6th Annual Art Song Festival: Prize Winners

Photo: The 6th Annual Art Song Festival’s guest judges Alexander Hahn and Kelley O’Connor.

---

The 6th Annual Art Song Festival concluded with the announcement of the winners in the poetry, composition and vocal prize categories on Friday. The event is a three-part competition in which one participant writes a work of poetry, another composes music for it in the classical tradition and it is finally worked into an art song with a vocalist. An art song is a musical rendition of a poem performed by a pianist and singer, with each element being original works by the competitors. This year’s vocal competition featured esteemed guest judges Alexander Hahn and Kelley O’Connor.

The winners are:

Poetry prize

Poetry Prize Winner: Sharon K. McClain for her poem “Unearthing Home”

Composition prize

Composition Judges Prize Winner: Marcus Overacker

Premiered by: 

Aunika Bull, soprano

Anthony Sarginson, piano

Vocal Showcase Prize

Vocal Showcase Judges’ Prize Winner: Michael Balerite, baritone

Audience Prize Winners

Composition Audience Prize Winner: Daniel Murray

Premiered by: 

Joshua Bravo, baritone

Alina Xiong, piano

Vocal Showcase Audience Prize Winner: Gena Chambers, mezzo-soprano