AME Composition Competition
“AME is one of the brightest spots on the New York musical horizon!!!”
“AME performs with skill and sensibility almost bordering on magic. This is civilization at its finest.”
About the Competition
AME successfully mounted ten yearly composition competitions. The last four included three tiers, with winners and honorable mentions. Each winner received monetary awards ($1,000, $500, $300) and a performance of one of his or her works, and some of the composers who received honorable mentions, also received performances.
AME loves supporting living composers via our competition, but there are many costs involved, whether for the application process, compensation of the judges, the award money, and especially the NYC rehearsals, venue, PR and performances.
We need your help
AME is looking for a donor, underwriter, or organization that will endow our competition so we can keep it going into perpetuity. For more information, please contact us. In the meantime, please join us at our concerts in NYC, and in the summer, head to the Mostly Modern Festival, where AME joyfully celebrates and performs modern music in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Past Winners
Tenth COMPOSITION COMPETITION WINNERS (2016-17)
Tier III (Professional) (All Ages)
- Winner: Texu Kim - Monastic Sceneries
- Honorable Mention: Katherine Balch - New Geometry
- Honorable Mention: Mark Kilstofte - Ballistic Etude 3.1
- Honorable Mention: Michael Seltenreich - Sparks and Flares
- Honorable Mention: Gilad Cohen - Ten Variations
Tier II (Emerging) (18-35)
- Winner: Pierce Gradone - Time, Thickened
- Honorable Mention: Alexander Miller - Echoes in the Dark
Tier I (Young Artist) (22 and Under)
- Winner: Aaron Mencher - Fast-Forward
- Honorable Mention: Chris Neiner - Lacquer Prints
- Honorable Mention: Josiah Sprinkle - The Four Temperaments
Ninth Composition COMPETITION WINNERS (2014)
Tier III (Professional) (All Ages)
- Winner: John Fitz Rogers - Sehnen
- Honorable Mention: Max Grafe - Kheir
- Honorable Mention: Nicholas Omiccioli - push/pull
- Honorable Mention: Wayne Oquin - In Dreams Awake
Tier II (Emerging) (18-35)
- Winner: Gabriella Smith - Brandenburg Interstices
- Honorable Mention: Michael Gilbertson - who remembers day
- Honorable Mention: Carolina Heredia - Lus in Bello
- Honorable Mention: Alexander Miller - Echoes in the Dark
Tier I (Young Artist) (22 and Under)
- Winner: Vincent Gover - Brook’s Release
- Honorable Mention: Ryan Lindveit - Short Stories
AME Eighth Composition Competition Winners (2013)
Tier III (Professional) (All Ages)
- Winner: Carl Schimmel - Roadshow for Otto
- Honorable Mention: Nicolas Scherzinger - Fractured Mirrors
- Honorable Mention: Roger Zare - Fractal Miniatures
Tier II (Emerging) (18-35)
- Winner: Nicholas Omiccioli - Flourishes
- Honorable Mention: Paul Frucht - Echo in Roger’s Park
- Honorable Mention: Takuma Itoh - Undercurrent
Tier I (Young Artist) (22 and Under)
- Winner: Katherine Balch - Triple Point
- Honorable Mention: Molly Joyce - Parade
- Honorable Mention: Brendan McMullen - Seven Cicadas
AME Seventh Composition Competition Winners (2012)
Tier III (Professional) (All Ages)
- Winner: Alejandro Rutty - Black Box Bossa
- Honorable Mention: John Liberatore - Lennon Scatters and Fleeces His Flock
Tier II (Emerging) (Ages 18-35)
- Winner: Lembit Beecher - Frantic Gnarly Still
- Honorable Mention: Piotr Szewczyk - Nimbus
Tier I (Young Artist) (Age 22 and Under)
- Winner: Hillary Purrington - Fixed Mediums
- Honorable Mention: Loren Loiacono - Waking Rhythm
Past Winners*: 2011 and Earlier
- AME Sixth Composition Competion (2011): Eric Nathan
- AME Fifth Composition Competion (2010): Christopher Chandler
- AME Fourth Composition Competion (2009): Spencer Topel
- AME Third Composition Compete (2008): Derrick Wang
- AME Second Composition Competion (2007): Sean McClowry
- AME First Composition Competition (2006): Karim Al-Zand
*Composers who won prior to 2012 are now considered winners in the Tier II category, as these competitions were restricted to composers aged 18-35.