Announcing Composition Competition for 2012
winning compositions:
Tehran's "Paj" by Saman Samadi for Flute and piano & Belfast's "Takemitsu's Dream" by Greg Caffrey for guiitar, are very closely followed by Ankara's "Hypertext II" by Can Bilir for flute solo & an additional award
Ex Aqueo: "Variations on a Theme of William Daniel"
by Ludwig Tuman for solo piano
Prizes are Premiere Performances in Italy and New York
NYC Premiere of Fading Wingprints for contrabass by Ewan Campbell is confirmed be September 9, 2012, on the "Composer's Voice" series at Jan Hus Church in Manhattan. Takemitsu's Dream for guitar and HypertextII for flute will be January 27, 2013 in the same prestigious context.
Paj for flute & piano and and the Variations for piano will receive NY premieres at AU Performing Arts, date in 2013 season TBA
Winners of the 2011 Competition are, in extremely close proximity :
Jaoa Pedro Oliveira: "Entre o Ar e Perfeicao", "Between Air & Perfection"
for electronics, piano and flute; from Portugal
Ewan Campbell: "Fading wingprints"for solo contrabass,
from Great Britain
Bernd Schumann: "Das Staunen, wenn der Alptraum wahr wird",
"The Astonishment when the Nightmare becomes reality" for organ,
from Germany
Paolo Geminiani: "Albori di Nuove Epifanie",for solo flute, from Italy
and an award of honor to
Amir Mayhar Tafreshipour: "Pendar" for solo flute, from Iran
2011 Counterpoint-Italy Premieres at Queens College, Nov. 17:
of new perspectives for the route of 21st century music was exhibited carefully and exhuberantly at Lefrak Hall of the Aaron Copland School of Music. This program included Mr. Ella's first prize composition from 2010, which required the sophisticated sound system of this beautiful venue, while Ewan Campbell's virtuoso extended-technique work for solo bass, Fading Wingprints, will be placed in concert with the next set of winners.
Opening the program, Paolo Geminiani's flute solo Albori di Nuove Epifanie -of rare colors and eloquent phrases - drew in listeners, recalling the intimate rapport of works by his mentor Franco Donatoni. Next, Cicadas crafted an extremely complex and original set of instructions for the prepared piano, creating a beautiful and delicate atmosphere from the Cypriot composer who has trained in Austria, Marios joannou Ella. The German Bernd Schumann, in When the nightmare Becomes Reality, treated the organ as his usual electonic medium, producing expressive and commanding effects. Then, Persian tones and flute colors immersed us in the London-based Amir Mayhar Tafreshipour's Pendar; The Iranian and Danish-trained composer displayed ease, freshness, and humor. This varied program concluded with an elegant piece Between Air and Perfection for electronics, flute and piano, by a Portuguese disciple of Bulent Arel, Jaoa Pedro Oliveira, who has just relocated to a University post in Brazil.
One may look forward to the future explorative expressions from these composers,who, without question, have a great deal to say."
NYC, November 18, 2011
Artistic advisors and judges for 2012:
organist, conductor
Professor Linda Dimartino Wetherill, flutist and director Professor Fernando Maglia - composer, conductor, guitarist
Professor Diego Campagna - guitarist
Counterpoint's 2010 winners:
First Prize: Marios Joannou Ella, Cicadas for solo piano; from Cyprus by way of Austria
Second Prize: Marco Reghezza, Thoughts for solo flute; from italy
Honorable Mention: David Sherr, Birds of Omen for soprano, flute and piano; from the U.S.
In 2012, there will be NYC and Italian concerts at Milan (June 22, including Greg Caffrey's "Uses of Not" for alto flute and guitar), Lucca - July 13, and Liguria (July 19 and August 12), which will also feature Italian works with guitar (Diego Campagna) and flute (Linda DiMartino) .
Entries for the 2013 Counterpoint Competition for flute, harp, and keyboard (piano, organ or harpsichord) , with or without electronics and in any solo or ensemble combination, will be received until March 15, 2013.
Guidelines for entering competition may be found by clicking on "about us".
