student achievement
Internal Awards | External: A | B | C | G | H | J | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | Y
Note:If you are a student of the Eastman School in Composition and wish to register a prize, award, or honor you have received, please send the information to mris@esm.rochester.edu
Recent academic appointments in composition
Christopher Brakel, Lecturer (Music Theory), Chapman University
Sarana Chou, Assistant Professor, Samford University
Todd Coleman, Assistant Professor, Grinnell College
Kevin Ernste, Assistant Professor, Cornell University
Stefan Freund, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia
Vera Ivanova, Assistant Professor, Chapman University
Mikel Kuehn, Associate Professor, University of Ohio at Bowling Green
Pat Long, Assistant Professor, Susquehanna University
Scott Petersen, Assistant Director, YalMusT; Music IT Specialist, Yale University
Kevin Puts, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Nicolas Scherzinger, Associate Professor, Syracuse University
Aaron Travers, Lecturer, Northwestern University
Scholarships and Internal Prizes
Eastman graduate students may be awarded scholarships in two forms: departmental assistantships and teaching fellowships. In composition, these scholarships typically involve teaching courses, such as non-major composition and orchestration, or performing administrative services such as overseeing the Composers Forum.At the end of each academic year, the Composition Department meets to award students the following prizes in composition: Howard Hanson Orchestral and Ensemble Prizes, the Bernard Rogers Prize, the Louis Lane Prize, the McCurdy Prize, the Bernard and Rose Sernoffsky Prize, and the Belle Gitelman Award.
Howard Hanson Orchestral Prize
1987 Carl Witt
1988 Paul Brantley
1989 Xiao-Gang Ye
1990 Bryan Zoelch
1991 Michael Martinez DeMurga
1992 Shafer Mahoney
1993 David Mattingly
1994 Kevin Putz
1995 Scott Good
1996 Donald J. Sparr
1997 Scott Adams
1998 Benjamin Newhouse
1999 Todd Coleman
2000 Aaron Travers
2001 Allison Ogden
2002 Jeff Myers
2004 Kyle Blaha
2005 David Plylar
2006 Jacob Bancks
2007 Baljinder Sekhon
2008 Andrew McManus
2009 Baljinder Sekhon
Howard Hanson Large Ensemble Prize
1987 Paul Reller and James Bennett
1988 Sun-Hyun Yun
1989 Michael Ruszczynski
1990 Michael Ruszczynski
1991 Todd Frazier
1992 John Bergstrom and Kevin Putz
1993 Mikel Kuehn
1994 Robert Eidschun
1995 Natuki Yoshioka
1996 Patrick Long
1997 Donald J. Sparr
1998 Gregory Mertl
1999 Stefan Freund
2000 Kevin Ernste
2001 Dennis Desantis
2002 Dennis Desantis
2004 Vincent Calianno
2005 Zachary
Wadsworth
2006 Christopher Brakel
2007 Robert Pierzak and Hiroyuki Sakurai
2008 Jung Sun Kang
2009
Andrew Allen
Louis Lane Prize
1987 Robert Constable
1988 Lee Gannon and Xiaogang Ye
1989 David Heuser
1990 Christopher Keyes
1991 Peter Hamlin
1992 Gareth Farr and Belinda Takahashi
1993 Renee Favand
1994 Howard Yermish
1995 Damon Lee
1996 Tellef Johnson
1997 Cenk Ergun
1998 Ira Byelick
1999 Gregory Mertl
2000 Winnie Cheung
2001 Eric Dudley
2002 Ben Hackbarth
2004 Vera Ivanova
2005 Arthur
Williford
2006 Alex Miller
2007 Tonia Ko
2008 Tonia Ko
2009 Matthew Barber
McCurdy Prize
1987 Richard Cornell and Dan Warburton
1988 Nami Cho and Betsy Schramm
1989 Nami Cho and Paul Nauert
1990 Michael Johanson
1991 Michael Johanson
1992 Peter Hamlin and David Lefkowitz
1993 Alex Freeman
1994 Mikel Kuehn
1995 David Mallamud
1996 Jeremy Gill
1997 Matt McGaughey
1998 Gregory Spears
1999 Nicolas Scherzinger
2000 Dennis DeSantis
2001 Ming-Hsiu Yen
2002 Kevin Ernste
2004 Chris Winders
2005 Jairo
Duarte-Lopez
Bernard and Rose Sernoffsky Prize
1987 Lance Hulme, Paul Brantley, and Michael Ruszczynski
1988 E. Kim Brock, Christopher Keyes, and Michael
Ruszczynski
1989 Alton Clingan, John Russo, and David Rogers
1990 Todd Frazier and Betsy Schramm
1991 Jude Navari and Shafer Mahoney
1992 Paul Barsom, Renee Favand, and Chris Theofanidis
1993 John Bergstrom
1994 Marc Fanara and Aaron Miller
1995 Arto Artinian
1996 John Orfe
1997 James Harrold and Joseph Michaels
1998 Vicente Avella and Stefan Freund
1999 Matthew McGaughey
2000 Caleb Burhans and David Wish
2001 Kenneth Eberhard
2002 Jason Federmeyer and Hannah Lash
Bernard Rogers Prize
1987 Deniz Ince and Marc Mellits
1988 David Heuser and David Rogers
1989 Catherine Nez and Betsy Schramm
1990 Jude Navari
1991 Todd Frazier
1993 Charles Lee
1994 Christopher Bailey and Christopher Wicks
1995 Jeremy Gill
1996 Natsuki Yoshioka
1997 John Orfe
1998 Gregory Spears
1999 Joseph Michaels
2000 Allison Ogden
2001 Christopher Murray
2002 Adam Roberts
2005 Jonathan
Graybill
2006 Abby Aresty
2007 Andrew Colella and Michael Lee
2008 Jennifer Bellor, Justin Hoke and Joungbum Lee
2009 John Liberatore,
Andrew McManus,
Jennifer Bellor, and
Lena Nietfeld
Belle Gitelman Award
1993 Sally Chen and Patrick Long
1995 Michael DeMurga
1997 Gavin Chuck and Yoshihisa Hirano
1999 Kevin Ernste and Aaron Travers
2000 Todd Coleman
2001 Kevin Ernste
2005 Sarana
Chou, Paul Coleman and Scott Petersen
2006 Vera Ivanova and Scott Petersen
2007 David Plylar and Michael Eremiasova
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II and Paul Coleman
2009 Joung Bum Lee and
Justin Hoke
Anthony and Carolyn Donato Prize
2000 Ming-Hsiu Yen
2002 Matthew Barnson
2004 Arthur Williford
2008 Feng-Hsu Lee and Andrew Allen
Barbara Smith Gamelan Prize
2003 Payton MacDonald
2005 Daniel Iannantuono
2007 Baljinder Sehkon
2009 Lena Nietfeld and Rohan Krishnamurthy
Wayne Brewster Barlow Prize
2004 Marco Alunno
2004 Jairo Duarte
2004 Ben Hackbarth
2008 Elizabeth Kelly and John Liberatore
Robert G. Boehmler Award
2006 Michaela Eremiasova
2007 Elizabeth Kelly
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
External Awards - 1991-2008
Alan Tyndall Hutchinson
Young Composers Competition
1995 Donald J. Sparr
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Charles Ives Fellowship
1995 (Former Student) Chris Theofanidis
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Charles Ives Scholarship
1995 (Former Student) Carlos Carrillo
American Academy of
Arts and Letters, Goddard Lieberson Fellowship
1995 (Former Student) Stephen Halloran
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Wladimir and Rhoda Lakond Award
1995 (Former Student) J. Todd Frazier
American Composer Orchestra's Annual Witaker New Music Readings
2000 Gregory Spears
2004 Robert Paterson
American Festival of the Arts, Residency and Performance
1996 Natsuki Yoshioka
American Guild of Organists/E. C. Schirmer Publishing Choral Competition
1998 Aaron Travers
2000 Aaron Travers
American Music Center Composer Assistance Program Grant
2000/2004 Robert Paterson
2005 David
Plylar
Annual New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University
2008 Michaela Eremiasova (Guest Composer)
2008 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (Guest Composer)
Apeldoorn Young Composers Meeting
2009 Elizabeth Kelly (2nd prize)
ASCAP Foundation Grants to Young Composers
1991 Alton Clingan, Todd Frazier, and Kevin Putz
1993 David Lefkowitz, Carter Pann, Belinda Takahashi,
Howard Yermish, and and
Bryan Zoelch1994 Gregory Mertl, Gregory Spears, and
Belinda Takahashi
(Former Students) Carlos Carrillo, Alex Freeman,
Marc Mellits, Carter Pann, and
Chris Theofanidis)
1998 David Wish
1999 Robert Paterson
2000 Gregory Mertl (Raymond Hubbell Scholarship Award)
ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer
1997 Telleff Johnson, Damon Lee, and Gregory Mertl
1998 Stefan Freund, Gregory Mertl and Robert Paterson
2000 Stefan Freund, Gregory Mertl, David Wish and Robert Paterson
2001 Stefan Freund and Adam Roberts; Honorable Mention,
Zachary Wadsworth
2004 Vera Ivanova
2004 Kyle Blaha
2004 Alex Miller - finalist
2005 Ching-Mei
Lin
2006 Baljinder Sekhon II
2008 Elizabeth Kelly
2009 Elizabeth Kelly; Steven Rice
ASCAPlu$ Awards
1998-2005 Robert Paterson
2002-2005 Christopher Brakel
2006-2007 Andrew McManus
2007-2008 Scott Petersen
Asifa-East Award for Excellence in Experimental Techniques
2007 Michaela Eremiasova
Aspen Music Festival
1995/1999 Robert Paterson
2004/2005
Ching-Mei Lin
2008 Jennifer Bellor and Elizabeth Kelly
Atlantic Center for the Arts Accociate Artist
2000 Robert Paterson
2002 Jeff Myers
Audio Inversions Composition Competition
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
Auros Group for New Music Composition Competition winner
2005 Robert Paterson
Austin Peay State Young Composers Award
2002 Jeff Myers
2008 Andew Allen
Barlow Foundation Commission
2001 Todd Coleman
2002 Matthew Barnson
2003 Aaron Travers
Barlow International Orchestra Competition
1999 (Former Student) Kevin Putz
Best New Art Award
2006 Michaela Eremiasova
BMG Prize
1997 Donald J. Sparr
BMI Bordleaux Bryant Prize
1995 John Orfe
BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship
1998 Benjamin Newhouse
2000 Ben Newhouse
BMI Student Composer Awards
1991 Shafer Mahoney and Jude Navari
1992 Shafer Mahoney
1993 Carlos Carrillo
1996 Christopher Bailey and Kevin Putz
1997 Jeremy Gill and Donald J. Sparr
(Former Students) Kevin Putz and Michael Timpson
1996 Donald J. Sparr
1997 Tellef Johnson, John Orfe, and Gregory Spears
1998 Kevin Putz
2000 (Former Student) John Kaefer
2001 Jeff Myers
2008 Justin Hoke
BMI William Schumann Prize
1998 John Orfe
BMI and Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra
1993 Carlos Carrillo
1998 Donald J. Sparr
Bowdoin International Music Festival
2003 Alex Miller
2005 Ching-Mei
Lin
Brian M Israel Prize
1999 Robert Paterson
2001 Winnie Cheung
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Composers Workshop
2009 Steven Rice
Chamber Music Rochester Young Composer's Competition
2008 Andrew Allen (Honorable
Mention)
Charles Ives Award
1998 Kevin Putz
2004 Aaron Travers
Civic Orchestra of Chicago Commission
2001 Todd Coleman
2002 Aaron Travers
Commission Project, Rochester, NY
2004-5
Vera Ivanova, Composer-in-Residence
2005-6 Michaela Eremiasova, Composer-in-Residence
2007-8 Michaela Eremiasova, Composer-in-Residence
Composer-in-Residence, Seaside, FL
2002 Aaron Travers
>Composition Trophy "C. A. Seghizzi"
2007-8 Michaela Eremiasova (Finalist)
Concours de composition acousmatique "Metamorphoses"
Vera Ivanova (First Prize)
Elizabeth Rogers Commission
2005 Matthew Barber and Daniel Pesca
Fairport Commission
2000 Todd Coleman
Festival A Tempo, Caraca, Venezuela
2002 Guest Artist Kyle Blaha
Finger Lakes Chamber Ensemble New Music Competition
2001 Robert Paterson
"First Hearing" by Civic Orchestra of Chicago
1999 Gregory Mertl
2000 Todd Coleman
First Music Commission
1991 Christopher Keyes
1995 Carlos Carrillo
1999 David Mallamud and Kevin Putz
(Former Students) Carter Penn
2000 David Mallamud, Kevin Putz and Carter Penn
2000 Gregory Spears
2003 Jeff Myers
Frederic Mompou International Award
2007 Andrew Allen (Honorable Mention)
Fromm Foundation Commission
2002 Jeff Myers
Guggenheim Fellowship
2000 Kevin Puts
The Hartt School of Music Young Composers Awards,
University of Hartford
2002 Herbert Zipper Prize-Jonathan Graybill
Hubell Music Scholarship by ASCAP
1993 Paul Barsom
Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik (Darmstadt, Germany)
2006 Christopher Brakel
International Society for Contemporary Music Competition, Miami Chapter
2004 Sarana
Chou, competition winner
June in Buffalo Festival
1999 Robert Paterson
2003 Christopher Brakel
2005 Sarana
Chou
2008 Matthew Barber
Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Composition Prize
2004 Aaron Travers
Louisville Orchestra Composition Contest
2005 Robert Paterson
Lucerne Festival Academy
2005 Oliver
Hagen - selected as active participant
MacDowell Colony
2003 Robert Paterson
Minnesota Orchestra Composers Institute
2004 Robert Paterson and David Plylar
2008 Andrew McManus
Muziek Centrum Nederland International Gaudeamus Music Week
2009 Elizabeth Kelly
NFMC Marion Richter American Music Composers
Award
2005 Jonathan
Graybill, second place
National Endowment for
the Arts Composers Fellowship
1995 Robert Eidschun
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts Young Composers Award
1996 Kala Pierson
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts Young Composers Award
1996 Kala Pierson
National Prize of Music in Composition, Ministry of Culture of Colombia
2007 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (First Prize)
New Music Delaware Composition Contest
1995 Natsuki Yoshioka (Third Prize)
Oberlin Composition Contest
2002 Jonathan Graybill
Penfield Music Commission Project
2000 Todd Coleman
Percussive Arts Society International Composition Prize
2008 Baljinder Sekhon (2nd Prize)
Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society Membership
2002 Christopher Brakel
2002 Alexandra Fol
2004 Alex
Miller
Roger Wagner Choral Composition Competition
1995 Francesco Accolla (Honorable Mention)
SCI/ASCAP Student Commission Competition
2005 Ching-Mei Lin - finalist (regional winner)
Society of Composers, Inc. Region VIII Conference, University of Montana
2005 Alex Miller (selected participant)
Society of Composers, Inc. Student National Conference
2005 Christopher Brakel (selected participant)
St. Cyril
and Methodius International Foundation, Annual Music Scholarship for
Excellence
2002 Alexandra Fol
Tampa Bay Composers Forum First Prize for Excellence in Chamber Music Composition
2001 Robert Paterson
Tanglewood Summer Fellowship
1998 Gregory Mertl
2002 Jeff Myers
Tyler Youth Orchestra New Music Project Composition Contest
2009 Steven Rice (finalist)
University of Aberdeen Music
Prize
2005 Vera
Ivanova - finalist
top
Volti Choral Arts Laboratory
2005 Robert Paterson
VOX New York City Opera Festival
2008-2009 Michaela Eremiasova
2008-2009 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (Guest Composer)
Young American Composer in Residence, California
Symphony
1995 Chris Theofanidis
Young Composers Forum, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
2005 Ching-Mei Lin and Jonathan Graybill
2008 John Liberatore
Eastman School of Music