Aaron David Miller is the Pogorzelski-Yankee awarded composer for 2021. His commissioned piece is entitled Oceanic Vision. Its premiere has been temporarily postponed due to the pandemic. Oceanic Vision is a programmatic work depicting three impressions of the ocean environment: waves, sea life, and the horizon. The musical material is derived from the letters of each entitled section producing musical themes.
Henry Martin’s It’s About Time, was to be premiered in May, 2020; that concert has been temporarily postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guidelines for the 2022 Ronald G. Pogorzelski-Lester D. Yankee Annual Competition. Each competition cycle extends over 2 years. The current cycle began with the publication of the 2022 competition guidelines in The American Organist Magazine. A winner will be announced in late 2020 with a mid-2021 delivery date for the commissioned piece. The piece will be premiered (tentatively) the following spring, 2022 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
The Pogorzelski-Yankee Competition and Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Promising to add a new major composition to the organ repertoire every year in perpetuity, the new Pogorzelski-Yankee competition owes its existence to the astonishing generosity of two individuals. When Ronald G. Pogorzelski and Lester D. Yankee decided to give the largest bequest in AGO history they clearly sought to make a lasting impact upon the Guild. The bequest included the funding of college scholarships for organ study, the annual new music competition, and the donation and maintenance of their beloved R. J. Brunner & Company tracker house organ shown here in its former music room setting. Through a competitive search process the house organ has since found a permanent home at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). For the annual new music competition, Messrs. Pogorzelski and Yankee stipulated only that the winning work be composed for and performed on the organ in its new home.
The organ console in its new home at Indiana University of Pennsylvania appears on the left. See the specifications (N.B. on the Great division, the Gemshorn 8′ has been replaced by the Principal 8′.)
Rules for the competition will vary. Award: $10,000 cash prize; premiere performance on the Ronald G. Pogorzelski and Lester D. Yankee Organ at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, usually in the spring of each year.
Awarded Composers
2020 Composer, Henry Martin – It’s About Time
2019 Composer, Frederick Hohman – Listen to The Organ Icons and a discussion with Frederick Hohman.
2018 Composer, Chris LaRosa – Listen to Monument and discussion with Dr. LaRosa.
Listen to Monument in an orchestral version!
2017 Composer, Christopher Adler – Listen to Construct: for organ and a discussion with Professor Adler.
2016 Composer, Claude Baker – Listen to Sept Hommages and a half-hour interview with Dr. John Levey.
Committee on New Music
Louise Mundinger, MM, Director Email
David J. Hurd, Jr., MusD Email
Carol Feather Martin, MM Email
Alexander Meszler, DMA Email
M. Jonathan Ryan, Councillor for Competitions and New Music Email
AGO Headquarters Email
