The ASCAP Foundation Names Winners Of Annual Young Jazz Composer Awards

New York, November 24, 2003. ASCAP Foundation President Marilyn Bergman has announced the winners of the second annual ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards. The program, established last year, was created to encourage gifted American jazz composers to create new works. Composers from throughout the United States ranging in age from 12 to 30 competed for the cash awards. Winning works were selected through a juried national competition.

Commenting on the awards, Marilyn Bergman said, “The young talents nurtured by this program represent the future of this uniquely American art form. We congratulate the recipients and extend thanks to the dedicated panel of ASCAP composers who selected the winners."

The 2003 ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award recipients are:
Michael E. Barile, 27, New Orleans, LA;
Nathaniel Beversluis, 26, Cincinnati, OH;
Zaccai Curtis, Windsor, CT;
Brian Eisenberg, 24, San Diego, CA;
Jesse Elder, 19, Rochester, MI;
Ross Garren, 18, Carmel, CA;
John Russell Heer, 22, Los Osos, CA;
Ayn Inserto, 27, Boston, MA;
Camille Jentgen, 23, Tucson, AZ;
Pascal Le Boeuf, 17, Santa Cruz, CA;
Remy Le Boeuf, 17, Santa Cruz, CA;
Michael MacAllister, 21, Boston, MA;
Andrew Neesley, 24, Eau Claire, WI;
Robert G. Reynolds, 26, Astoria, NY;
Danny Rivera, 16, Bellerose, NY;
Matthew D. Roberts, 21, N. Hollywood, CA;
Scott Routenberg, 24, Miami, FL;
Samuel Sadigursky, 24, Brooklyn, NY;
Jeffrey Schneider, 16, Cos Cob, CT;
Joey Schneider, 15, Novato, CA;
Kenneth Shanker, 23, Brooklyn, NY; and
Stephen C. Smith, 25, Wichita Falls, TX

The following composers were recognized with Honorable Mention:
Adam Benjamin, 26, Los Angeles, CA;
Alexander Brown, 16, Columbia, MD;
Kirk Danielson, 18, Carmel, CA;
Patrick A. Donaher, 28, Jamaica Plain, MA;
Matthew Endahl, 18, Williamston, MI;
Jeff Fairbanks, 23, Temple Terrace, FL;
William David Fastenow, 21, New York, NY;
Tyler Gilmore, 21, Riverton, WY;
Lisa Harriton, 22, Granada Hills, CA;
Ross La Fleur, 22, Charlotte, NC;
Karl Liechty, 22, Indianopolis, IN;
Aaron Lington, 28, Denton, TX;
Todd Marcus, 27, Baltimore, MD;
Charlie Smith, 24, Seattle, WA;
Colin J. Stranahan, 17, Highlands Ranch, CO; and
Christopher Ziemba, 16, Williamsville, NY.

The ASCAP composer/judges for the 2003 competition were: Frank Foster, Rufus Reid, and John Fedchock.

The ASCAP Foundation supports the American composer and the development of American music through educational programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants to young composers, music education programs, and public service projects for senior composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and music lovers throughout the United States.