Cincinnati Camerata

2010 Composition Contest Winner

Posted on 05. Apr, 2010 by Darrin Hunter in News, Repertoire

Robert Paterson of New York City is the winner of the 2010 Cincinnati Camerata Composition Competition with his setting of Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep (text by Mary Frye). The panel chose this work, from his cycle Eternal Reflections, for its expressive choral writing, text painting and imaginatively beautiful textures. It will be premiered at the Camerata concert on May 15th 2011 at 4 pm at Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church [map] in Cincinnati. The concert will also feature a wine tasting and silent auction to benefit the Camerata. More information about Mr. Paterson’s work can be found on his website at http://www.robpaterson.com.

A statement from Mr. Paterson about the work:
Eternal Reflections consists of settings of the poems A Song on the End of the World by Czeslaw Milosz, Life’s Tragedy by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Do not stand at my grave and weep by Mary E. Frye, the latter being performed this evening. Mary E. Frye was a housewife and florist who became best known as the author of this poem. According to an article in the London Times, “Frye had never written any poetry before 1932, when she and her husband had a young German Jewish girl, Margaret Schwarzkopf, staying with them. According to Frye, their guest had been concerned about her mother, who was ill in Germany, but she had been warned not to return home because of increasing anti-Semitic unrest. When her mother died, the heartbroken young woman told Frye that she never had the chance to ‘stand by my mother’s grave and shed a tear.’” Although many versions of this uncopyrighted poem exist, the version used in this setting is the one Frye claimed as definitive before she died.

The son of two visual artists, Robert Paterson’s music is often inspired by nature, visual art, machines and American icons. He has been described in the press as “one of the major contenders in American music.” Paterson has received performances in the United States and abroad by many outstanding ensembles, including the Louisville Orchestra, Russian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, New York New Music Ensemble, Da Capo Chamber Players, California EAR Unit, Ensemble Aleph and at the June in Buffalo Festival. His many awards include a Copland Award, the Brian Israel Prize, the Louisville Orchestra Composition Competition and twice winning the ASCAP Young Composer’s Award.

In 2011, Paterson will receive the Composer of the Year Award from the Classical Recording Foundation for his album, The Book of Goddesses. From 2009-2012, he is the Music Alive composer-in-residence with the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, sponsored by Meet The Composer and the League of American Orchestras. The residency will culminate in a commission for a major new work for orchestra and chorus. Other recent honors include winning the Cincinnati Camerata Composition Competition, the Copland Award, Louisville Orchestra Composition Competition, Brian Israel Prize, two ASCAP Young Composer Awards, and grants from Meet The Composer, the American Music Center, the American Composers Forum and ASCAP, as well as fellowships to Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Atlantic Center for the Arts.

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In addition, the panel announced four finalists for special mention (listed alphabetically): Robert Campbelle, of Bristol, Virginia, was selected for his melodic setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”). Israeli composer Gilad Cohen, of Princeton, New Jersey, received commendation for his Hebrew setting from the Song of Songs, Al Mishkavi Baleylot. The jury was impressed by the textures of The Light of Common Day, a setting from Wordsworth by Shawn Crouch of Miami, Florida. They also singled out Alan Shockley, of Lakewood, California, for his peje iesus je, an ancient Coptic Christian text.

We were extremely pleased to find such tremendous talent among the entries, which came from Europe, Asia and the Middle East in addition to the US. Our goal is to attract and encourage the very best in choral music, and the standard of work this year was the highest we have seen. We eagerly look forward to what next year will bring.

This year the jury included Chris Miller (Director Emeritus of the Cincinnati Camerata), Philip Koplow, (Professor Emeritus of composition and theory at Northern Kentucky University), Beth Troendly (pianist and organist), Gonçalo Lourenço (the Camerata’s new Interim Conductor from Setúbal, Portugal) and Nancy Arnest (Cincinnati choral singer).

We hope to see you on May 15th 2011 at 4 pm at Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church [map] in Cincinnati for the premiere of Mr. Paterson’s fine work!

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Richard Arnest
Secretary and Steward, The Cincinnati Camerata Composition Competition