Musical artist
The American Modern Ensemble is a contemporary classical music ensemble based in the United States in New York City with the goal of premiering, performing and recording and commissioning the widest possible repertoire written by American composers. The group's focus is to celebrate and showcase American music and especially works written by living composers.[ 1] AME is also dedicated to education and outreach programs that expose communities to American music, and particularly to new music written by living composers. AME was founded in 2005 by American composer Robert Paterson ,[ 2] who serves as the ensemble's Artistic Director, and his wife, Victoria Paterson , a violinist, who also serves as the ensemble's Executive Director.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5]
Instrumentation for each concert is repertoire/instrumentation-based and is drawn from a sinfonietta-sized group: flute (doubling alto flute and piccolo ), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet ), oboe (doubling English horn ), bassoon (doubling contrabassoon ), horn , trumpet (C trumpet, B-flat trumpet and piccolo trumpets in E-flat and D), trombone , percussion , piano (doubling synthesizer ), two violins , viola , violoncello , bass .
Programmed composers [ edit ]
Incomplete list of composers whose works have been programmed by the American Modern Ensemble through the 2014-15 season:
Performer Members of AME as of the 2015-16 Season:
Artistic Director, House Composer and Conductor
Guest Conductors
Tyson Deaton
Delta David Gier
Steven Mackey
David Alan Miller
Steven Osgood
Robert Wood
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Benjamin Fingland†
Nicholas Gallas†
Michael Lowenstern
William O. Smith
Meighan Stoops
Eric Umble
Saxophone
Jeremy Justeson†
Allen Won
Javier Oviedo
French horn
Amie Margoles†
Jeff Scott
Bassoon
Charles McCracken†
Gilbert DeJean
Trombone
Stuart Dempster
Mark Broschinsky
Percussion
Matt Ward†
Robert Paterson†
Bill Solomon
Clara Warnaar
Tom Kolor
Pablo Rieppi
Peter Jarvis
Piano
Blair McMillen†
John Eaton
Stephen Gosling
Maya Hartman
Eric Huebner
Riko Higuma
Ieva Jokubaviciute
Aaron Likness
Molly Morkoski
Violin
Regi Papa†
Victoria Paterson†
Robin Zeh†
Philip Payton†
Eugenia Choi†
Curtis Macomber
Todd Reynolds
Viola
Jessica Meyer†
Orlando Wells†
Danielle Farina
Junah Chung
Hsin-Yun Huang
Cello
Dave Eggar†
Arash Amini†
Raman Ramakrishnan†
Wendy Sutter
Michael Katz
Robert Burkhart
Laura Bontrager
Eric Jacobsen
Bass
Sean McClowry†
Roger Wagner†
Guitar
Scott Kuney
Austin Moorehead
Harp
Jacqueline Kerrod†
Bridget Kibbey
Vocalists
Leah Edwards, soprano
Jacquelyn Familant, soprano
Nancy Allen Lundy, soprano
Sharon Quattrin, soprano
Melissa Wimbish, soprano
Anna Tonna, mezzo-soprano
Jesse Blumberg, tenor
Robert Frankenberry, tenor
Brandon Snook, tenor
Dimitri Pittas, tenor
Paul Sperry , tenor
Kyle Guglielmo, baritone
Robert Gardner, baritone
David Neal, bass-baritone
Pamela Z, voice
Choreographer-In-Residence
Annmaria Mazzini, Mazzini Dance Collective
†Denotes current core member.
AME Composition Competition [ edit ]
Since 2006, AME has held an annual composition competition for American composers (North, Central and South America).[ 6] Through 2011, this competition was for composers ages 18–35. Starting in 2012, awards are now given in three categories: Tier I (Young Artist), ages 22 and under; Tier II (Emerging), ages 18–35, and Tier III (Professional), all ages. Former winners from 2011 and past are now considered Tier II winners. Winners receive cash awards, archival recordings and performances of either their winning work or another work.
2014 Ninth Annual Competition
Tier III
Winner: John Fitz Rogers - Sehnen
Honorable Mention: Max Grafe - Kheir
Honorable Mention: Nicholas Omiccioli - push/pull
Honorable Mention: Wayne Oquin - In Dreams Awake
Tier II
Winner: Gabriella Smith - Brandenburg Interstices
Honorable Mention: Michael Gilbertson - who remembers day
Honorable Mention: Carolina Heredia - Lus in Bello
Honorable Mention: Alexander Miller - Echoes in the Dark
Tier I
Winner: Vincent Gover - Brook’s Release
Honorable Mention: Ryan Lindveit - Short Stories
2013 Eighth Annual Competition
Tier III
Winner: Carl Schimmel - Roadshow for Otto
Honorable Mention: Nicolas Scherzinger - Fractured Mirrors
Honorable Mention: Roger Zare - Fractal Miniatures
Tier II
Winner: Nicholas Omiccioli - Flourishes
Honorable Mention: Paul Frucht - Echo in Roger’s Park
Honorable Mention: Takuma Itoh - Undercurrent
Tier I
Winner: Katherine Balch - Triple Point
Honorable Mention: Molly Joyce - Parade
Honorable Mention: Brendan McMullen - Seven Cicadas
2012 Seventh Annual Competition
Tier III
Winner: Alejandro Rutty - Black Box Bossa
Honorable Mention: John Liberatore - Lennon Scatters and Fleeces His Flock
Tier II
Winner: Lembit Beecher - Frantic Gnarly Still
Honorable Mention: Piotr Szewczyk - Nimbus
Tier I
Winner: Hillary Purrington - Fixed Mediums
Honorable Mention: Loren Loiacono - Waking Rhythm
Past Winners
2011 : Eric Nathan
2010 : Christopher Chandler
2009 : Spencer Topel
2008 : Derrick Wang
2007 : Sean McClowry
2006 : Karim Al-Zand
^ "Halloween Thrills and Chills from the American Modern Ensemble" . New York Music Daily . Retrieved July 22, 2015 .
^ Robert Paterson's website
^ Smith, Steve (March 26, 2013). "Composers Explain Whys and Wherefores" . The New York Times . The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2015 .
^ Smith, Steve (November 5, 2009). "Creative Confections for Woodwinds and Strings" . The New York Times . Retrieved July 22, 2015 .
^ Sandow, Greg. "From Victoria Paterson: Filling the house for new music" . Arts Journal .
^ Bruce, David. "American Modern Ensemble Interview 569" . Composition Today . Retrieved July 22, 2015 .
International National Artists