Ostwald Award
Encyclopedia
The Sousa/Ostwald Award is an annual award given by the American Bandmasters Association
for a composition for concert band
. It was first awarded in 1956, after band uniform suppliers Ernest and Adolph Ostwald established the ABA/Ostwald Award for the best band composition written in the previous year. Previous rules allowed for compositions of grades 1-6, but the rules are undergoing a transition to focus on grades 1-4 (in 2011) and 5-6 (in 2012). The award was renamed from the Ostwald Award in 2011.
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences...
for a composition for concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
. It was first awarded in 1956, after band uniform suppliers Ernest and Adolph Ostwald established the ABA/Ostwald Award for the best band composition written in the previous year. Previous rules allowed for compositions of grades 1-6, but the rules are undergoing a transition to focus on grades 1-4 (in 2011) and 5-6 (in 2012). The award was renamed from the Ostwald Award in 2011.
Recipients
| Year | Composition | Composer |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Fanfare and Allegro | J. Clifton Williams Clifton Williams (composer) James Clifton Williams Jr. was born in Traskwood, Arkansas, United States. He began playing French horn, piano, and mellophone early on and played in the band at Little Rock High School... |
| 1957 | Symphonic Suite | J. Clifton Williams Clifton Williams (composer) James Clifton Williams Jr. was born in Traskwood, Arkansas, United States. He began playing French horn, piano, and mellophone early on and played in the band at Little Rock High School... |
| 1958 | Portrait of the Land | J. Mark Quinn |
| 1959 | Introduction and Scherzo | Maurice Weed |
| 1960 | Overture in G | Florian Mueller |
| 1961 | Cumberland Gap Overture | Joseph Willcox Jenkins |
| 1962 | Concertino for Band | Fritz Velke |
| 1963 | Concert Suite | Frederic H. Ashe |
| 1964 | Symphony for Band | Robert E. Jager Robert E. Jager Robert Jager is an American composer, music theorist and a conductor. His works are played throughout the world by various orchestras, bands, choruses and chamber ensembles.- Background/History :... |
| 1965 | Overture for Band | Frederick Beyer |
| 1966 | Variations on a Korean Folk Song Variations on a Korean Folk Song Variations on a Korean Folk Song is a major musical piece written for concert band by John Barnes Chance in 1965. As the name implies, Variations consists of a set of variations on the Korean folk song Arirang, which the composer heard while in Korea with the U.S. Army in the late 1950s... |
John Barnes Chance John Barnes Chance John Barnes Chance was a composer, born in Beaumont, Texas. Chance studied composition with Clifton Williams at the University of Texas, Austin, and is best known for his concert band works, which include Variations on a Korean Folk Song, Incantation and Dance, and Blue Lake Overture... |
| 1967 | Daedalic Symphony | Lawrence Weiner |
| 1968 | Diamond Variations | Robert E. Jager Robert E. Jager Robert Jager is an American composer, music theorist and a conductor. His works are played throughout the world by various orchestras, bands, choruses and chamber ensembles.- Background/History :... |
| 1969 | Aria and Toccata | Richard Willis |
| 1970 | Toccata | Fisher Tull Fisher Tull Fisher Aubrey Tull, Jr. , known professionally as Fisher A. Tull, aka Mickey Tull, was an American composer, arranger, educator, administrator, and trumpeter.-Life and career:... |
| 1971 | Divertimento for Concert Band | Karl Kroeger Karl Kroeger Karl Kroeger is an American composer and professor of music at several universities.Kroeger was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He studied at the University of Louisville under such people as Claude Almand. After receiving a Masters of Music at Louiville, Kroeger went to study at the University of... |
| 1972 | Sinfonietta | Robert E. Jager Robert E. Jager Robert Jager is an American composer, music theorist and a conductor. His works are played throughout the world by various orchestras, bands, choruses and chamber ensembles.- Background/History :... |
| 1973 | Festival Fanfare March | Roger Nixon Roger Nixon Roger Nixon was an American composer, musician, and professor of music. He wrote over 60 compositions for orchestra, band, choir and opera... |
| 1974 | Visions | James S. Sclater |
| 1975 | Jubiloso | Robert M. Panerio, Sr. |
| 1976 | Todesband | Lorette Jankowski |
| 1977 | Danses Sacred and Profane | William H. Hill |
| 1978 | Symphony, Opus 35 | James Barnes James Barnes (composer) James Charles Barnes is an American composer.Barnes studied composition and music theory at the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Music in 1974, and Master of Music in 1975. He studied conducting privately with Zuohuang Chen... |
| 1979 | (No Winner Chosen) | |
| 1980 | Mutanza | James E. Curnow James Curnow James Curnow is a well known music composer for concert bands, brass bands, vocal and instrumental solos & ensembles. He has composed many pieces for bands from beginning to advanced levels. Curnow has also written arrangements of music pieces such as Trumpet Voluntary... |
| 1981 | Visions Macabre | James Barnes James Barnes (composer) James Charles Barnes is an American composer.Barnes studied composition and music theory at the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Music in 1974, and Master of Music in 1975. He studied conducting privately with Zuohuang Chen... |
| 1982 | Armies of the Omnipresent Otserf | David R. Holsinger David Holsinger David R. Holsinger is an American composer and conductor writing primarily for concert band. Holsinger is a graduate of Hardin-Central High School in Hardin, Missouri, Central Methodist University, the University of Central Missouri, and the University of Kansas... |
| 1983 | Exaltations | Martin Mailman Martin Mailman Martin Mailman was an American composer noted for his music for orchestra, chorus, multimedia, and winds.-Biography:Dr. Martin Mailman was born in New York City on June 30, 1932... |
| 1984 | Symphonic Variants for Euphonium and Band | James E. Curnow James Curnow James Curnow is a well known music composer for concert bands, brass bands, vocal and instrumental solos & ensembles. He has composed many pieces for bands from beginning to advanced levels. Curnow has also written arrangements of music pieces such as Trumpet Voluntary... |
| 1985 | Symphony for Winds and Percussion | Joseph H. Downing |
| 1986 | In the Spring, at the Time When the Kings Go Off to War | David R. Holsinger David Holsinger David R. Holsinger is an American composer and conductor writing primarily for concert band. Holsinger is a graduate of Hardin-Central High School in Hardin, Missouri, Central Methodist University, the University of Central Missouri, and the University of Kansas... |
| 1987 | Synergistic Parable | David Sartor David P. Sartor David Sartor is an American composer and conductor of symphonic, chamber and choral music, and is Adjunct Professor of Composition at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.-Music:... |
| 1988 | Piece of Mind | Dana Wilson Dana Wilson Dana Richard Wilson is an American composer, jazz pianist, and teacher. Wilson currently resides in Ithaca, New York.Wilson's music has been commissioned and performed by such ensembles as the Chicago Chamber Musicians, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Buffalo Philharmonic, Memphis Symphony,... |
| 1989 | For Precious Friends Hid in Death's Dateless Night | Martin Mailman Martin Mailman Martin Mailman was an American composer noted for his music for orchestra, chorus, multimedia, and winds.-Biography:Dr. Martin Mailman was born in New York City on June 30, 1932... |
| 1990 | Fire Works | Gregory Youtz |
| 1991 | The Soaring Hawk | Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr , is a professor of music at St. Olaf College, an American composer and conductor. He is married to Jill Mahr, music performer and educator, and they have two daughters, Jenna and Hannah.-Education:... |
| 1992 | Endurance | Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr Timothy Mahr , is a professor of music at St. Olaf College, an American composer and conductor. He is married to Jill Mahr, music performer and educator, and they have two daughters, Jenna and Hannah.-Education:... (Commission) |
| 1993 | Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) | Ron Nelson Ron Nelson Ron Nelson is a composer of both classical and popular music and a retired music academic.-Biography:A native of Joliet, Illinois, Ron Nelson was born December 14, 1929. He studied composition at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester earning a bachelor's degree in 1952, a... |
| 1994 | Chaconne (In Memoriam) | Ron Nelson Ron Nelson Ron Nelson is a composer of both classical and popular music and a retired music academic.-Biography:A native of Joliet, Illinois, Ron Nelson was born December 14, 1929. He studied composition at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester earning a bachelor's degree in 1952, a... (Commission) |
| 1995 | Sea Drift | Anthony Iannaccone Anthony Iannaccone Anthony Iannaccone is a composer and conductor. His music has been performed by major orchestras and chamber ensembles, and he has conducted numerous regional and metropolitan orchestras in the United States and in Europe... |
| 1996 | Psalms for a Great Country | Anthony Iannaccone Anthony Iannaccone Anthony Iannaccone is a composer and conductor. His music has been performed by major orchestras and chamber ensembles, and he has conducted numerous regional and metropolitan orchestras in the United States and in Europe... (Commission) |
| 1997 | Zion | Dan Welcher Dan Welcher Dan Welcher is an American composer, conductor, and music educator.- Biography :Welcher was born in Rochester, New York and earned degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, studying bassoon, piano, and composition... |
| 1998 | Circular Marches | Dan Welcher Dan Welcher Dan Welcher is an American composer, conductor, and music educator.- Biography :Welcher was born in Rochester, New York and earned degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, studying bassoon, piano, and composition... (Commission) |
| 1999 | Fantasy Variations | Donald Grantham Donald Grantham Donald Grantham is an American composer and music educator.Grantham was born in Duncan, Oklahoma. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from the University of Oklahoma, he went on to receive his MM and DMA from the University of Southern California. For two summers he studied under famed French... |
| 2000 | Southern Harmony | Donald Grantham Donald Grantham Donald Grantham is an American composer and music educator.Grantham was born in Duncan, Oklahoma. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from the University of Oklahoma, he went on to receive his MM and DMA from the University of Southern California. For two summers he studied under famed French... (Commission) |
| 2001 | (No Winner Chosen) | |
| 2002 | Harrison's Dream | Peter Graham |
| 2003 | (No Contest Held) | |
| 2004 | (No Contest Held) | |
| 2005 | Redline Tango | John Mackey John Mackey (composer) John Mackey is an American composer of classical music, with an emphasis on music for wind band, as well as orchestra. For several years, he focused on music for modern dance and ballet.-Background:... |
| 2006 | (No Contest Held) | |
| 2007 | Raise the Roof | Michael Daugherty Michael Daugherty Michael Kevin Daugherty is an American composer, pianist, and teacher. Influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism, Daugherty is one of the most colorful and widely performed American concert music composers of his generation... |
| 2008 | (No Contest Held) | |
| 2009 | Aurora Awakes | John Mackey John Mackey (composer) John Mackey is an American composer of classical music, with an emphasis on music for wind band, as well as orchestra. For several years, he focused on music for modern dance and ballet.-Background:... |