Panayiotis Kokoras’ Sonic Vertigo wins the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Choral Composition Competition

February 12, 2012

Simon Carrington Chamber Singers

PANAYIOTIS KOKORAS’ SONIC VERTIGO WINS
SIMON CARRINGTON CHAMBER SINGERS CHORAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION

February 10, 2012 KANSAS CITY, MO – The Simon Carrington Chamber Singers have selected Greek composer Panayiotis Kokoras’ Sonic Vertigo as the winning piece of the 2012 Simon Carrington Chamber Singers Choral Composition Competition.

Sonic Vertigo, is a “sonic adventure” detailing the Argo’s journey past the island of the Sirens during which Orpheus must sing above the Siren’s song so as to keep his fellow Argonauts from being lured to their deaths. Written for sixteen amplified voices and electronics, this is a bold piece with striking, unforgettable sounds.

SCCS will partner with KcEMA (Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance) for the technical aspects of the piece, creating an unprecedented collaboration for choral music in Kansas City.  The Kansas City performance on June 1 marks the piece’s United States premiere. Kokoras’ work was selected from an international pool of 112 submissions from 85 composers. In addition to two concert performances, Sonic Vertigo will be recorded by SCCS and Kokoras will receive a cash prize.

Panayiotis Kokoras (b. 1974) studied composition and classical guitar in Athens, Greece. In 1999 he moved to England, for postgraduate studies where he completed a M.A. and Ph.D. in composition with Tony Myatt at the University of York with funds from Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB) and Aleksandra Trianti Music Scholarships (Society Friends of Music) among others. His works have been commissioned by institutes and festivals such as FROMM (Harvard University) IRCAM (France), MATA (New York), Spring Festival (The University of York), Gaudeamus (Netherlands), ZKM (Germany), IMEB (France), and regularly performed in over 400 concerts in 70 cities around the world. His compositions have received 40 distinctions and prizes in international competitions among others Prix Ars Electronica 2011 (Austria), Métamorphoses 2010 & 2000 (Belgium), Giga-Hertz Music Award 2009 (Germany), ECPNM 2009 (Sweden), Bourges 2009, 2008 and 2004 (France), Gianni Bergamo 2007 (Switzerland), Pierre Schaeffer 2005 (Italy), Musica Viva 2005 and 2002 (Portugal), Look and Listen Prize 2004 (New York), Gaudeamus 2004 and 2003 (Holland), Jurgenson Competition 2003 (Russia), Seoul international competition 2003 (Korea), Takemitsu Composition Award 2002 (Japan), Noroit Prize 2002 (France), CIMESP 2002 (Brazil). Moreover, they have been selected by juries at more than 100 international call for score opportunities.

SCCS is a world class choral music ensemble based in Kansas City. The group was founded in 2008 with the goal of bringing together former Carrington students, now singers of high standing in their own right, who shared the desire to form an elite professional vocal chamber ensemble under Carrington’s direction.

Prior to teaching choral music in the United States, Carrington was a co-founder and long-time director of The King’s Singers, an internationally acclaimed British vocal ensemble. He is now a renowned choral conductor and clinician, who served as the director of choral activities at the University of Kansas, director of choral activities at the New England Conservatory, professor of choral conducting at Yale University and director of the Yale Schola Cantorum.

The SCCS fourth season concerts will take place on June 1 and June 2, 2012. The first will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri, and the second will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence, Kansas. Tickets cost $20 for general admission and $10 for students. For more information, go to www.simoncarringtonchambersingers.com.

2012 SCCS CCC Finalists (alphabetical by composer's last name)

Dominick DiOrio: Ode to Purcell for solo SATB quartet and SSAATTBB

Charles Halka: Dipukų Rauda for SSAATTBBB>

Panayiotis Kokoras: Sonic Vertigo for SSSSAAAATTTTBBBB and tape

Robert Paterson: A Dream within a Dream for SSAATTBB

Mike Solomon: Das Zauberbuch for SAATB, obbligato piano, triangle, and tape

Mari Valverde: Still wie die Nacht for SSAATTBB