We’re 3 out of 3!!!

Posted on by

Great rehearsal on Monday night! I was especially happy with the work on the Holsinger. I reviewed the rehearsal recording yesterday, and we really made great progress with that piece this week.

Big news – American Prize awards update

So, yesterday morning I decided to check the website for The American Prize again, to see if they had posted anything yet about our third nomination, for the Ernst Bacon Award for an American Music Performance. And I found this: (click here or on the image for the full article). If you open the link and scroll down, you’ll see WSW listed as a semi-finalist for the Ernst Bacon Award for an American Music Performance, for our performance, with Steve Cohen, of Michael Daugherty’s Brooklyn Bridge!

This means, of course, that we have earned three designations for semi-finalist status with The American Prize. As I searched through the nomination data, I found these ensembles/conductors had two nods for semi-finalist status:

  • Allentown Band – Ensemble, Ernst Bacon (works by Morton Gould). Note that this ensemble is also playing at ACB next month.
  • Quincy Concert Band – Ensemble, Ernst Bacon (Maslanka – Give Us This Day)
  • Quad City – Ensemble, Ernst Bacon (works by Willson, Giroux, Moross, Curnow)

I also found college/university colleagues with two semi-finalist nods:

  • Jeff Gershman: ensemble (Capital University Symphonic Winds) and Ernst Bacon (works by George, Runestad, Ives, Maslanka)
  • Daniel Cook: conductor (Northwestern University Chamber Ensemble) and Ernst Bacon (Joseph Schwantner – Sparrows)
  • Joseph Higgins, our guest conductor in May: conductor (Rowan University Wind Ensemble) and Ernst Bacon (Corigliano – Mr. Tambourine Man)

But — as far as I could tell — WSW is the only ensemble to have received nominations as semi-finalists in three categories: ensemble, conductor, and Ernst Bacon. So, congratulations, and thank you for your dedication and perseverance! Even if this goes no further, this is outstanding recognition!

May tickets released

Also, our tickets were released on the TMH ticket site today for the Spring Concert. Notice that we (finally) made the headline on the ticketing announcement for the week! That’s really significant, I believe.

March 30

Please remember Gina’s invitation for the celebratory event that Gina announced on March 30. I’ll send a private email to give the details, address, etc.