Dr Edward Sandor of the University of Georgia, Chair of the 2004 ITG Composition Contest, reports. This year the piece was for Solo Trumpet and Trumpet Ensemble.

"As has been the case in recent years, the entries for the composition contest were submitted from a variety of countries, including composers from Europe, Africa and North America. The twenty-six compositions that qualified according to the published criteria ranged in complexity, compositional traditions and level of difficulty, but they were all worthy of the judges' efforts to evaluate them. For that task Joyce Davis—trumpet professor at the University of Florida, John Corina—emeritus composition professor from the University of Georgia, and Moffatt Williams—trumpet professor at Columbus State University, Georgia, agreed to act as adjudicators. At the last minute and due to illness, John Anthony of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania substituted for Dr. Davis.

Scores and recordings were prepared for the judges' use by removing all identifying labels and replacing them with assigned numbers. The identities of the composers were not revealed until the judges had made their final selections, which took the better part of an entire day. The compositions deemed most meritorious by the judges, including the advertised prizes and an honorable mention of which the judges were adamant, were the following:

1st Place : The Moffet-Klein Phenomenon by Michael Galib of Portsmouth, Rhode Island (USA)

2nd Place : Cleveland Sketches by Clint Needham of Berea, Ohio (USA)

Honorable Mention: Aria & Scherzo by Keith Amos of Somerset (England)

All other entries, in alphabetical order by composer, are listed below:

Clarence E. Barber Perspectives
Howard Buss The Walls of Jericho
Tom Clary Fanfare, Nocturne and Dance
Ashley Floyd Concertino
Matt Gates Cherubim and Seraphim
Harry Gunter Irish Fantasia
David Haskins Toccata
Ronald Hemmel Out to Sea
David C. Hogg Voluntary No. 4
Stefan Johnsson Scherzo for Trumpets
Jonathan Kruger Wind Chimes
Joe Lewis Feline Fantasia
Adrain P. Longo As yet untitled
John J. Lucania Mass Without Words, No. 4
Doug Marshall Call to Glory
Roger Olynick Sextet No. 1 and Sextet No. 2
William Pardus Fanfare, Ballad and Burlesque
Salam A. Sina The Great Trump
Michael P. Stewart Game of Fifths
Daniel N. Thrower Konzerstuck No. 1
Ben Tucker Five Passages in Solitude
Roger Vogel Illuminations
David F. Wilborn Fantasy for Trumpet

Michael Galib, composer of the first-place composition, is a composition student at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studies with Malcolm Peyton. He is a pianist, vocalist and trumpeter and borrows from his experiences as a performer in these varied media as he composes. The Moffett-Klein Phenomenon is somewhat angular in melodic content and contrasts rapidly moving rhythmic figures with florid lyrical passages in the context of changing compound meters. Though through composed, the work begins with a Vivace section that eventually yields to an Andante, that leads the listener back to the Vivace. The work is energetic in character and provides dynamic contrasts within a nearly traditional scherzo and trio structure. With this composition Michael Galib provides the trumpet ensemble enthusiasts of the world an exciting, very challenging, yet musically significant addition to the literature.

Clint Needham, composer of the second-place composition, graduated with a BM in Composition from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music in May of 2004, where he studied with Loris Chobanian and James Hirt. He has received the Susan and Ford Schumann Aspen Music School Composition Scholarship (2003) for study at the Aspen Festival and the Lee Goldstein Composition Award and Scholarship (2003) for his work at BW. Cleveland Sketches is a three-movement work for trumpet in C and for flugelhorn (Movement II only). "Crossing the Cuyahhoga" is a spirited opening movement that combines lyricism with energetic passagework over a moderately complex contrapuntal background. The composer uses some changing meter in specific cadential passages, which he provides in a seamless, logical rhythmic progression. "The Skyline at Night" utilizes flugelhorn to deliver a slow, sophisticated vocalise over relatively conservative harmonies. Inspired by a summer garden party from which the composer could see a panoramic view of Cleveland 's skyline, the movement portrays that vision and provides satisfying contrast to the outer movements. Finally, the composition closes with a very quickly moving offering, The Emerald Necklace, which refers to the ring of popular metro-parks that "hang" in a semi circle from Lake Erie, encircling the Eastern, Southern and Western borders of Cleveland and providing a place for seasonal activities such as biking, tobogganing, playing ball, picnicking, etc.

Though my role was mostly administrative, the experience of hearing the compositions renewed my enthusiasm for the sonorities that excellent composers can elicit from the trumpet ensemble. As with Women's Chorus and Glee Clubs, a bottom voice is missing, but in the hands of skilled composers, that handicap can be convincingly overcome. Bravo to all the composers who participated and made this competition so successful!"

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Performances

Dr Sandor adds: "The premier performances of the 2004 ITG Composition Competition winning compositions will be given at the ITG Convention on Friday, June 18, at 3:30 p.m. as a prelude concert. The first-place composition will be premiered by Jens Lindemann, and the second-place composition will be performed by Edward Sandor. Both performances will be accompanied by the Arizona State University Trumpet Ensemble under the direction of Professor David Hickman."

Website:
ITG Competitions page

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