The American Prize in Orchestral Performance, 2024-25
The American Prize in Orchestral Performance recognizes and rewards the best performances by orchestras in America, based on submitted recordings. There is no live competition. Applicants performing American Music should also consider applying for the BACON AWARD. (Click "American Music" in the "Competitions" menu, above). In this division we are accepting performances made within the last five years. The American Prize in Orchestra Conducting requires video (see separate competition); the orchestra performance prize does not.
EXTENDED DEADLINE (because of many requests): Tuesday, October 8, 2024, with extensions available by email request. Questions? Email: theamericanprize@gmail.com
DOWNLOAD ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE APPLICATION HERE (PDF)
WHAT CONTESTANTS WIN:
The American Prize is more than monetary. The Prize grew from the belief that a great deal of excellent music being made in this country goes unrecognized and unheralded, not only in our major cities, but all across the country...in schools and churches, in colleges and universities, and by community and professional musicians. Laureates of The American Prize at all levels of achievement derive local, regional and national recognition to help generate jobs, build audiences and sustain careers. Semi-finalists, finalists and winners are announced to national arts media and on our websites, where winners are profiled. Semi-finalists, finalists and winners earn the right to use The American Prize logo and official seal on printed programs and other documents, and on the web. Thousands of artists have derived benefit from their participation in the contests of The American Prize.
SEMI-FINALISTS: All semi-finalists receive official certificates.
FINALISTS and RUNNERS-UP: All finalists receive certificates and short comments about their audition. Runners-up receive certificates and written, unbiased evaluations from our distinguished national panel of judges. When winners are announced on The American Prize blog, RUNNERS-UP are also profiled on the blog with their photos, biographies and website links.
WINNERS: A single winner in each category and/or division is selected. Winners receive certificates, written evaluations, personalized press releases sent by us to local media and other contacts you provide as part of your application, and cash prizes up to $500, depending on the year, the category and the number of entrants. Only with your explicit permission, excerpts of winning performances may be posted to The American Prize channel on YouTube.
The judges reserve the right to award citations and honorable mentions as warranted, and to combine categories when necessary. The decision of the judges is final.
OVERVIEW:
The American Prize in Orchestral Performance is offered in as many as five categories, based on the membership in the ensemble, and on the number and quality of entries. Applications on behalf of orchestras may be made by the conductor of the ensemble, its board members or other orchestra leaders, such as faculty or administrators, by the musicians themselves, or, in the case of student ensembles, by parents. Only one application per ensemble per year may be submitted. Conductors may apply separately for conducting awards
(see Conducting Prizes).
The five categories are:
1. professional orchestra (all musicians are paid)
2. community or faith-based orchestra (some musicians may be paid/some may be students)
3. higher education orchestra (mostly students/no paid players—except temporary "ringers" and soloists/faculty participation ok). Select "smaller program" or "larger program" on the application form based on the individual situation at your school. Separate winners will be selected in each division.
4. secondary school orchestra (strings or full ensemble)
5. youth orchestra (musicians from more than one secondary or high school or an arts magnet school)
The American Prize defines an “orchestra” to be (at minimum) a conducted ensemble of at least 9 instrumentalists which includes among its members bowed stringed instruments. (This definition is purposely broad to allow the largest number of potential contestants to be eligible. We seek to welcome the greatest variety of musical ensembles found in schools, churches and communities throughout the country.)
Orchestral ensembles performing works with chorus should be entered in the Choral Performance competition.
New MARIAN ANDERSON AWARD IN SOCIAL JUSTICE: Any applicant may self-nominate for this additional award, either because of personal circumstances, or in recognition of the nature of the repertoire provided in the audition. This is a subcategory of the main contests for which a separate prize will be awarded, should there be enough entrants. There is no additional application fee required to be considered in the additional category. Simply highlight the designation on the application form. The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, based in Danbury, Connecticut, is honored to rename its Social Justice award in memory of the internationally acclaimed contralto and longtime Danbury resident, Marian Anderson. Henceforth to be known as The American Prize Marian Anderson Award in Social Justice, the award honors the extraordinary legacy of one of America’s greatest performing artists, while annually recognizing and rewarding The American Prize laureate who best exemplifies the singer’s courage and trailblazing fortitude as an artist of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. Questions? Please email Maestro Katz at theamericanprize@gmail.com
ELIGIBILITY:
The competitions of The American Prize are open to all U.S. citizens, whether living in this country or abroad, and to others who have lived, worked or studied (or are currently living, working and/or studying) in the United States of America, its protectorates and territories. The American Prize does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age, spiritual or personal belief, disability, sexual preference or gender identification. All application fees must be remitted in U.S. funds.
HOW TO APPLY:
Every applicant must send certain required information by email.
Applicants can then complete their application either of two ways:
A. ONLINE ONLY: pay fees online, submit the downloaded application as a PDF or scan, along with the required emailed information (see application form), and include links to your online audition selections. (Application forms for The American Prize can be filled out on computer, saved and emailed by using Adobe Reader 11. Download it free here.)
—or—
B. BY MAIL & EMAIL: mail the completed, downloaded application form and send audition selections on disc to the office, and email the required information (see application form), pay fees online, or by check, by money order or credit card.
1. Download the application form for The American Prize in Orchestral Performance. Select the category which best identifies the applicant.
2. MAIL the completed application form by the deadline date or EMAIL it as a PDF or scan with your required email.
3. If providing audition selections ONLINE, include the links in your required email (see application form.)
4. If providing audition selections BY MAIL, include two identical recordings of the applicant in performance, with the selections clearly indicated on both the recording itself and on the recording's cover or box. Be sure it lists applicant's name.
5. Be sure to sign the form and pay the application fee. Pay ONLINE (click "FEES/GIFTS" in the menu bar, above), or use this link: "Pay competition fees", or send check, money order or credit card information by mail.
6. Be sure to email the required information (see application form.)
The application fee is $95 per application. Pay ONLINE (click "FEES/GIFTS" in the menu bar, above) or use this iink: "Pay competition fees" pay by credit card, or make checks payable to HCMT/The American Prize (see application form.) Application fees are nonrefundable. No incomplete applications will be accepted. When paying online, BE SURE to identify the applicant with the payment.
REQUIREMENTS for the RECORDED AUDITION:
The American Prize in Orchestral Performance:
You need not prepare a special tape for The American Prize. A previous recording, whether of a concert made in front of an audience or one created in a recording session without an audience, is perfectly acceptable. Neither the location nor the repertoire of any qualified individual limits eligibility, provided the general guidelines listed below have been met. Excellence within categories is the primary criteria for the selection of finalists and winners.
1. MAIL recordings of, or email ONLINE links to, up to approximately 20-25 minutes of music of your choice, selected from a recent performance or performances, recorded within the last five years. Complete works or complete movements only. No excerpts. There is no minimum length requirement but an audition highlighting a variety of styles, periods and composers is encouraged.
2. Performers and works must be clearly identified on the disc itself and on the cover or box. We accept CDs, DVDs or online links only. No materials will be returned PLEASE NOTE: If applying for both the ensemble prize and the conducting prize, the requirements for the recording in the conducting category are different from those listed above—video is required for conductors. (See Conducting Prizes.).
3. If submitting ONLINE links, include in your required email. Be sure to identify the links by title of the selection and provide any passwords necessary, so judges can easily access your audition. Links must remain active until the end of the contest year. PLEASE NOTE: The responsibility for the viability of links rests with the contestant. Please double-check that they work correctly.
4. There are no other restrictions. No materials will be returned.Completed applications will be confirmed by email.
SEND required email to: theamericanprize@gmail.com
GENERAL TIMELINE for this competition:
In general, the competition process is completed over a number of months. Semi-finalists are selected in-house, then finalists are announced in the winter & spring, followed by winners, followed by winners—after which all certificates, evaluations and prizes are mailed. Specific dates for the announcement of each stage of the competition are posted in regular updates to the competition's blog and facebook pages. Find those links on the homepage of this website.
The American Prize competitions are administered by Hat City Music Theater, Inc. (HCMT), the 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based in Danbury, CT.