Masaya Taniguchi of Miyazaki City, Japan prevailed over 45 anonymous entrants, representing 14 countries and 14 states, to win the David P. ’60 and Susan W. Wohlhueter Jazz Composition Contest with his composition, “Fireflies of Kobayashi.”
IC Jazz Ensemble to Perform Winning Submission from Jazz Composition Contest
By Kyle Hornyak, February 22, 2022
Guest saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman to join performance.
Jazz ensemble practice. (Photo credit: Michael Grippi)
Jazz ensemble practice. (Photo credit: Michael Grippi)
Camille Thurman. (Photo submitted)
The piece will be performed by the IC Jazz Ensemble with featured guest saxophonist/vocalist Camille Thurman on Saturday, March 5 at 8:15 p.m. in Ford Hall, James J. Whalen Center for Music. The event will also be livestreamed.
“Susan and I were so impressed by the breadth of styles and cultures represented by this year’s entries,” said David Wohlhueter ’60, the alumnus who established the competition, now in its 11th year. “This contest is a wonderful opportunity for both the aspiring composers and the young musicians who select the winner and perform the piece with incredible guest artists.”
IC associate professor and jazz studies director Mike Titlebaum said, “This contest empowers students to evaluate music, and then to rehearse and perform that music with incredible world-renowned artists like Camille Thurman. Our community is deeply grateful to David and Susan Wohlhueter for their enduring support for jazz at Ithaca College.”
The contest was created to encourage composers to write for big bands and to give Ithaca College students the experience of evaluating and performing new music. Student judges use six primary criteria to assess submissions: quality, suitability, tradition, accessibility, appropriate level of difficulty, and professional notation.
Taniguchi was awarded $1,000 and will receive a recording of the jazz ensemble performing the piece with Thurman. View a complete list of previous competition winners and their compositions.