Members of Project Fusion and Midic Winds pose with their medals after the completion of the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. From left: Rebecca Tobin, Matt Evans, Quinn Delaney, Matt Amedio, June Kim, Michael Sawzin, Russell Rybicki, Dannel Espinoza, Johanna Gruskin. (Photo courtesy of Fischoff National Chamber Music Association and photographer Josef Samuel.)
Two ensembles of Eastman School of Music students were winners at the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition: in the Senior Wind Division, Project Fusion captured the Gold Medal and $3,500 prize, while The Midic Winds were awarded the Bronze Medal and $2,000.
The Gold Medal prize added to the list of national honors this year for Project Fusion, a saxophone quartet composed of doctoral students Dannel Espinoza and Matt Evans, master’s degree student Michael Sawzin, and Matt Amedio BM ’13. The group, which is coached by Assistant Professor of Saxophone Chien-Kwan Lin, received the Grand Prize in the 2013 Plowman Chamber Music Competition and first place in the 2013 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Wind Competition.
At the Fischoff Competition, Project Fusion performed Alexander Glazunov’s Quartet for Saxophone, Op. 109, David Maslanka’s Recitation Book, Eugene Bozza’s Nuages, and Fuminori Tanada’s Mysterious Morning.
The Midic Winds is composed of Johanna Gruskin ’13, flute; June Kim ’14, oboe; Rebecca Tobin ’14, clarinet; Quinn Delaney ’14, bassoon; and Russell Rybicki ’13, horn. At the Fischoff Competition, they performed John Harbison’s Quintet for Winds; Henri Tomasi’s Cinq Danses pour Quintette à vent; Samuel Barber’s Summer Music, Op. 31; and Theodor Blumer’s Quintett für Blasinstrumente, Op. 52. The ensemble is coached by Professor of Oboe Richard Killmer.
As part of their prize, Project Fusion will be participating in a tour of the Midwestern United States for concerts and master classes in the fall. Project Fusion’s Fischoff Gold Medal is the third such win in eight years by Eastman students: the ViM Saxophone Quartet and the Red Line Saxophone Quartet were awarded gold in 2006 and 2009, respectively.
Established in 1973, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition is the largest chamber music competition in the world and attracts the finest young instrumentalists from around the globe. This year’s event was held May 10 to 12 at the University of Notre Dame.
# # #