Photo by James Hirschfeld. From L to R, John Nuechterlein, President and CEO, American Composers Forum, Christopher Otto, JACK Quartet violinist, Kevin McFarland, JACK Quartet cellist, Taylor Brook, 2012 Finale National Composition Contest finalist, Michelle Lou, 2012 Finale National Composition Contest winner, Nathan Shields, 2012 Finale National Composition Contest finalist, John Pickford Richards, JACK Quartet violist, Ari Streisfeld, JACK Quartet violinist, Beth Sorensen, Vice President, Emerging Music Technology, MakeMusic.

The 2012 Finale National Composition Competition culminated at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City on Friday, September 14.

The reading session with JACK Quartet was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience including American Composer Forum board members, ASCAP and BMI representatives, publishers, composition faculty from Juilliard and Columbia, Beth Sorensen (MakeMusic’s Vice President of Emerging Music Technology), and other guests.

Frank J. Oteri, of newmusicbox.org, posted a great article describing the evening on their blog.

The winner?

Michelle Lou won the first prize for her piece “Porcupine.” One of the great things about this contest is that it seems to foster additional performances – and not just for the winner. According to Mr. Oteri, JACK Quartet plans to keep all three finalist pieces in their repertoire, and I know that eighth blackbird has programmed more than one finalists’ piece from last year’s contest. (Speaking of that contest here’s a new piece on winner Andy Akiho – scroll to the bottom to see video of eight blackbird performing his winning piece.)

Below is a candid shot of Michelle talking to the members of JACK during the rehearsal of her piece.