18 Composers Receive 2019 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards
The ASCAP Foundation has announced the 18 recipients and 4 honorable mentions of the 2019 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards. The recipients, who receive cash awards, range in age from 11 to 29 and hail from five continents. They were selected through a juried national competition; the ASCAP composer/judges for the 2019 competition were: Fabian Almazan, Erica Lindsay, and Nate Smith.
The 2019 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipients are listed with their year and place of birth, current residence and the titles of their award winning compositions linked to audio recordings of them (for the youngest winners, only the state of residence is given):
- Eri Chichibu (b. 1992 in Miyagi, Japan; now based in Boston, MA):
Crossing Reality - Eddie Codrington (b. 1996 in Ann Arbor, MI; now based in Kalamazoo, MI):
Obsidian Galaxy - Shimon Gambourg (b. 1995 in Tel, Aviv, Israel; now based in Boston, MA):
Chorale - Ariel Sha Glassman (b. 1996 in Dublin, OH; now based in Chicago, IL):
Approved - Philip Ryan Goss (b. 1992 in Winnetka, IL; now based in Boston, MA):
Untitled No. 1 - Takumi Kakimoto (b 1994 in Himeji, Japan; now based in Boston, MA):
White in Blue - Brian Krock (b. 1989 in Arlington Heights, IL; now based in Brooklyn, NY):
Stinson Beach - David Ling (b. 1989 in Kuching, Malaysia; now based in Allston, MA):
Departure - Martina Liviero (b. 1991 in Buenos Aires, Argentina; now based in Brooklyn, NY):
Pasajeros - Ben Morris (b. 1993 in Chatham, NJ and still based there):
Edvard - Peyton Nelesen (Age 11 and based in California):
La Vida America - Yu Nishiyama (b. 1994 in Yokohama, Japan; now based in Prospect Park, NJ):
Gloomy Suite - Jueun Seok (b. 1992 in Seoul, South Korea; now based in Allston, MA):
A Walk in the Forest - Sara Sithi-Amnuai (b. 1995 in Sydney, Australia; now based in Los Angeles, CA):
From The Outside - Elliott Turner (b. 1995 in Tacoma, WA; now based in Greeley, CO):
Can’t Even Feel the Blues - Gregory Weis (b. 1992 in St. Louis, MO; now based in Greeley, CO):
Subterranean Nuclear Garbage Fire - Alex Weitz (b. 1991 in Tucson, AZ; now based in Miami FL):
Rude Awakening - Matthew Whitaker (Age 17 and based in New Jersey):
Emotions
Composers and their works receiving Honorable Mention this year are:
- Samuel Boateng (b. 1989 in Accra, Ghana; now based in Pittsburgh, PA):
South Saloon Balloon - Thomas B. Call (b. 1991 in Bountiful, UT; now based in New York, NY):
Pressure - Andrew Schiller (b. 1989 in Phoenix, AZ; in Brooklyn; now based in New York):
Thorny Flora - Yoko Suzuki (b. 1995 in Yokohama, Japan; now based in Brookline, MA):
Progress
The Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards program was established in 2002 to encourage young gifted jazz composers up to the age of 30. It carries the name of the great trumpeter and ASCAP member Herb Alpert in recognition of The Herb Alpert Foundation’s multi-year financial commitment to support this program. Additional funding for this program is provided by The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund. The Newport Festival Foundation will feature one of the recipients of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards during the 2019 Newport Jazz Festival in August.