Composers who write for orchestras or chamber groups face a uniquely daunting task: they must create music having hardly any access to their chosen instrument. Two major composition awards help Conservatory students and alumni surmount this challenge. SFCM has named first-year graduate student Michael Kropf ’16 winner of the annual Highsmith Award, its top composition prize for a current student or recent graduate. Eric Choate ’14 was named the first-ever runner-up for the prize. The Conservatory Orchestra will premiere Kropf’s winning composition High Spirits next season and conductor Scott Sandmeier will lead a reading of both composers’ work on May 6. As winner of the prestigious Hoefer Prize, alumnus Jeffrey Parola ’05 receives a $15,000 commission and holds a week-long teaching residency next year, culminating in a performance and recording of his work.

Kropf began writing his Highsmith submission even before arriving at SFCM to study with composition department chair David Conte. High Spirits refers to the excitement - and trepidation - that accompanied his move from New York (the South Napa earthquake jolted him awake during his very first week). The work churns with rhythmic energy in a complex 11/8 meter. For melodic contrast, Kropf aimed to bring out the orchestra’s natural sonorities with “plain old notes.” He considers it an incredible opportunity to rehearse with the real thing instead of relying on simulated sounds generated by software. “I was really interested in how do I, in a firm, solid way, make these instruments sound fresh and interesting, but speak in a really natural way. I don’t know if I’ve done that and I will definitely be listening for that.”

The Hoefer Prize is awarded to a Conservatory alumnus with at least five years of professional experience nominated and chosen by SFCM faculty. Jeffrey Parola has written orchestral, choral and chamber music for ensembles including the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Choral Chameleon and Pacific Serenades. A former student of David Conte, he won the 2009 Highsmith Award for his work The Long Valley, which subsequently received the 2012 European American Musical Alliance Prize. A faculty member at the University of Southern California and a performing organist, conductor and singer, Parola will hold rehearsals and a public discussion on composition as part of his SFCM residency next season.

In addition to major awards, SFCM holds regular competitions featuring performances of student-written chamber and choral works. The $600 kitty from a recent art song competition was split between three victors including Kropf and fellow composers Kyle Randall, a student of David Garner, and Collin Whitfield, a student of Mason Bates. Students also collaborate in recitals that showcase new works for a chosen instrument, such as viola, cello or guitar. Together, these events reflect SFCM’s exceptional commitment to composition and a unique opportunity for developing composers to practice and hear their art.