Eastman students and graduates are regularly recognized in the professional world including major awards, commissions, and professional appointments.

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


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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