Composition Scholarships
The Frank Robert Abell Young Composer Award was established by a generous bequest from the estate of Frank Robert Abell, a longtime Louisville philanthropist with close ties to the University of Louisville School of Music. He had a deep love for contemporary music and a strong desire to help younger composers. The award seeks submissions of chamber music from composers ages 18-26 and offers a first prize of $10000 USD. Apply and learn more.
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2015 Abell Composition Competition Winners
First Prize ($10,000) – John Rot
First Prize goes to John Rot, currently based in New York City, for his composition glide idly for string octet.
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2014 Abell Composition Competition Winners
1st Prize: Itzam Leonardo Zapata Paniagua, "Piñatas, Glitter and Stilettos" for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano
2nd Prize: Weijun Chen, "Canoe" for string quartet
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2013 Abell Composition Competition Winners
1st Prize: Eugen Birman, "Red Desert"
2nd Prize: Chaz Underriner, "nocturne series: 5 for string quartet and field recording"
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Previous Winners:
2012 Christopher LaRosa, "Symmetries"
2011 Hunjoo Jung, "Maria! I must be Awakened to Your Soul"
2010 Nathan Heidelberger, "Of Songs"
The University of Louisville Young Composer Competition for New Electro-acoustic Music:
2012 Dexter Ford, "Barbershop"
2011 Ryan Gaston, "Nocturne (Crickets: Inside & Out)"
2010 Emilie Payeur, “Etude Claire et Nette”
This unique fellowship offers a graduate composition student the opportunity to earn a Master of Music degree in Music Composition while focusing on composition for voice, with a particular emphasis on dramatic vocal composition. Composers chosen to participate in this program should show both an inclination and an ability to write for the human voice. These awards honor their namesake, Moritz von Bomhard, an early School of Music faculty member who was a gifted composer, conductor, pianist, and opera producer. Moritz Bomhard was responsible for virtually "creating" the Kentucky Opera in its earliest days.
Stipend
$12,000 per year, plus tuition, and health care benefits. Renewal for a second year is conditional upon successful performance and progress toward a degree. Bomhard Fellows must be enrolled in the Master of Music degree program as Composition majors and must be attending classes full-time during the tenure of the award.
Deadline
January 15 (annually)
Duties
There are no duties attached to Bomhard Fellowships. Recipients are urged to participate in Opera Workshop in a capacity appropriate to their skills, vocal or otherwise.
Application
A complete application for the Bomhard Fellowship includes a letter requesting consideration for the fellowship, a Graduate School application form, two letters of recommendation, official undergraduate transcripts, a portfolio demonstrating the inclination and ability to write for the human voice, and a personal interview.