Director Emeritus, Elizabeth Patterson, and Gloriæ Dei Cantores, have been awarded the 2019 American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award, recognizing Maestra Patterson’s conducting and leadership, as well as the ensemble’s performances and promotion of American music.
“I Will Set His Dominion in the Sea” by Bruce Neswick, recorded on The Lord is My Shepherd
“Two Psalms and a Proverb” by Ned Rorem recorded on The Lord is My Shepherd
“A Psalm Trilogy” by Samuel Adler on By the Rivers of Babylon
“Ms. Patterson is a true choral alchemist, and never fails to draw truly golden sound and beautifully nuanced singing from her hard-working musicians. Sacred illumination is their mission, and they achieve it with spiritual sincerity and power.”
―American Record Guide
The American Prize is the nation’s most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts providing awards, professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition for the best recorded performances by ensembles and individuals each year in the United States at all levels (Professional, University etc.) Among the many contests of The American Prize, the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music is unique. It recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide, based on submitted recordings.
Ernst Bacon (1898—1990) was one of that pioneering generation of composers who, along with Thomson, Copland, Harris, and others, found a voice for American music. Ernst Bacon set out to create compositions that expressed the vitality and affirmative spirit of our country. It is fitting, that The American Prize created an annual award in the memory of Ernst Bacon, recognizing the finest performances of American music worldwide.
Ernst Bacon (1898—1990) was one of that pioneering generation of composers who, along with Thomson, Copland, Harris, and others, found a voice for American music. Ernst Bacon set out to create compositions that expressed the vitality and affirmative spirit of our country. It is fitting, that The American Prize created an annual award in the memory of Ernst Bacon, recognizing the finest performances of American music worldwide.