VPA student and Billy Joel Fellow wins international young composer award

VPA student and Billy Joel Fellow wins international young composer awardAugust 27, 2008Erica Blustesblust@syr.edu

Nilo Alcala, a graduate composition student and Billy Joel Fellow in the Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), has won the 2009 Young Composer Award in Polyphonos, an international choral composition competition sponsored by the Esoterics, a vocal ensemble based in Seattle.

Alcala was one of three composers who received awards in the competition. His work was selected from more than 120 entries. He will receive a $1,000 commission for a new, five-minute work that the Esoterics will premiere during the group’s 2009 concert season.

Alcala, who is from Lucena City, Philippines, is among the most promising young composers in his country. His works have been performed by numerous Asian choirs in festivals, concert tours and competitions in China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Austria and Slovakia. An active chorister, he was member and composer-in-residence of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Asia’s most awarded and traveled choir. He was also the Philippine delegate to and featured composer in the first I’mPULSE international music camp organized by the Asia-Europe Foundation. He holds a bachelor of music degree in composition from the University of the Philippines’ College of Music in Diliman. For more information about Alcala, visit http://www.freewebs.com/nilo_alcala2.

The Billy Joel Fellowships were established for graduate composition students in the Setnor School using a portion of a gift from entertainer Billy Joel. VPA was one of seven East Coast institutions awarded gifts in 2005 as part of Joel’s long-term commitment to music education. The gift was also used to establish the Billy Joel Visiting Composer Series in the Setnor School.