Gyorgy Kurtag Concerto Wins Grawemeyer International Music Prize

Gyorgy Kurtag Concerto Wins Grawemeyer International Music Prize

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A concerto by Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag described as ranging through "many changes of mood, tempo and texture" has earned the 2006 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition.

The work, "Concertante Op. 42" for violin, viola and orchestra, was commissioned by the Leonie Sonning Foundation of Copenhagen. Since its premiere in September 2003 by the Danish Radio Orchestra led by conductor Michael Schonwandt, it has been performed in Europe, Japan and the United States.

The 26-minute piece, one large movement divided into several sections plus a two-part coda, uses an unusually large orchestra for a concerto and includes solos written for and performed by violinist Hiromi Kikuchi and violist Ken Hakii.

"The orchestra is used to full advantage but without overshadowing the role of the soloists," said award chair Marc Satterwhite. "After ranging through many changes of mood, tempo and texture, from intimate to violent, the final section is mysterious and ambiguous."

Kurtag's piece, winner of the 20th Grawemeyer music prize, was selected from a field of 145 entries from around the world. The 2005 music award went to George Tsontakis for "Violin Concerto No. 2."

The Grawemeyer Foundation at U of L annually awards $1 million -- $200,000 each for works in music composition, education, ideas improving world order, religion and psychology. The Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion is given by the university and the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Awards founder Charles Grawemeyer, an industrialist, entrepreneur and U of L graduate, wanted to reward powerful ideas or creative works in the sciences, arts and humanities.

All of the 2006 Grawemeyer winners are being announced this week.

For more information and downloadable photos of Kurtag and other current winners, go to www.grawemeyer.org

Marc Satterwhite, 502-852-1787

marc.satterwhite@louisville.edu

Source: University of Louisville

CONTACT: Marc Satterwhite of University of Louisville, +1-502-852-1787,
or marc.satterwhite@louisville.edu

Web site: http://www.louisville.edu/
http://www.grawemeyer.org/

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