The University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra has been named the 2023 winner of The American Prize in Orchestral Performance for larger college/university programs. The UTSO, under music director and conductor James Fellenbaum, is a part of the UT College of Music.
The stated goal of The American Prize is to recognize and reward the best performing artists, directors, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings.
“It’s an evaluation and contest platform,” Fellenbaum explained, “that many orchestras, composers, conductors, etc. have entered to aid in promotion of their work, and to gain recognition for their successes. As another example: last fall 2022, Alex Lapins performed Todd Goodman’s Tuba Concerto 2 with the UTSO, and that work (in its original tuba and piano version) is a candidate/finalist in the composition category for The American Prize.”
Other finalists in this category of competition went to Rutgers Symphony and Purdue Philharmonic (a tie for second place), Baylor Symphony Orchestra (3rd place), and James Madison University Symphony Orchestra (honorable mention).
Congratulations to Maestro Fellenbaum and the UT Symphony! This is great news for UT and for the arts community in Knoxville.!
Congratulations to Maestro Fellenbaum and the University of Tennessee orchestra! Mr. Fellenbaum has had such a positive influence on both the UTK orchestra and the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra! We are fortunate to have him in Knoxville!
I’m so proud of everyone involved! Way to go Mo. Fellenbaum, and the talented students who worked with him to achieve this award.