Robert Black, professor of double bass at The Hartt School at the University of Hartford and chair of the judges' panel for the 2008 ISB/David Walter Composition Competition, has announced winners in three divisions: solo bass or bass with keyboard; chamber ensemble for two to five players with a prominent bass part; and bass with electronic media (tape, CD, live electronics, interactive computer, video or film visuals.) The biennial competition, which honors the memory of double bass professor, performer and composer David Walter, is open to all composers. All entries, submitted anonymously, are unpublished works in any style, 6-15 minutes long, that have not been given a formal world premiere (although previous workshop-type performances are permitted.) The grand prize in each division is $1,000 and a premiere performance at the 2009 ISB Convention, to be held June 8-13 at Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania. Also serving on the panel of judges were Owen Lee, principal bass with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Yann Dubost, winner of first prize in the solo division of the 2005 ISB Double Bass Competition and member of the Orchestre de Paris.
 
SOLO DIVISION
The grand prize winner is Sonata for Contrabass and Piano by Peter Fischer. Peter Fischer is Associate Professor of Music at Texas Tech University, where he teaches theory, composition and electronic music. From 1995-2003 he taught at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Dr. Fischer studied composition with Dinos Constantinides, Peter Hesterman and Mark Lee, and electronic and computer music with Stephen David Beck. He completed a DMA in Music Composition from Louisiana State University in 1996 and holds degrees in Music and Literature/Communications from Illinois Benedictine College, and a master's degree in music composition from Eastern Illinois University.
 
Honorable Mention commendations in the Solo Division were given to Daydreams and Dances by Jordan Anderson, principal bass of the Seattle Symphony and winner of the 2006 solo division, and to Escape Velocity by Stephen Feigenbaum, a student at Yale College.
 
CHAMBER DIVISION
The grand prize winner is Chamber Music by Katarzyna Brochocka. In 2007, Ms. Brochocka received a Master Degree of Art with Distinction from the Academy of Music in Wroclaw, Poland, where she studied with Jan Antoni Wichrowski. She is a recipient of the "Socrates-Erasmus" Scholarship, and studied with Doina Rotaru at the University of Music in Bucharest, Romania during the 2005-2006 academic year. Ms. Brochocka is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University, where she is a student of Dr. Edward Knight.
 
An Honorable Mention commendation in the Chamber Division was given to Prelude and Fugazza by Argentina-born bassist Andres Martin, currently double bass professor at the Orchestra of Baja California Conservatory in Tijuana, Mexico.
 
MEDIA DIVISION
Co-grand prize winners in the Media Division are Grandfather by Garth Stevenson and FE 26 by Benjamin Taylor. Double bassist and composer Garth Stevenson received a full scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music, where he pursued a dual major in performance and jazz compositions and studied privately with John Lockwood. He is now based in New York City, where he is immersed in the experimental and improvised music scenes. He tours internationally as a solo artist and formed the duo "5707" with sound improviser and guitarist Ryan Ferreira. He has released two CDs. Trumpet player and pianist Benjamin Taylor is studying music composition at Brigham Young University, where he performs with and writes music for a variety of chamber ensembles, jazz combos and big bands, wind bands, choirs and experimental ensembles. The university's jazz ensemble commissioned him for two charts to take on tour to the UK. His current projects include a chamber orchestra piece based on photography by Rodney Smith.
 
The winning compositions will be given world premieres at the 2009 ISB Convention at Penn State University, June 8-13, 2008. Congratulations to our 2008 winners and many thanks to over fifty entrants from around the world.