Oct. 12, 2005
NEW YORK CITY—The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is pleased to announce that BARRIE CABENA, a resident of Guelph (Ontario, Canada), has won the 2004–2006 Holtkamp–AGO Award in Organ Composition. His winning composition, Six Sketches on Children’s Hymns, is a nine-minute suite based upon six hymn tunes: Away in a Manger (cradle song); God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall (providence); Jesus, Tender Shepherd, Hear Me (shipston); Jesus Loves Me; Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep (orientis partibus); and All Things Bright and Beautiful (royal oak). The work will be performed at the AGO National Convention in Chicago, Ill., July 2–6, 2006 and published by Hinshaw Music Inc.
The American Guild of Organists sponsors two biennial competitions in music composition: the AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition and the Holtkamp–AGO Award in Organ Composition. Cabena’s anthem, The Day of Pentecost, was selected as the winner of the AGO/ECS Publishing Award earlier this year. This is the first time in the history of these competitions that a single composer has won both awards in the same year.
The HOLTKAMP–AGO AWARD IN ORGAN COMPOSITION is a unique collaboration between three organizations dedicated to promoting and enriching the repertoire for the organ: the AGO, a not-for-profit national organization dedicated to the advancement of the organ and choral music professions; the Holtkamp Organ Company, a member of the professional organbuilding community; and Hinshaw Music Inc., music publishers. Established in 1983 and held biennially, the competition for the Holtkamp–AGO Award is open to all. Works submitted to the competition must be unpublished. The award includes a $2,000 cash prize provided by the Holtkamp Organ Company, publication by Hinshaw Music Inc., and a performance at the AGO National Convention. Nineteen composers competed for the 2006 award. The competition judges were Donald Erb (Cleveland, Ohio), Craig Phillips (Beverly Hills, Calif.), and Catherine Rodland (Northfield, Minn.).
BARRIE CABENA has a rich musical background with nearly 500 compositions to his credit. In addition, he has written a sizable quantity of verse, some of which he has included in his compositions. His organ and choral works have been broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for more than 37 years. Recent commissions include an unaccompanied violin sonata by Jeunesse Musicale du Canada, which was performed by Jonathan Crow of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and broadcast on Radio Canada, and an organ work commissioned by William O’Meara, which was premiered at the Turin Organ Festival in Italy. His Requiem for the Victims of Terrorism, composed in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack, was recently recorded for broadcast on CBC radio.
Dr. Cabena has been a church organist in London, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Guelph (Ontario, Canada), where his choirs gained a reputation for quality and skill. He has worked as an accompanist with Elmer Iseler, Jan Overduin, Noel Edison, and Howard Dyck. After 27 years on the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, he took early retirement in 1996, but as Professor Emeritus of Wilfrid Laurier, he continues to maintain a keen interest in music education.
Barrie Cabana was born in Melbourne, Australia, where he studied with A.E.H. Nickson. After further studies in England at the Royal College of Music, he made North America his home and the inspiration for his creative life. He now lives in Guelph with his wife Sheri and son Daniel. He is artistic adviser to the Guelph Spring Festival, which is celebrating its 38th season.
The AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS is the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields. Founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization, it sets and maintains high musical standards and promotes the understanding and appreciation of all aspects of organ and choral music. The mission of the AGO is to enrich lives through organ and choral music. The Guild currently serves approximately 19,000 members in more than 300 local chapters throughout the United States and abroad. The American Organist Magazine, the official journal of the AGO and the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, reaches an audience of more than 20,000 readers each month.
This information is submitted by F. Anthony Thurman, Director of Development and Communications at the National Headquarters of the American Guild of Organists and The American Organist Magazine. For further information, please contact Dr. Thurman by TEL (212) 870-2310, FAX (212) 870-2163 or E-MAIL fathurman@agohq.org.
