FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NOVEMBER 4, 2014, NEW YORK
The Distinguished Concerts Orchestra’s Founder and Music Director, Jonathan Griffith, Wins The American Prize in Conducting
Jonathan Griffith, founder and music director of Distinguished Concerts Orchestra is the 2014 winner of The American Prize in Conducting, in the professional orchestra division. Maestro Griffith was selected from applications reviewed this fall from across the United States. The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit competitions designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States. Founded in 2009 The American Prize is awarded annually in several areas of the performing arts.
An acclaimed conductor, educator and lecturer, Jonathan Griffith has led performances across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Griffith is co-founder and artistic director of DCINY which has brought together, under Griffith’s artistic leadership, thousands of musicians and choral singers in concert at prestigious venues across the United States, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Disney Hall. In naming Griffith as its winner, the American Prize judges specifically noted his “energetic” and “committed” performances. Through the DCINY Mentoring Workshops, Maestro Griffith has helped train and educate aspiring conductors in the practical aspects of conducting a professional orchestra.
Entering its 8th Season in 2015, DCINY has always prioritized American music and composers, commissioning and premiering numerous works. Over the past two years, it has championed the music of Christopher Tin, a Grammy Award-winner for his score to the immensely popular video game, Civilization IV. DCINY’s presentation of the music from Tin’s debut album, Calling All Dawns, at Lincoln Center in April 2013 was brought to the attention of the American Prize judges, and Griffith and DCINY collaborated with Tin for a second concert at Carnegie Hall called The Drop of Dawn in April 2014. “I’m thrilled to see Maestro Griffith recognized for his achievements,” comments Tin, continuing, “Premiering a living composer’s work is a challenge enough. In the case of The Drop of Dawn, not only did he have to train 600 singers in the pronunciation of 22 languages, but I was still handing him revised music up until the week of performance. The fact that the concert came off as brilliantly as it did was nothing short of a miracle, and a tribute to Jonathan’s skill and artistry.”
Maestro Griffith and DCINY have also had a longstanding relationship with best-selling Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, including giving several American premieres of his works. In congratulating Griffith on the 2014 America Prize, Jenkins commented: “Jonathan and DCINY have been very supportive of me and my music in the USA and he has performed my works with devotion, integrity, fine musicianship and with much love. This is an honor richly deserved.”
“Jonathan is one of the most generous individuals that I have had the good fortune to work with,” says Jorge Avila, Concertmaster of the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, “He is so clear and gets the job done; his rehearsal techniques are spot on. Jonathan has enormous respect for both the music and for everyone he is working with. He approaches music making with the orchestra, not in front of it as a separate entity, which makes him ‘one of us’. Even though we are a large group Jonathan creates a chamber music environment – everyone’s voice is heard and everyone is given the opportunity to make music. With that, the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra is thrilled to be recognized with Dr. Griffith as a part of this incredible honor and recognition.”
The American Prize looks to recognize the breadth and quality of excellent music making across the country, rewarding the best America produces, without bias against small city versus large, or unknown artist versus well-known. Chief judge David Katz, a professional conductor, composer, and arts advocate, leads a panel of judges made up of distinguished musicians representing virtually every region of the country, in every music specialty.
Founded by Iris Derke (General Director) and Jonathan Griffith (Artistic Director and Principal Conductor) Distinguished Concerts International New York is driven by passion, innovative vision, a total belief in its artists, and unwavering commitment to bringing forth unforgettable audience experiences. DCINY is a creative producing entity with unmatched integrity that is a talent incubator, a star-maker, and a presenter of broadly accessible, world-class musical entertainment.
For more information about The American Prize, please see: www.theamericanprize.org
For a compete bio of Maestro Griffith, please click here
Hone your orchestral conducting skills with DCINY’s Mentoring Workshop: Orchestral Conducting for the Choral Conductor
Faculty Includes: Craig Jessop, Former Director, Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Jonathan Griffith, Distinguished Concerts Orchestra Founder and Music Director; and Jorge Avila, Distinguished Concerts Orchestra Concertmaster
2015 – Workshop full
2016 – Applications now being accepted. For more information, click here or contact James Meaders at 212.707.8566 ext. 326 or
Media Contact: Shira Gilbert
212.707.8566 x316
514.585.3868
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