Hannah Rice Awarded 2024 Hermitage Prize in Composition at Aspen Music Festival
Hannah Rice, an emerging talent in the world of contemporary composition, has been honoured with the 2024 Hermitage Prize in Composition at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival and School. This award recognises Rice's outstanding contributions to the field of music and highlights her growing influence as a composer.
Rice's work, “EM[POWER]?”, commissioned by Vox Anima London for International Women’s Day 2024, was recently performed by Vox Anima Chamber Choir at their 5 July concert. The piece, which explores themes of empowerment and identity, resonated deeply with both the performers and the audience, marking a significant moment in the choir's repertoire.
Several members of Vox Anima Chamber Choir also had the opportunity to meet Hannah in person at Cadogan Hall on International Women’s Day. The event also featured a conversation between Rice and Laura Cloke, Chair of Trustees for Friends of the Vox, during which they discussed Hannah’s inspiration behind “EM[POWER]?” and the importance of supporting female voices in music. You can watch this interview here.
The Hermitage Prize in Composition is a significant milestone in Rice’s career, underscoring her talent and the impact of her work. Rice is the eleventh recipient of this prestigious annual award, which comes with a residency at the Hermitage and a $1,000 cash stipend. She was chosen by a distinguished jury, including multiple Grammy Award winner Robert Spano, Music Director of the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) and Artistic Director Laureate of the Atlanta Symphony, as well as former Hermitage Curatorial Council member; award-winning composer and respected arts administrator Alan Fletcher, President and CEO of AMFS; and the AMFS composition faculty, which includes Grammy Award-winning Hermitage Fellow Christopher Theofanidis.
The Friends of the Vox community celebrates this achievement and looks forward to seeing how Rice continues to inspire and shape the future of choral music!
Hannah Rice at Cadogan Hall, with conductor Erin Freeman and violinist Harriet McKenzie following the premiere of her piece EM[POWER]? for International Women's Day 2024, commissioned by Vox Anima London, and featuring singers from Vox Anima Chamber Choir.