2007 Adagio Composition Contest

2007 Adagio Composition Contest

Matthew Quayle, composerMatthew Quayle has been chosen Master of Melancholy for his adagio for string orchestra “Gridley Paige Road.” As grand prize winner, Mr. Quayle will also receive $2,000, a recording of his work by The Fauxharmonic Orchestra, and a live performance by the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.

Contest Finalists

These works were also selected from among over 160 entries worldwide as finalists in the competition:

Composers who entered the 2007 Adagio Composition Contest

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(Last updated: May 18)

Honorable Mention

These composers submitted impressive works that deserve to be recognized. Nearly all of the 166 entries were very good compositions. However, these twenty pieces stood out in particular for their outstanding quality and emotional power.

  • Greg Danner - Pinnacle
  • Joanna Garbacz - Adagio for Strings
  • Marc Gascoigne - Lament for Strings
  • Jordan Grigg - Dolente
  • Xander Hough - Stop All The Clocks
  • Igor Iachimciuc - Adagio (in Romantic style)
  • Andrew Komanetsky - Adagio for String Orchestra
  • Gordon Krei - Lugosi in Love
  • Zachary Martin - A Soldiers Ascention
  • Cindy McTee - Adagio
  • Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn - Evolutions
  • Piotr Szewczyk - The Angels of Solace
  • Jonne Valtonen - Elegiac
  • Joseph Virgilio - Il Mezzogiorno
  • Ted Vives - Elegy (Goodbye, friend)
  • Rosanna Wade - Adagio for Strings
  • Anthony Wakefield - Through Time to Times Anon
  • Robert Wendel - Meditation
  • Eric Xu - Lost Prospect (from Symphony for Strings)
  • Scott A. Zarchy - Adagio for string orchestra

The finalists each received a recorded performance by The Fauxharmonic Orchestra. A panel of three judges (comprised of composer Mason Bates, violinist Laura Frautschi, and Steven Scott Smalley, master film music orchestrator and teacher) chose Matthew Quayle’s adagio as the Grand Prize Winner.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive

  • $2,000
  • a recording by The Fauxharmonic Orchestra
  • a live performance by The Baltimore Chamber Orchestra in 2008-09

People’s Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award was also awarded to Mr. Quayle, whose composition received the highest rating from the public.

10 comments

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June 5, 2007 at 8:01 am

Anonymous

Greetings. The end of May has passed - when and how will you be announcing the finalists?

June 5, 2007 at 10:16 am

Paul Henry Smith

We’ll make an announcement in the coming days. We’ll post it on this website and email each composer who entered.

June 7, 2007 at 7:54 am

Anonymous

Thanks, I see someone has already asked my question. May we assume thet the finalists have been personally notified at this point, even though a public announcement has not been made?

June 7, 2007 at 9:03 am

Paul Henry Smith

Just a note of clarification: No finalists have been notified yet. The process will be 1) notify the finalists directly, 2) notify judges and all entrants via email, and 3) post the finalists to this website where their pieces can be heard and voted on by the public at large.

I’m sorry we’re running a bit behind. We’re moving as quickly as we can to move to the next stage of the contest. Thanks for being patient.

June 19, 2007 at 4:40 pm

Anonymous

Hi, I want congratulate with the high level records that your company do. Also wish best luck of all composers competing in this contest.
I want take the opportunity to invit some composers to know my masterworks of the new era cd (vol 12) that will be release sooner.

The work is Concerto opus 180 no.3 for Piano and orchestra (F minor) -
“The hands of destiny”

Thank you

Guilherme Schroeter
composer
guisongs@brturbo.com
http://www.ermmedia.org/

Guilherme Schroeter

June 27, 2007 at 8:38 am

Anonymous

“Hands of Destiny,” eh? Rather overly dramatic wouldn’t you say, old chap?

August 10, 2007 at 11:11 am

Anthony Wakefield

After listening to Quayle, Sartor, and Watson in that order, I was immediately stuck with remorse and loss as soon as “For the Fallen” started to play. I believe this work is a masterpiece in anyone`s book. I particularly liked the essential quality of writing a sad `tune` which is to simply write a `tune` which can be immediately taken to the heart, thus evoking all the emotions possible for this kind of sad music. I don`t think it would work any other way. Quayle and Sartor seemed to be far too ambitious. Their constant overuse of suspensions created tensions for me, not a sense of loss. The fact that there is no instant tune recognition prevented me from sinking lower and lower into remorse. I felt them to be more adventurous, mysterious and dynamic than what was being sought in this competition.
But whatever I post, I still say may the best score win.

August 13, 2007 at 7:42 am

Tom Coombs

Well…since the three pieces were chosen as finalists by the creator of the contest, they are obviously EXACTLY “what was being sought in this competition.” And, as a suggestion, the previous poster might want to look up “suspension” in a music dictionary.

February 6, 2008 at 12:33 am

Greg Shaw

Hi - thanks for this innovative competition! Do you expect this to resume in 2008?
Thanks,

February 6, 2008 at 10:01 am

Paul Henry Smith

Greg, Yes, there will be a competition in 2008. We’re still lining up judges and prizes, but hope to announce everything soon.