AGO Student Commissioning Project

The AGO Student Commissioning Project is the AGO’s most recent new music venture. Each year, grants of $1,000 are awarded to four collaborative composer-and-organist pairs for the composition and performance of four new works for the organ. In the fall, as the academic year begins, a student pair submits a joint application describing a proposed work and its performance. There are no restrictions with regard to  work’s compositional style, however, all composers and organists must be enrolled as full- or part-time students at an accredited U.S. college, university, or conservatory. After the new work is approved by the AGO Committee on New Music, the organist must premiere the work and present two additional performances.

Award: Four grants of $1,000 will be awarded each year to four composer and organist pairs by the AGO Committee on New Music. For more information see the 2018-19 Student Commissioning Project Guildelines.

2018-19 Student Composer/Organist Pairs (in progress)

Mark Vaughn and Christoph Hintermüller
Jasmine Thomasian and Zhen Piao
Gu Wei and Mi Zhou
Carle Wirshba and Samuel Kuffuor-Afriyie

Past Student Commissioning Projects

2017-18 John Lempke and Karen Taylor
2017-18 Joshua Malavé and Josh Ring
2016-17 Alex Umfleet – Carina Sturdy
2016-17 Jonathan Cziner – Colin MacKnight
2015-16 Hon Ki Cheung – Alexander Meszler
2014-15 George Katehis – Alexander Meszler

Committee on New Music
Louise Mundinger, MM, Director  Email
David J. Hurd, Jr., MusD  Email
Carol Feather Martin, MM Email
Alexander Meszler, MM  Email

Eileen Hunt, AAGO, DMA, ex officio (Vice President/Councillor for Competitions and New Music)  Email

AGO Headquarters Email