EarlyMusicNews.Org

“Malibu, CA, June 2--Christopher Parkening and Pepperdine University today announced the winner of the third triennial Parkening International Guitar Competition. The competition, the world's preeminent guitar competition with the largest prize purse of any classical guitar competition, took place from May 29 through June 2, 2012. …
  

IYAP SELECTED PROMISING ENSEMBLES 2012

Background

“The International Young Artist's Presentation (IYAP) is an ideal platform for young, talented ensembles. IYAP focuses on young vocal and instrumental ensembles playing historical instruments. The coaching sessions - led by the American soprano Jill Feldman! - are an essential part of IYAP. After the coaching, the ensembles will perform at historical locations in Antwerp during the festival Laus Polyphoniae. During these concerts a lot of Belgian and international organizers will be present. They will give the ensembles tips for their future career. Afterwards, the selected ensembles will be promoted by the IYAP-organizers. And they will be honoured with the title "IYAP Selected Promising Ensemble 2012".“

(Continue reading to learn of the awarded ensembles.)

Winners of the NCEM 2012 Composers Award

The NCEM  Composers Award 2012, presented in partnership with BBC Radio 3 and The Tallis Scholars, has been won by Alex Woolf (16) in the under 18 years category and by Benjamin Rowarth (20) in the 19 to 25 years category.

Lux Aeterna by Alex Woolf and Where is Thy God? by Benjamin Rowarth will be premièred by The Tallis Scholars in Durham Cathedral as part of its Diamond Jubilee Celebrations on Saturday 2 June 2012. This concert will be broadcast on BBC       Radio 3’s Early Music Show on Sunday 1 July 2012.
    

Ten Competitors Also Chosen for Parkening Young Guitarist Competition

May 29-June 2, 2012, Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA

Malibu, CA, March 23 -- The world's preeminent classical guitar competition, the Parkening International Guitar Competition, has selected 15 standout competitors representing 10 countries to vie for the largest prize purse among guitar competitions when it is held at Pepperdine University Center for the Arts in Malibu, California, from Thursday, May 31, through Saturday, June 2, 2012.

Renowned guitar virtuoso Christopher Parkening, the competition's namesake and artistic director, is Distinguished Professor of Music at Pepperdine's Seaver College. The competition honors his lifetime commitment to fostering musical excellence in young artists as demonstrated by his mentor, Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia.
                    

“Intended to reveal the talents of tomorrow, the competition is open to international [voice] artists … and of any tessitura; it rewards the best vocal interpretations whose works are taken from the Baroque period repertoire.
          

“Take your chance to launch your career! As a vocal and/or instrumental ensemble playing on historically authentic instruments you can participate in the International Young Artist's Presentation. If you are selected, you will be awarded with 2 days of coaching sessions by Jill Feldman and offered a stage during the early music festival Laus Polyphoniae 2012.”
                     

“[SEATTLE, WA]-Early Music America will sponsor a new Baroque Performance Competition in 2012 for the purpose of encouraging the development of emerging ensembles in the performance of Baroque music. “
                         

“The second English Concert Master Class for young harpsichordist-directors will take place in June 2012 at the Foundling Museum in London.
              

“The first edition of EAR-ly was organised as a national competition in Sweden in June 2008 by Stockholm Early Music Festival. The winner was Duo Ferrara. Since 2010 the competition is a Nordic event arranged by NORDEM. In 2010, an international jury headed by Ton Koopman appointed Norwegian Cornett & Sackbuts was appointed the winning ensemble.
                    

“The Bach Competition Leipzig is regarded as one of the major international competitions for young artists. It took place for the first time in 1950 and was held every four years from 1964 to 1996 with five subjects and is now held every two years with three changing subjects.
      

Location: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati OH, USA

Semi-final and final rounds held at the Historical Keyboard Society joint conclave at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio. A maximum of twelve players from the preliminary round will be admitted to the semi-final round. 

Location: Pražské jaro, o. p. s., Hellichova 18, 118 00 Praha 1

“Every year since 1947, the Prague Spring International Music Competition has helped young artists on the threshold of their careers.

The 64th Prague Spring International Music Competition, a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Geneva, will be held from 7 to 15 May 2012 in Prague for the instrumentals Harpsichord and Cello. …“
   

“The seventh triennial Baroque Flute Artist Competition is for outstanding performers on baroque flute/traverso. Six semifinalists will be selected on the basis of their recorded preliminary auditions to compete at the convention. Three finalists showing the highest levels of technical proficiency, musical ability, and successful application of principles of historical performance practice will be chosen and presented in a convention recital. Cash prizes of $1,500, $750, and $400, co-sponsored by the David Hart Memorial Fund and the NFA Endowment Fund, will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Prize of $100 will be awarded to each semifinalist not chosen as a finalist.”
   

Location:  University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

“The Jurow Competition semi-final round will feature 16 contestants performing solo works by Byrd and Bach, a movement from James Dorsa's Jupiter's Moons, and accompanying violinist Martie Perry on the Sonata in D minor by Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre. The selected semi-finalists are: Leon Schelhase, Nadja Lesaulnier, Lark Powers, Assaf Sommer, Mo-ah Kim, Chiaki Omura, Mark Edwards, Jia Lim, Tami Morse, Ricardo Magnus, Elisabetta Ferri, Shin Hwang, Jovana Bojovic, Jacob Street, Elena Zamolodchikova, & Faythe Vollrath.
   

Finals for The Eighth Aliénor International Harpsichord Composition Competition will take place on Friday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. in Werner Recital Hall at CCM.

The Aliénor's purpose: To encourage the composition of solo music for harpsichord and chamber music for harpsichord with modern or period instruments. The works of all finalists will be performed on the March 23 concert. Finalists in the solo category will be awarded $600 each plus additional prizes at the final concert, and the 3 finalists in the chamber music category will be awarded $800 each plus additional prizes at the final concert. The audience members are the judges for the top three prizes, which will be announced at a reception to follow.
  

The 2012 Parkening International Guitar Competition is actively seeking competitors.