Bangkok--11 Jun--Conrad Bangkok The First Thai Young Composer Narong Prangcharoen WON the Annapolis Charter 300 Young Composers Competition USA : Mr. R. Lee Streby, President of Annapolis Symphony Orchestra(ASO), has recently announced that a talented Thai young composer Narong Prangcharoen, has won the world-class award, distinguished by international jurors to be the WINNER of the ANNAPOLIS CHARTER 300 YOUNG COMPOSER'S COMPETITION from the piece in Thai name “Tri Sattawat”. With 6 votes from 7 final round jurors, Narong Prangcharoen is clearly the winner of the competition. He has also won the audience and musician votes that were collected and tabulated by the surveys. As the Winner, Narong will receive in total of $10,000 and his work will be recorded in Charter 300 Commemorative Recording 2008 by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, together with historical masterworks composed by Arcangelo Corelli (1708), Ludwig van Beethoven (1808), Joseph-Maurice Ravel(1908) and Narong for 2008. “Tri Sattawat” will be performed live on stage for the world recognition on November 7th and 8th, 2008 which is the same period when the Charter was signed in November 1708. Narong will collect the award on 7 November 2008 at Annapolis, Maryland — USA. It is not only his pride as the Winner, but also his pride for Thailand. Background: ANNAPOLIS CHARTER 300 YOUNG COMPOSERS COMPETITION The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra announced the last four finalists of Annapolis Charter 300 Young Composers Competition. The four finalists represent a diverse group of gifted composers that were selected from over a hundred international applicants by the competition's first round jury of music professionals. The four finalists are 25 years old composer Jacob Bancks from Chicago, IL ; 33 years old Kristin Kuster from New York, NY; 25 years old Dan Visconti from Arlington, VA; and 33 years old Narong Prangcharoen from Thailand (also residing in Kansas City, MO). Each finalist has received a $5,000 commission to write one new orchestral piece for the ASO to use as a cultural celebration of the City of Annapolis' 300th Charter Centennial in 2008. All four works will be given World Premiere performances during the ASO's 2007-2008 Lexus Classic Series concerts at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. The winner will receive an additional $5,000 honorarium and recording opportunity. The first round jury panel consisted of: Jos?-Luis Novo, ASO Music Director Kathryn Alexander, Associate Professor of Music (Composition/Music Technology), Yale University, Department of Music Gabriela Lena Frank, Composer James Ross, Associate Professor of Conducting and Director of Orchestral Activities, University of Maryland, School of Music Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, Associate Professor of Composition, University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music. From January through March, the five members of the first round jury evaluated representative musical scores and recordings by the applicants, each anonymously labeled without any personal identifying information. The composers were narrowed to the final four through a deliberation process agreed upon by the jurors themselves. As each finalist's competition piece is premiered during the ASO’s 2007-2008 concerts, a unique second round jury process will be used to determine the ultimate title winner. The composer earning the most votes from diverse sources, including music experts, musicians, and audiences, will be named the winner, and receive an additional $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to have their work included on a planned Charter 300 Commemorative Recording by the orchestra in 2008, alongside masterworks marking cultural history, composed in 1708, 1808, and 1908 respectively. At ASO season finale performances, with much excitement and joy, Maestro Novo announced the names of the distinguished expert jurors in the final round of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra Charter 300 Young Composers Competition. The world-class panel will help choose the winner from among the four finalists are: MARIN ALSOP, MUSIC DIRECTOR, BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GERARD SCHWARZ, MUSIC DIRECTOR, SEATTLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, EASTERN MUSIC FESTIVAL BRIGHT SHENG, COMPOSER JOSHUA KOSMAN, MUSIC CRITIC, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE JOS?-LUIS NOVO, MUSIC DIRECTOR, ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BINGHAMTON PHILHARMONIC ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS (by survey) ASO AUDIENCES (by survey) Copies of the final scores and the premiere archive recordings will be shipped to the panelists, and the staff will be tallying the final musician and audience votes. The winning composer piece will be scheduled to be performed again by the ASO on November 7-8, 2008, to be part of the Charter 300 live recording concerts. Thai composer wins coveted ASO award After a yearlong competition, a Thai composer has won a coveted award from the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra. Narong Prangcharoen is the winner of the Annapolis Charter 300 Young Composers Competition, besting three other finalists and taking the $5,000 prize. He'll also get the chance to have his nine-minute work, "Tri-Sattawat" ("Three Centuries"), included on the ASO's first professional recording, which will be out in late 2008 or early 2009, according to the symphony."We're proud and thrilled," said symphony President Lee Streby. "There was a very tight competition." Mr. Prangcharoen is currently in Thailand, but issued a statement to the ASO via e-mail that read in part: "It is one of the great honors in my life to be part of this historical project. I have wonderful memories from my Annapolis visit in February (when his work was performed)." Mr. Prangcharoen got six of a possible seven votes to win. Five music experts weighed in - including ASO Music Director Jose-Luis Novo and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Music Director Marin Alsop - as did audiences and the symphony's musicians. The audiences filled out surveys after the four works in the competition were performed this season, and these were compiled into one vote, as were the opinions of the musicians. The three other finalists were Dan Visconti, Jacob Bancks and Kristin Kuster. Interestingly, Mr. Prangcharoen was the only one of the four who hadn't visited Annapolis before the works were performed. Mr. Streby said Mr. Prangcharoen will be back in the city in November when the recording is made at two live concerts. We truly seek for your kind support to publicize this pride of Thailand For more information, pictures of Narong or interviews, please contact Khun Kongrit at 08 9113 0282 Email : [email protected]