Department News

Cornell Orchestras win top award for Adventurous Programming | Mon Jun 11, 2012

On Friday, June 8, twenty-four American orchestras were recognized with 2011-12 ASCAP/League Awards for Adventurous Programming at the League of American Orchestras’ 67th Annual Conference in Dallas. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the League present the awards each year to orchestras of all sizes for programs that stimulate the audience, build the repertoire, and strengthen support for new work in this country and abroad.

Awards are based not only on the number of works performed which were written in the last 25 years, but also on the variety and creativity of new-music programming and presentation during the season. The independent jury gives special attention to commissioned works and to world, United States, and local premieres. Since their establishment in 1959, the ASCAP/League Awards for Adventurous Programming have paid more than $600,000 to American orchestras.

In the Collegiate Orchestras category, the Cornell Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, under the direction of Chris Younghoon Kim, took first place.  This is the fifth award given to the Cornell Orchestras in the past five years.  Third place finishes were awarded in 2007-08 and 2009-10; second place in 2010-11; and in 2008-09 and this past year, Cornell took the top award.

Second place went to the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of  Jeffery Meyer, and third place was awarded to the University of Denver's Lamont Symphony Orchestra; Lawrence Golan, conductor.

Read the full ASCAP release here.