Winner of the 2013 Young Composers’ Contest

cantateYoung Composers' Contest
“Once upon a time there was a prep-school boy. He was called Britten mi[nor], his initials were E.B., his age was nine, and his locker was number seventeen…There was one curious thing about this boy: he wrote music.”  — E. B. Britten

Headshot of Joshua Fishbein

Cantate Chamber Singers, directed by Gisèle Becker, is pleased to announce the winner of Cantate’s Ninth Biennial Young Composers’ Contest. Los Angeles-based composer Joshua Fishbein submitted the winning composition entitled A Prep School Boy, an unaccompanied mixed chorus setting of a Benjamin Britten quote from A Simple Symphony, Op. 4, Introductory Note.

The winner of Cantate’s Young Composers’ Contest receives a cash award and, at the discretion of the music director, the winning work is considered for a world premiere performance as part of Cantate’s critically acclaimed concert series. Mr. Fishbein’s composition will be performed by Cantate on May 3, 2014.

“Fishbein has achieved a wonderful dialogue between the voice parts—which themselves are given wonderful melodic material. His playful treatment of the text, including a subtle borrowing from the master [Britten] himself. explores this beautiful text with rich, dense chords and extreme expression.” —Gisèle Becker, Music Director, Cantate Chamber Singers

The distinguished judges for Cantate’s ninth Young Composers’ Contest were Judah Adashi, composer and faculty, Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University; Caroline Mallonée, composer and Assistant Academic Dean and Director of Composers forums at the Walden School; and Michael Rickelton, composer, singer and a DMA candidate at Peabody.

Cantate Chamber Singers will announce guidelines for a tenth biennial Young Composers’ Contest during the fall of 2014. The deadline for submissions will be July 1, 2015.