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I’m a Finalist and a Good American

My first string quartet is a finalist in the American Prize which is pretty cool and, since I learned of this news not too long after the Fourth of July, very apropos.  I don’t enter competitions generally because, well, I hardly ever win them and that’s demoralizing and not to mention expensive as there’s always an entry fee and the cost of making parts, etc.

But I like the American Prize.  The whole process is very transparent, you know who is judging your work, the criteria for judgement are clear and they seem very fair and to have a genuine interest in promoting music whereas most competitions are really just trying to promote the competition.  Which is why they generally give the prize to famous composers whose names will add luster to the ranks of people who have won the competition thereby making the competition looking good even though any idiot can give an award to someone who has already made a reputation for themselves.

I’ll find out who the winner is soon.  I’d be very surprised if it were me but, since you get a performance of the piece in Carnegie Hall, it would be pretty cool to actually win it.  You can click on the photo above to hear a wonderful performance of the piece by the Chicago Q Ensemble.

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