Ithaca College

The American Prize is pleased to announce the following 2011 Awards:

• Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, led by Jeffery Meyer, director of orchestras, has achieved third place nationally in The American Prize in Orchestral Performance (college/university orchestra division), 2011.
• Jeffery Meyer, director of orchestras at Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, has achieved second place nationally in The American Prize in Conducting (college/university orchestra division), 2011.
• Jeffery Meyer, director of orchestral activities of the Ithaca College Orchestras, Ithaca, NY has achieved third place in The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award competition in 2011.

The Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra (ICSO), comprised of approximately 90 to 100 musicians, is dedicated to performing symphonic repertoire from the baroque through the twentieth century, as well as contemporary works of our time. The Symphony Orchestra is directed by Jeffery Meyer and presents 5 to 8 concerts per year. The opening concert will take place October 16 in Ford Hall and the full 2011-2012 ICSO concert schedule is now available on the ensemble website.  Born in Chicago, Jeffery Meyer began his musical studies as a pianist, and continued on to study composition and conducting. He is the Director of Orchestras at Ithaca College School of Music, as well the Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic in Russia. In recent concert seasons, he has performed as conductor and pianist in the United States, Canada, Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany and Asia.

The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit, national competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the very best in the performing arts in the United States. The American Prize was founded in 2009 and has been awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts since in 2010. The American Prize—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming honors the memory of the great Lithuanian conductor, Maestro Vytautas Marijosius, music director of the Lithuanian State Opera, and for nearly thirty-five years Director of Orchestral Activities at the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford, Connecticut. The Prize recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community. For more about Maestro Marijosius, please visit www.rememberingmarijosius.blogspot.com. 

Finalists for The American Prize receive professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition based on submitted recordings of their performances. Complete information can be found on the website: www.theamericanprize.org and all 2011 competitions winners may be found on the blog: www.theamericanprize.blogspot.com.