Eight composers have been selected from a field of 55 to receive commissions for new works from Brigham Young University's Barlow Endowment.
Winners include Japan's Toru Takemitsu, for a concerto for horn and orchestra to be performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra; Massachusetts' John Harbison, for a concerto for two pianos and chamber orchestra; and Dominic Argento of Minneapolis, for a new work for the Dale Warland Singers.In addition, BYU music professor Mack Wilberg will compose a new work on LDS hymn tunes, to be sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Other commissions went to Sheila Silver of Forest Hills, N.Y.; Jody Rockmaker of Palo Alto, Calif.; Canada's Mark Mitchell; and Oded Zehavi. Zehavi's work, for the Israeli Children's Choir and the BYU Chamber Orchestra, will be performed in Tel Aviv.
"Instead of winding down after a dozen years, we are still finding exhilarating compositions by talented composers," said Barlow committee member Merrill Bradshaw.
The endowment was established in 1983 by Milton and Gloria Barlow as a way to encourage and support excellence in musical composition. Since then, more than half a million dollars has been awarded to more than 100 composers worldwide.