Božičević Wins Pogorzelski-Yankee Annual Competition

 Croatian composer Ivan Božičević has won the 2026 AGO Pogorzelski-Yankee Annual Competition. He will compose a work for the R.J. Brunner & Co. house organ at Indiana University of Pennsylvania to be premiered in 2026. Božičević is also a previous winner of the AGO/ECS Publishing Award for Choral Composition (2014) and the AGO/Marilyn Mason Award for Organ Composition (2016).

Besides composing, Božičević is active as an organist, pianist, arranger, and jazz musician. He also leads the newly formed composition class at the Academy of Arts in Split, Croatia. His opus encompasses five symphonic compositions, orchestral, chamber, choral and soloistic works, as well as numerous electronic compositions. In recent years, organ has been his chief creative interest, leading to new works involving organ with electronics and/or computer-controlled organ. He is committed to modernizing the repertoire. 

Along with the AGO awards, Božičević received numerous composition prizes in Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA. Awards for his organ works include the Premio Cristóbal Halffter (Spain, 2016, for Summer triptych), Prix De Man (Netherlands, 2021, for Willows are Green, Flowers are Crimson) and European Organ Composition Competition (Luxembourg, 2022, for Organic Steelworks). 

Božičević’s works have been recorded on 17 commercial audio releases in the USA, Great Britain, Croatia, and Serbia. Albums devoted entirely to Ivan’s music (and available on all digital platforms) include: Summer in the World (2024, harpsichord), LP Duo plays Božičević (2021, two pianos), The Hut of the Phantom Dwelling (2019, solo piano), Ivan Božičević – Croatian Composer (2017, chamber works), Sotto mare, sopra aria (2005, jazz combo). 

Of special interest to AGO members will be the album of his organ music, The Moonpiper (2018), performed by the composer on the Zanin organ (2000) in Belgrade Cathedral.