“Submerged Worlds” wins The 2017-2018 American Prize competition, “All That Glitters” receives third prize
I am happy to report that my Masters thesis composition “Submerged Worlds” won first prize in the American Prize 2018 competition in the category of instrumental chamber music (student)! You can see the video of its premiere performance here:
In addition, my micro-opera “All That Glitters” received third prize in the Opera/Theater/Film/Dance (student) division. You can watch its live performance here:
Below is the official press release for “Submerged Worlds:”
Olga Amelkina-Vera wins The American Prize in Composition, 2017-18—instrumental chamber music division, for “Submerged Worlds”
Olga Amelkina-Vera of Plano TX is the winner of The American Prize in Composition, 2017-18, in the instrumental chamber music (student) division, for her composition entitled “Submerged Worlds.” Olga Amelkina-Vera was selected from applications reviewed this past winter from all across the United States. TheAmerican Prize is a series of new, non-profit, competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States based on submitted recordings. The American Prize was founded in 2009 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts.
Link to official announcement: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2018/04/winning-composers-instrumental-chamber.html
The artist provided this biographical sketch:
Olga Amelkina-Vera’s works have been called “the discovery of the evening” (Sarasota Herald-Tribune), “brilliant” (The Royal Gazette), “incandescent” and “hypnotic” (Fort Worth Star Telegram), and “exotic” (Soundboard). A native of Belarus, Olga has resided in the United States since 1997. She is currently finishing her Master’s in Composition at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She also holds MM and DMA degrees in guitar performance from the University of North Texas, as well as a BA Summa Cum Laude from the University of St. Thomas. Olga won first prize in the Japan Guitar Ensemble Composition Competition (2013) and Austin Classical Guitar Society Composition Competition (2009 and 2012). Most recently, she was named the Irving Symphony Orchestra 2016-2017 SMU Student Composer-in-Residence. Her compositions for guitar are published by Les Productions d’Oz. She is faculty at Collin College in Plano, TX. To learn more about Olga, please visit www.olgaamelkinavera.com.
Additional information about the competitions on the website:www.theamericanprize.org
For runners-up in this category and for additional winners already announced in 2017-18 in other competitions, please follow this link:
http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/
Winners of The American Prize receive cash prizes, professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition based on recorded performances. In addition to monetary rewards and written evaluations from judges, winners are profiled on The American Prize websites, where links will lead to video and audio excerpts of artist performances.
THE AMERICAN PRIZE—History & Judges
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts grew from the belief that a great deal of excellent music being made in this country goes unrecognized and unheralded, not only in our major cities, but all across the country: in schools and churches, in colleges and universities, and by community and professional musicians.
With the performing arts in America marginalized like never before, The American Prize seeks to fill the gap that leaves excellent artists and ensembles struggling for visibility and viability. The American Prize recognizes and rewards the best America produces, without bias against small city versus large, or unknown artist versus well-known.
David Katz is the chief judge of The American Prize. Professional conductor, award-winning composer, playwright, actor and arts advocate, he is author of MUSE of FIRE, the acclaimed one-man play about the art of conducting. Joining Katz in selecting winners of The American Prize is a panel of judges as varied in background and experience as we hope the winners of The American Prize will be. Made up of distinguished musicians representing virtually every region of the country, thegroup includes professional vocalists, conductors, composers and pianists, tenured professors, and orchestra, band and choral musicians.
“Most artists may never win a Grammy award, or a Pulitzer, or a Tony, or perhaps ever even be nominated,” Katz said, “but that does not mean that they are not worthy of recognition and reward. Quality in the arts is not limited to the coasts, or to the familiar names, or only to graduates of a few schools. It is on view all over theUnited States, if you take the time to look for it. The American Prize exists to encourage and herald that excellence.”
By shining a light on nationally recognized achievement, winners of The American Prize receive world-class bragging rights to use in promotion right at home. “If TheAmerican Prize helps build careers, or contributes to local pride, or assists with increasing the audience for an artist or ensemble, builds the donor base, or stimulates opportunities or recruitment for winning artists and ensembles, then we have fulfilled our mission,” Katz said.
The American Prize is administered by Hat City Music Theater, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts organization based in Danbury, Connecticut.