For distinguished musical composition by an American in any of the larger forms including chamber, orchestral, choral, opera, song, dance, or other forms of musical theatre, which has had its first performance in the United States during the year, One thousand dollars ($1,000).
Aftertones of Infinity , by Joseph Schwantner
First performed by the American Composers Orchestra on January 29, 1979 in Alice Tully Hall New York City.
The Jury
The Jury
Ulysses Kay(Chair)
Professor of Music, Lehman College
Norman Dello Joio*
University Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Music, Boston University
Richard Wernick*
Professor of Music, University of Pennsylvania
Winners in Music
Michael Colgrass
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and premiered by that orchestra October 20, 1977.
Richard Wernick
For mezzo-soprano and orchestra, premiered at the Aspen Music Festival, July 19, 1976. It was commissioned by the Festival's Conference on Contemporary Music, with assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ned Rorem
First performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on December 5, 1975. It is subtitled "Ten Etudes of Orchestra."
Dominick Argento
For medium voice and piano, commissioned by the Schubert Club of St. Paul, and premiered January 5, 1975 in Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis.