The Virgil Thomson Foundation and the American Academy of Arts and Letters announced that Lowell Liebermann has won the inaugural Virgil Thomson Award of $40,000. The award recognizes an American composer of vocal works. Liebermann was among five finalists selected from composers nominated by members of the Academy. Their work was studied closely over the course of several months by a special jury comprised of the composers David Del Tredici, Carlisle Floyd, Ezra Laderman, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and the poet and librettist J. D. McClatchy. The prize will be presented to Mr. Liebermann in May at the Academy’s annual Ceremonial.
Voice has played a central role in the work of Lowell Liebermann (b. 1961). He is very active as a composer. In 2012 he joined the faculty of Mannes College The New School for Music, and in 2013 he was appointed head of the composition department.
The award is named after Virgil Thomson (1896 – 1989) was a many-faceted composer of great originality and a music critic of singular brilliance.