|
Ranking of previous contests
|
|
17st
Contest
Closed
April 2007
|
|
Music of the Third Kind
The aim was to write a complete music piece,
based on a little
pattern of a few notes. This pattern had to appear in the score,
and if possible be used as the general theme of the piece.
Pattern
in WAV format
|
 Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces |
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
|
3rd Prize
Rob
Ainsley for "Last Chance in Trieste
Wins a GOLD sound
base
CD
|
|
15th
Contest
Closed
31st of january 2006
|
|
The
mandatory topic was to illustrate musically the "Sonnet 73" by
Shakespeare:
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces |
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
"A bewitching atmosphere for
this piece,
that fits well the spirit of the sonnet"
"Orchestration
is
surprising, very pleasant, and the mixing is
outstanding.
Musically, it's nice too. The good counterpoint contributes to the
feeling of limpidiness that comes out. Thumbs up!"
"Minor, with a slow tempo and
some ancient
or foreign instruments give to this piece a somewhat special
feeling"
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD and a
Myriad T-Shirt
"Huge work, and excellent page
setup"
"I don't think a so accomplished piece had
been ever
submitted to this contest."
"This piece fits the theme
very well:
gloomy, tense and dark.
The composer plays much on tension-thaw, very efficient!
Sounds sometimes like Stravinsky, but its modernity isn't
disturbing at all, it serves well the topic.
A good mastering of music is needed to write such a wide-ranging
piece, there are probably years of study and work to reach this
point."
|
3rd Prize
Lutz
Stahlhofen : Sonnet 73
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD
"Palm of originality, while fitting the
topic well.
The composer dare to use a rock atmosphere, and he does it well,
insomuch it wouldn't be surprising to hear a hard rock band cover
this piece live!"
"The subject is well controled. It's pleasant and well
written, with some nice discoveries that makes the guitar sound
realistic.
A success !"
|
| The jury wishes to congratulate ALL the competitors for
the
excellent quality of their work. |
14th Contest
Closed
31st of august 2005
|
|
The subject of the contest was to illustrate musically a work of
art by Christine THELOT.
"Petit hommage à Vincent"
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces |
|
1st Prize
Will receive the
original work of
art.
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
"Matches perfectly the topic".
"At last, a piece in real connection with the topic. The
"Provençal" color sounds genuine. Notation quality is also
remarkable. "
"Some originality in the style, and a rather successful performance
that connects the title and the topic."
"Pleasant, a little bit puzzling
as expected. A piece that succeed pretty well in linking topic,
title and music"
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Excellent composition and orchestration.
Beautiful piece generally
speaking, nice to hear, many clues about the performance on this
score.
You almost see Vincent
van Gogh wander
through the fields.
|
3rd Prize
Allain
Hervé
"Duo
flûte et guitare"
Wins a GOLD sound
base
CD
Beautiful!
Superb ! Resolutely
contemporary piece, the classic guitar smoothness combined with the
flute vivacity and deftness makes a nice couple.A lot of key, time
signature and tempo changes draw a whirl
that carries us along.
Good guitar work. Interesting clef and key changes.
|
13th
Contest
closed
31st of March 2005
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces for the 13th
contest |
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces for the Mandatory
topic |
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Original style, well rendered atmosphere, excellent sounds. What
more can be asked?
Musicologically perfect
Entertaining, and the atmosphere is well rendered.
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Of course, Jazz is not my cup of tea, but the rhythmic section is
really beautiful, including its
realism. And some sax phrasing make me forget it is "only" a
score-driven computer.
|
3rd Prize
Carlsmose Ole
"Little Annie"
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD
Superb orchestration,
excellent work
on the sounds.
|
The mandatory topic was an illustration
of an
Andromeda photography:
12th
Contest
closed
31st of October 2004
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces for the 12th
contest |
Click
here to listen to the submitted pieces for the Mandatory
topic |
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Excellent atmosphere, as usual. Good work on sounds.
Still the same harmonic quality I'm never bored of. |
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
Very nice piece, with a simple and well balanced orchestration.
No unnecessary ornaments or too marked effects. The kind of piece
we'd want to hear (and see) more often.
The accuracy in writing is outstanding, as well as the work on the
expression and realism of the piano.
|
3rd Prize
Rodrigo
Ramirez Garcia
"Out of the bus"
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD
Some comments of jury members about this
piece:
From the first time I
listened to
the contest pieces, I think it's the most accomplished BigBand I
have encountered.
It doesn't mean it's perfect, because the theme is missing
something catchy, and the lack of panning doesn't enable to
appreciate the orchestration, but there is much originality, talent
and know-how in it.
|
11th
Contest
closed
31st of March 2004
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted tunes
|
|
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
A simple and efficient
piece, very
well orchestrated.
Excellent page setup.
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
An original piece, that
matches well
the spirit of this painting. Very good page setup.
Structure in AAB, sicilienne rhythm; once again Laurier controls
everything, it is almost more musicology than music. Except for the
popular feeling which is perfectly rendered.
|
3rd Prize
Eric
Park
"Ballad for a Good Harvest"
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD
Some comments of jury members about this
piece:
Soft piece, a bit
gloomy; excellent
clarinet and piccolo duet.
The I-VI-II-V chord progression
is not used in a so direct way since the beginning of the 60's.
|
The winner is
Laurier
Nappert
for "Jour de Moisson"
Each music piece submitted to the contest could also compete for
the special prize "mandatory topic".
The piece had to illustrate "The
harvesters" (1565), a painting from Pieter Brugel
An original piece, that
matches well
the spirit of this painting. Very good page setup.
Structure in AAB,
sicilienne rhythm;
once again Laurier controls everything, it is almost more
musicology than music. Except for the popular feeling which is
perfectly rendered.
|
Tenth
session
closed
the 31st of Januray 2004
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted tune
|
|
|
1st
Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
Great qualities in harmony. This pieces is at the same time
charming and delicate. Guitar parts are very creative. We can feel
a musical tradition in their use.
Very absorbing, despite its appearance of a style exercice.
And a great writing, that make think the author knows perfectly
each instrument he uses!
Excellent work on the
chromatic
instruments and percussive sounds as well as on the instrument
balance.
|
2nd
Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
M Zarkh goes out his
usual style, and
it is a success.
Sound particularly well
with the GOLD
sound base.
|
3rd
Prize
Laurier
Nappert
"le
Départ"
Wins a GOLD sound
base CD
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
Excellent work on the Virtual Singer voice.
Calm and sensitive.
As usual, Laurier submits a piece without parade, all in niceties
and subtlety.
|
The winner is
Claude
Lachapelle
with"Aube"
Competitors had to illustrate the poem
Spring dawn
(Meng
Hao-ran)
In spring
the sleep does
not end with the dawn
Bird chirps can be
heard, coming
from everywhere
The night finally
ends in the
breath of water
Who knows how many
flowers have
fallen again?
Very atmospheric music. Claude has put a lot
of work into
the effects in the shakuhachi part and it really adds to the
natural beauty of the sound.
|
|
Ninth session
closed the
31st of October,
2003
|
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted tunes
|
Click here to read Franck Robert interview
|
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece: "No concern for
clarity in the way it is written. But the result is remarkable!
Imagine this piece stored in AIFF or MP3. Who could be sure it is
not a "live" recording? Bravo."
"A tribute to Esme. Very well built"
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very pleasant. Cello sounds are maybe a bit too modern for the
genre, but it is a really minor issue.
I remarked the effort made to write the Dulcimer staff without
using merged staves: brave!"
"Good rendering, good style"
|
3rd Prize
Henry
Zarkh
"Jewish Funeral in New Orleans"
Wins a GOLD sound base CD
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece: "I am reassured now: he can do something else! Marrying
New Orleans and Yiddish styles was a risky bet , but the result
appears absolutely natural and likely."
|
Eighth
session
closed the 31st of July, 2003 |
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted tunes
|
Click here to read Jaime Romero interview
|
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of the jury for the next
sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Excellent work. Very professional. Splendid page setup." |
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"A "feel good" piece by someone who understands Celtic Music."
|
3rd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD
Some comments of jury members about this piece: "This trio has been
put together by a craftsman!" |
Seventh
session
closed the 17th of March, 2003 |
|
Click
here to listen to the submitted tunes
|
Click here to read Louis-René Blaire interview
|
|
1st Prize
Blaire
Louis René
"Melpomene
Polka"
Wins an harmonica
HOHNER
MEISTERKLASSE (C) and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"There are music styles you scorn a bit until a piece jumps to your
eyes:
from the very first bars of this one, my certainty collapsed!
Writing, orchestration, voice balance, harmonic control,
realism...
I wish I could do the same on each of these topics."
"A genre that has not been much explored till now,
but
marvelously well written.
Sounds especially well using the GOLD sound base.
Instrument panning deserved to be more neat though.
Thirteen seconds of work on this field would have given this
piece
an incomparable dimension"
|
2nd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD and a Myriad
T-Shirt
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"A piece with a great harmonic and aesthetic richness.
Probably a serious background behind that."
"Excellent work. I really appreciate this piece. Excellent use of
custom
instruments."
"Very nice melody, surprising and enchanting, played by
soprano then tenor sax solists."
"I love the saxophone solo in the middle."
|
3rd Prize
Wins a GOLD sound base CD
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
""Like a mysterious woman, this piece really grows on you."
"Good sound and romantic mood." |
Sixth session
closed the
16th of December,
2002 |
|
Click
here to listen submitted tunes
|
Click here to read Franck Aguila interview
|
|
1st
Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE (C)
and a Myriad T-Shirt
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very good composing work, and beautiful aural quality. It seems a
real Jazz orchestra is playing just in front of you"
"Excellent sound adjustment in GOLD sound base. Beutiful piece,
just as cool as needed" |
2nd Prize
wins a CD by Mark Strange, a GOLD sound
base
CD and a Myriad T-Shirt
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"One of the best work with Virtual Singer I have ever heard. Good
voice adjustment (panning and volume). Excellent page setup."
"Excellent use of Virtual Singer. A real style." |
3rd Prize
wins a a GOLD sound base CD
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very powerful and accomplished composing work. Good page setup.
Instrument are well balanced (panning and volume)" |
Fifth
session
closed the 31st of August, 2002 |
|
|
Click here to read Claude
Lachapelle interview
|
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE
(C)
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very nice beat and accompaniment, especially with the Gold sound
base. "
"If you're not dancing by the second bar, you must be in a coma or
just a sound sleeper. Party on!" |
2nd Prize
wins a CD by Mark Strange, a licence for
Harmony Assistant and a GOLD sound base CD
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"I really like the sophistication of your orchestration."
"Nice classical work. Good page setup. Excellent use of
instruments. I like it." |
wins a license for Melody Assistant and
Virtual Singer
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"A simple, beautiful and atmospheric piece."
"Very interesting work. Very mature. Nice use of the various
instruments." |
Fourth
session
closed the 30th of April, 2002 |
|
|
Click here to read Esmeralda
Weatherwax interview
|
|
1st
Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE
(C)
and will be part of
the jury for
the next sessions
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Excellent piece. Smooth & relaxing. Nice use of
instrumental interlude between verses. ".
"I loved the charming simplicity of this piece with its Irish
flavour and very appropriate orchestration" |
2nd Prize
wins a CD by Mark Strange, a CD by Carmel
Morris and a licence for Harmony Assistant
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very nice solo and accompaniment. The duet sections added a
lot also" |
3rd Prize
Sylvain
Machefert
"Time to Party"
wins a license for Melody Assistant and Virtual Singer
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece: "Excellent use of digital effects"
"I like the dance beat
a lot.
Good synthesizer effects!"
"I am impressed with special effects! Oh, yeah - it's party
time!"
|
Third session
closed the
30th of November,
2001 |
|
Special
greetings to the young composers who participated to this contest
session:
Andrew Cannata (14 years old) and Julien Faure (13 years
old) |
Click here to read David Clark interview
|
|
1st
Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE
(C)
and will be part of
the jury for
the next session
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Very pretty. Good orchestral interplay.".
"Just one word: great! Well balanced, well orchestrated. Great
piece!"
"Excellent melody line. Instruments are very well adjusted. Drums
parts are nice too" |
2nd Prize
wins a CD by Mark Strange, a CD by Carmel
Morris and a licence for Harmony Assistant
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"A cool blues number with interesting guitar arrangements". |
3rd Prize
Laurier
Nappert
for "La Cumbia Quebequense"
wins a license for
Melody
Assistant and Virtual Singer
Some comments of jury
members about
this piece:
"Perfect song form for the piece. Loved the percussion and brass.
Nice latin feel"
"I can visualize all the townspeople dancing to this uplifting
piece during festival"
|
|
Second
session
closed the
31th of July,
2001 |
|
|
Click here to read Dragomir Draganov
interview
|
|
1st
Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE
(C)
and will be part of
the jury for
the next session
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"This piece has an amazing sound, sometimes you cannot believe it's
really
Melody/Harmony. It's ideal to relax and dream - great!"
"This wonderful composition contains enough twists and turns
to keep the listener interested. I also found the expressiveness
of
the guitar parts are the best I've heard produced in
Melody/Harmony
Assistant." |
2nd Prize
wins a CD by Mark Strange, a CD by Carmel
Morris and a licence for Harmony Assistant
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"This piece has an amazing sound, sometimes you cannot believe it's
really
Melody/Harmony. It's ideal to relax and dream - great!"
"This wonderful composition contains enough twists and turns
to keep the listener interested. I also found the expressiveness
of
the guitar parts are the best I've heard produced in
Melody/Harmony
Assistant." |
3rd Prize
Jaime
Romero
for "Confesiones"
Wins a license for
Melody
Assistant and Virtual Singer
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Latin Jazz seems to be this composers specialty. Very nice
arrangement."
"A ray of sun from South America ".
|
First
session
closed the 30th of April, 2001 |
|
|
Click here to read Mark Strange
interview
|
|
1st Prize
Wins an harmonica HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE
(C)
and will be part of
the jury for
the next session
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"This amazing piece allies perfectly classical instruments from
Beethoven and more "heavy metal" instruments from Metallica".
"Some of the better slows ever written have been played by
hard-rock bands (think about Scorpion's "Still loving you"). This
piece is one of them. [...]
Surely, the composer is a member of a rock band. If he does not, he
should." |
2nd Prize
Wins a license for Harmony
Assistant
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"This piece is simple greatly written. Nice to ear, on the midway
between Sor and Villa-Lobos, it uses different guitar
techniques.[...].
Obviously, a chef-d'oeuvre from a master"
"I have been totally stuck by this classical guitar
masterpiece. I just can say: bravo." |
3rd Prize
Johnson
Wesley
for "Samba in repose"
Wins a license for
Melody
Assistant and Virtual Singer
Some comments of jury members about this piece:
"Gilberto, Getz, Jobim, here are the names which came to my memory
when I was listening to this greatly written piece."
|
|
