Matt Ridge has won the collegiate solo division of The American Prize (Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music) as both composer and performer of his work, “Small Talk (A Portrait of Social Skepticism)” for drum set and electronics, using the premiere recording of the piece from the December 2018 CECM recital. Among the many contests of The American Prize, the Bacon Award is unique. It recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide, based on submitted recordings. Beginning in 2017-18, categories were expanded to encompass performances of American music in practically any instrumentation or genre, with very few repertoire restrictions. Focused exclusively on works by American composers from any period and in any style, the contest not only judges performances, but in the case of new or unfamiliar works, the music itself.

DM student Yi-De Chen’s chamber work, Street Sketch (2016), will be featured in the 2020 Taipei International New Music Festival, held by the Taiwan Section of the International Society for Contemporary Music.

Street Sketch, inspired by Chen’s early impressions of Bloomington, will be performed on October 31, 2020 at the Recital Hall of the National Performing Arts Center, Taiwan. The professional and talented musicians, Yi-Hui Lin (flute), Lee-Wen Chang (viola), and Wei Hsin Huang (vibraphone), will interpret the work’s beauty. From October to December each year since 2012, Taipei International New Music Festival has featured concerts, lectures, and seminars.