Associate Professor of Composition Carter Pann.
Every year, hundreds of composers submit works to the Pulitzer Prize Board for consideration for the Pulitzer Prize in Music. Only three finalists are chosen; from those, one winner is selected.
A College of Music composer can now claim the distinct honor of being one of those three finalists.
This year was the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prizes, and as the dust settled and the winners were announced, Associate Professor of Composition Carter Pann was revealed to be one of the two finalists.
鈥淚 was very surprised and honored!鈥� says Pann.
The news founds its way to Pann during a rare lull in an ordinarily wall-to-wall schedule. He was enjoying a moment poolside on a trip to Miami to premiere two large-scale works at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.
鈥淎 former student of mine, Greg Simon, texted me and that鈥檚 how I found out,鈥� Pann says. 鈥淎fter that it was just a domino effect 鈥� former students started texting me and emails and tweets started rolling in.
鈥淸Actress] Mia Farrow even retweeted a tweet that mentioned it.鈥�
Pann says he was especially thrilled with the news considering the piece he submitted. 鈥淭he Mechanics: Six from the Shop Floor鈥� is a saxophone quartet鈥攏ot the usual Pulitzer fare.
鈥淭he Pulitzer is generally considered an orchestral or opera prize. This wasn鈥檛 my first time submitting, and this piece was a total shot in the dark,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚t was totally unexpected.鈥�
Perhaps what gave 鈥淭he Mechanics鈥� the edge, Pann suspects, was this particular recording, done with the Capitol Quartet,听鈥淭he first time I heard them during a concert in Grusin five years ago, I knew I wanted to write a piece for them,鈥� Pann recalls.
鈥淚 was so inspired by them that I found myself practically beating down the door to the green room after the concert, telling them I wanted to compose something for them.鈥�
The piece was written over the course of one intense month. Pann was in residence at theMacDowell Colony, a New Hampshire retreat for composers and other artists looking for a place to work free of distraction.
In his program notes, Pann explains that while writing the piece, he pictured the four members of the quartet dressed as old-fashioned auto mechanics, faces smudged with grease, performing in his brother鈥檚 taxicab stand and auto shop. Each movement brings to mind the clacking of a body shop and the churning, forward motion of an automobile.
Writing 鈥淭he Mechanics鈥� was a special experience given the unique source material and the concentrated time Pann could devote to the task. 鈥淚 had never written a piece for saxophone quartet before. But I don鈥檛 think this will be my last. I鈥檓 absolutely in love with this ensemble.鈥�
Though he didn鈥檛 win the prize, Pann says the encouraging and supportive response of his colleagues at the College of Music has made him feel as if he did.
Composition chair Daniel Kellogg says the department is thrilled. "This is a small and highly selective list. This confirms Carter鈥檚 talent as a great composer. At the College of Music, he is also valued as an excellent teacher and esteemed colleague."
And Pann says the honor of being among the finalists is recognition enough.
鈥淲hile there鈥檚 no cash prize for finalists, your name and your piece are often mentioned along with the winner," Pann says. 鈥淭he Pulitzer name ensconces the name of the composer forever. It鈥檚 really an honor to be named in that discussion.鈥�
The winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Music is jazz composer Henry Threadgill for 鈥淚n for a Penny, In for a Pound.鈥� The other finalist is Timo Andres for his piece, 鈥淭he Blind Banister.鈥� For more information,visit the Pulitzer Prize website.
