2021 Barlow Prize Winner
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The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University proudly announces commission winners for 2021. After reviewing 574 submissions from 41 countries, the judging panel awarded Texu Kim of Korea/USA, the $12,000 Barlow Prize to compose a major new work for Sinfonietta, to be premiered by Alarm Will Sound, The London Sinfonietta, The Oakland Symphony Orchestra, and The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in 2023-2024.
Korean-born American composer Texu Kim’s works have been performed by New York Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, New World Symphony, National Orchestra of Korea, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Oakland Symphony and San Diego Symphony, among many others. His music has earned honors and awards from Civitella Ranieri Foundation, Copland House, and SCI/ASCAP Commission Competition. Having served as the Composer-in-Residence of the Korean Symphony Orchestra and having taught at Lewis & Clark College, Portland State University, and Syracuse University, Texu teaches at San Diego State University as an assistant professor of music composition and theory and serves as Artist-of-the-Year at the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also the curator of the New Music Symposium hosted by the Korean Cultural Society of Boston.
The judging panel included the Endowment’s Board of Advisors: Neil Thornock, Chen Yi, Ben Sabey, Benjamin Taylor and Miguel Del Aguila; and guest judge Tania León. John Kendall Bailey (Oakland Symphony Orchestra), Paul Finkelstein (St. Paul Chamber Orchestra), Gavin Chuck (Alarm Will Sound), and Paul Silverthorne (London Sinfonietta) represented the performing consortium in selecting the Barlow Prize.

2021 Barlow Prize Winner
Prize Recipients
YEAR SELECTED | COMPOSER | PIECE | ENSEMBLE (S) |
---|---|---|---|
2020 Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano |
Christopher Trapani, USA | TBA | Tony Arnold, Sharon Harms, Carrie Henneman Shaw, Diane Reich |
2019 Pierrot Ensemble with Percussion + Electronics |
Bekah Simms, Canada | Metamold | Crash Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, New York New Music Ensemble |
2018 SATB Choir |
Tawnie Olson, Canada | Beloved of the Sky | Seraphic Fire, The Crossing, and BYU Singers |
2017 Reed Quintet |
Stacy Garrop, USA | Rites For the Afterlife | Akropolis Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and BYU Reed Quintet |
2016 Violin-Piano duo |
Gilad Cohen, USA | Late Shadow | David Bowlin and Spencer Myer, Duo Diorama, and Alexander Woods and pianist |
2015 Symphony Orchestra |
Alberto Colla, Italy | Ode by the Earth (Symphony N.4) | Guiyang Symphony Orchestra at the Beijing Modern Music Festival, San Antonio Symphony, and Utah Symphony |
2014 Saxophone Quartet |
Ben Hjertmann, USA | Awake, Alive, Amok, Ajar | US Air Force Band Saxophone Quartet, PRISM, and Zzyzx |
2013 Wind Ensemble |
Narong Prangcharoen, Thailand | Lokuttara | Florida State University Wind Orchestra, United States Marine Band, BYU Wind Symphony |
2012 A Capella Choir |
Forrest Pierce, USA | Gratitude Sutra | BBC Singers, Latvian Radio Choir, Volti |
2011 Woodwind Quintet |
Clint Needham, USA | Imaginary Dances | Fifth House, Imani Winds, Orpheus Winds |
2010 Piano Trio |
Dan Visconti, USA | Lonesome Roads | Deseret Piano Trio, Gryphon Trio, Triple Helix |
2009 Trombone Concerto |
Benjamin Ellin, England | Pandora | Joseph Alessi and the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra |
2008 String Quartet |
Harold Meltzer, USA | Aqua | Avalon String Quartet, Lydian Quartet, Pacifica Quartet |
2007 Percussion Ensemble |
Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, Mexico | Memos | Nexus, Kroumata, So Percussion |
2006 Wind Ensemble |
David Rakowski, USA | Cantina for Wind Orchestra | University of Michigan Symphony Band, U.S. Marine Band, BYU Wind Symphony, UCLA Wind Ensemble, Southern Methodist University Meadows Wind Ensemble |
2005 Chamber Ensemble |
Luca Antignani, Italy | Il Viaggio di Humbert | Network for New Music Ensemble, Indiana University New Music Ensemble, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, and Ensemble X |
2004 Choral Work |
Judith Bingham, England | Ghost Towns of the American West | VocalEssence, BBC Singers, University of Utah Singers |
2003 Orchestral Work |
Brian Current, Canada | Symphonies in Slanted Time | American Composer’s Orchestra and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra |
2002 Organ Solo |
Aaron Travers, USA | Exodus | Organ Consortium: Fred Swann, Pamela Decker, Kimberly Marshall, Christopher Young, and Donald Cook |
2001 Sacred Song Cycle |
Kenneth Frazelle, USA | From the Song of Songs | Erie Mills |
2000 Choral Work |
No Winner Selected | ||
1999 Orchestra Work |
Kevin Puts, USA | Symphony No. 2 | Utah Symphony and Cincinnati Symphony |
1998 Piano Work |
Henry Martin, USA | At Midnight’s Hour | Logan Skelton |
1997 Choral Music |
Maija Einfelde, Latvia | Psalm 15 | BYU Singers, Kansas City Chorale, Netherlands Radio Choir, Vancouver Chamber Choir |
1996 String Quartet |
Chris Theofanidis, USA | Visions and Miracles | Cassatt Quartet, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, Muir Quartet |
1995 Orchestral Work |
David Dzubay, USA | Sun Moon Stars Rain | Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, St. Louis Symphony |
1994 Chamber Music |
Zhou Long, China | Tian Ling | Wu Man and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble |
1993 Choral Music |
Joseph Lukasik, USA | Ho Hiyuwaye (A Voice I Send) | University of Colorado University Choir and Dale Warland Singers |
1992 Orchestral Music |
Otto Ketting, Netherlands | Symphony No. 3 | Baltimore Symphony |
1991 Brass Quintet |
Timothy Greatbatch, USA | Scenes from the Brothers Grimm | Empire Brass |
1991 Chamber Music |
Ka Nin Chan, Hong Kong | Among Friends | Carnegie Chamber Players |
1990 Concert Band/Wind Ensemble |
David Gillingham, USA | Heroes, Lost and Fallen: A Vietnam Memorial | University of Illinois Band |
1989 Choral Music |
No Winner Selected | ||
1988 Orchestra |
Gerard Brophy, Australia | St. Louis Symphony | |
1987 Chamber Music |
Daron Hagen, USA | J’entends | Lehner Trio |
1986 Band/Wind Ensemble |
Michael Colgrass, USA | Winds of Nagual | Band/Wind Ensemble |
1985 Choral Music |
L. Dean Nuernberger, USA | Planctus Super Iniquitates Hominum | Choral Music |