him at http://www.gordonwilliamson.ca/.

2nd place winner Carlo Vincetti Frizzo of Bloomington, Indiana wrote Through the Cumberland (SoundCloud excerpt). He is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in both choral conducting and composition at Indiana University. During his studies, he has been the associate conductor for NOTUS: Indiana University Contemporary Vocal Ensemble and was the New Music Assistant for Accent12, a chamber and new music summer festival at the Conservatory of Cincinnati. He was also the conductor for Double Exposure, an experimental new program between composers from the Jacobs School of Music and IU film students. He’s online at http://www.carlovincettifrizzo.com.

​3rd place winner Texu Kim, also of Bloomington, Indiana, created Stre-----tch!! (video at right). Composer-in-Residence of Korean Symphony Orchestra as well as Ensemble 212, Texu Kim’s works have been performed by Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Reconsil Vienna, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, in the Aspen Music Festival and School, Tongyeong International Music Festival, AGO National Convention, ACDA Regional Conference, etc. His website is at http://www.texukim.com/.

Honorable Mentions were awarded to Charles Halka of Houston, Texas for Dipuku Rauda and Por la Fuerza las Tierras.

Other semifinalists for the competition were:

Nikolet Burzyńska, Warsaw, Poland; Ego Sum Qui Est and La Feminite
Christopher Culpo, Paris, France; Mine Eye and Murmurations
Brian Fennelly, Kingston NY; Soon Shall the Winter’s Foil and Sacred Songs
Michael Gilbertson, New Haven, CT; Burst Forth, My Tears from Three Madrigals After Dowland and Who Remembers Day
David Gorton, St. Neots, United Kingdom; Four Motets and Piano Quintet: Fosdyke Wash
Russell Hepplewhite, London, United Kingdom; He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven and Inchcape Rock
Sungji Hong, Denton, TX; A Callella and The Lord Is My Shepherd
Bernard Hughes, London, United Kingdom; A Medieval Bestiary and Revelation Window
Kevin James, New York, NY; Horobi No Naka Kara and O To Bring Joy To The Face Of Another
Peter Van Zandt Lane, Belmont, MA; To The Sun, To The Risen and Slant Apparatus
Justin Merritt, Northfield, MN; Agnus Dei and Fire Sermon
Kenji Oh, San Francisco, CA; Stars I Have Seen Them Fall and O Magnum Mysterium
Tawnie Olson, New Haven, CT; Chantez ö l'Äternel and Scel lem duib
Matthew Ricketts, New York, NY; Women Well Met and Song Cycle
Cyrill Schürch, Zürich, Switzerland; Les Quatrains Valaisans and Minus One
Rebecca Erin Smith, New York, NY; Your Catfish Friend and Apricity
Eduardo Soutullo, Vigo, Spain; Madrigal and Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra
Dale Trumbore, Los Angeles, CA; Flare and The Whole Sea in Motion