2014 WINNER & RUNNERS-UP: community division

Maestro Vytautas Marijosius

The American Prize is pleased to announce the winners and runners-up for The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award, 2014. Awards will be made in two divisions this year: collegiate and community. Here are results in the community division.

Please make us aware of any misprints by emailing: theamericanprize@gmail.com 

For nearly thirty five years Director of Orchestral Activities at the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford, Vytautas Marijosius programmed concerts that were alive in every sense—not programming for novelty’s sake, nor neglecting the great masters of the past—but always bringing to the awareness of his students and his audiences great composers of the current time and potential masters of the future. I believe he would be pleased in different ways with each of this year's honorees." —DK

For more about Maestro Marijosius, please visit the companion blog here.

The American Prize in Orchestral Programming
Maestro Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award
—Community Division 

The American Prize Winner:

Andrew Koehler, music director  
Kalamazoo Philharmonia
Kalamazoo  MI

Andrew Koehler

Andrew Koehler is currently the music director of the Kalamazoo Philharmonia, which he leads as part of his position as an associate professor of music at Kalamazoo College. In recent seasons, he has appeared as a guest with the West Michigan Symphony; the Lyatoshynsky Chamber Orchestra in Kyiv, Ukraine; and the Festival South Chamber Orchestra in Mississippi, among others. Recently, he took part in the 9th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Conductor’s Competition in Katowice, Poland, where he won First Distinction and the Youth Jury Prize. Andrew is a graduate of Yale College, where he completed a B.A. in Music and German Studies (graduating with honors and distinction in both majors).  He holds a certificate in conducting from the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, where he studied for two years as a Fulbright scholar, as well as a Masters degree from Northwestern University.


2nd Place:
Robert W. Boardman, music director
South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra
South Bend  IN

Robert W. Boardman

Robert W. Boardman, a native of Ithaca, New York, is currently Music Director and Conductor of the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Artistic Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's webcast, "Life from Orchestra Hall." He has assisted Marin Alsop at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and served as Associate Conductor for CAMI's worldwide tour of Howard Shore's "The Lord of the Rings Symphony."

Boardman received the DMA in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan in 2010 where he studied with Kenneth Kiesler. He has participated in dozens of workshops nationwide and been a participant in masterclasses with conductors Larry Rachleff, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Mazur, Gustav Meier, JoAnn Falletta, and many other fine pedagogues.


3rd Place (there was a tie):
Donald Appert, music director
Oregon Sinfonietta
Portland  OR

Donald Appert

Donald Appert has been Music Director/Conductor of the Oregon Sinfonietta since 2000. He has guest conducted orchestras in Europe, Central America, Japan and Australia. Currently he is a Professor of Music and Head of the Music Department at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. In addition he is the Music Director/Conductor of the Clark College Orchestra and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Jewish Community Orchestra in Portland, Oregon.  He received The American Prize in Orchestral Programming—Vytautas Marijosius  Memorial Award in 2011 for his work with the Oregon Sinfonietta and an Honorable Mention in 2012. He has received the  ASCAPLUS Award numerous times. Videos of his conducting and his original compositions may be seen and heard via the Internet on his web site at www.maestroappert.com.  

3rd Place (there was a tie):
Nan Harrison Washburn, music director
Michigan Philharmonic
Plymouth  MI

Nan Harrison Washburn

Nan Washburn, winner of The American Prize in Orchestral Conducting, professional division, in 2013, and recipient of 18 ASCAP awards, is in her 15th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Michigan Philharmonic. She has guest conducted the symphonies of Richmond, Sacramento, Wyoming, Eugene, Berkeley, Marin, Cheyenne, Dubuque, Stockton, Napa and the University of Michigan Philharmonia. Prior positions include Music Director of West Hollywood Orchestra, Orchestra Sonoma, Camellia Symphony, SF State University Orchestra and Channel Islands Symphony and the American Jazz Theater. Washburn studied at Music Academy of the West, U.C. Santa Barbara, New England Conservatory, Aspen Music Festival and the Conductors Institute. She has received the New York Women Composers’ Distinguished Service Award, Sonoma County Independent Indy Award, Girl Scout Role Model Award, KQED, San Francisco’s Outstanding Local Hero Award, City of West Hollywood Women in Leadership Award and recognized as an Sigma Alpha Iota National Arts Associate.

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Congratulations!