The St. Albans International Organ Competition announced the prize winners of its 2021 competition July 16 from St. Albans, UK. Pandemic restrictions caused the competitors to submit video recordings of their performances, including Bach’s Fantasia in C Minor, BWV 562, Saint-Saëns’ Prelude and Fugue in B Major, op. 99 no. 2, and a commissioned work, Roxanna Panufnik’s Gloria cum Jubilo. Sixty entrants submitted recordings, from which twelve were chosen to advance.
The prizes awarded in this year’s competition were unique. In place of first and second prizes, £1,500 was awarded to each of three final competitors. The three prizes for most outstanding overall performance (£1,500 each) were presented to Mitchell Miller (United States), Quentin du Verdier (France), and Mona Rozdestvenskyte (Lithuania).
The Peter Hurford Bach Prize for performance of Bach’s BWV 562 (£1,000) was awarded to Daniel Chang (United States, a member of The Diapason’s 20 Under 30 Class of 2021). The prize for the best performance of the commissioned work (£800) went to Mona Rozdestvenskyte (Lithuania). The Douglas May Award for the best performance of a single work (£800) was awarded to Magdalena Moser (Austria), for her performance of Muffat’s Toccata decima.
The jury was composed of Bine Bryndorf, Franz Danksagmüller, David Hill, Rie Hiroe, Jean-Baptiste Robin, Pieter van Dijk, and Todd Wilson.
For information: organfestival.com.
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