The jury of the 18th International Composers Competition, Musica Sacra Nova 2022, met in Internet at March 18th. In total, 43 compositions were submitted from the following 19 countries: Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam.
The Jury comprised:
Pawel Łukaszewski, President (Poland)
Andrea Angelini (Italy)
Vaclovas Augustinas (Lithuania)
Vincenzo de Gregorio (Vatican)
Jan Łukaszewski (Poland)
Enjott Schneider (Germany)
The following awards were made:
Category A
1st Prize: Paweł Konkol (Poland) for Dominus dixit ad me 2500 €, performance and recording during musica sacra nova - International Festival of Sacred Music in Brauweiler (Germany) and other performance in Vilnius (Lithuania) by Jauna Muzika Vilnius Municipal Choir under direction of Vaclovas Augustinas.
Paweł Konkol - born in 2000 in Rzeszów, composer and arranger. He has been studied composition at The Chopin University of Music in Warsaw since 2019. His main interests are jazz and orchestral music (symphony orchestras, big bands). In addition, he is interested in choral, organ and folk music.
2nd Prize ex aequo: Lukas Butkus (Lithuania) for Eia Mater 2000 €, performance and recording during musica sacra nova - International Festival of Sacred Music in Brauweiler (Germany) and other performance in Vilnius (Lithuania) by Jauna Muzika Vilnius Municipal Choir under direction of Vaclovas Augustinas.
Lukas Butkus (b. 2000) is a young composer from Lithuania where he is studying for his Bachelor’s degree in composition at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Graduate of Marijampolė St. Cecilija’s Gymnasium where his passion for the arts began. Already, Lukas has won some recognition nationwide by coming first place in the “Vox Juventutis 2020” (Vilnius, Lithuania) competition for young composers with his piece “They all return” for mixed choir; also, in 2020, he was one of the five finalists of the national Liturgical music composition competition for acapella choir with his Mass setting. Participant of many musical competitions and festivals as a composer and pianist, in 2021 he was awarded the prestigious Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis scholarship and the Zita Bružaitė stipend for his creative endeavours. He is the pianist and coordinator of a young contemporary music ensemble “Artisans”, based in Vilnius. Also, a published writer of prose and poetry.
2nd Prize ex aequo: Jakub Szafrański (Poland) for In te Domine speravi 2000 €, performance and recording during musica sacra nova - International Festival of Sacred Music in Brauweiler (Germany) and other performance in Vilnius (Lithuania) by Jauna Muzika Vilnius Municipal Choir under direction of Vaclovas Augustinas.
Jakub Szafrański was born in 1988 in Warsaw. He graduated Grażyna Bacewicz primary and secondary school in Warsaw. He receive bachelor’s degree at Fryderyk Chopin Music University in Trumpet, class of Wiesław Woźnicki and Music band leading, class of Agata Góreczna-Jakubczak. At the same university he receive master degree in Choral Conducting, class of prof. Ryszard Zimak and in Composition, class of prof. Paweł Łukaszewski (diplomas with distinction). In 2012 he founded Male Vocal Band Foyer. In 2013 he reconstructed Missa pro defenctis wrote by J.A. Maklakiewcz and conducted it first time after II world war. In 2015 he founded Artistic and Science Club of Choral Conducting at Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. Same year in march he started working with Warsaw School of Economics Choir as a second conductor. Female choir over his direction won I prize at the International Choral Competition “Cantu Gaudeamus” (2016) and II prize at the International May Choir Competition Prof. Georgi Dimitrov – Varna (2017). In 2016 he started work as a composer and second conductor with Archcatedral Male Choir Cantores Minores in Warsaw. He is finalist of many composing competition: I prize in 57. Tadeusz Baird Competition of Young Composers (2016), II prize in International Young Composer Competition “Vox Juventutis ’17, II prize in International Composer Competition “Musica Caelestis” (2017), III prize in 3th Polish Composer Competition Opus 966 (2015), distinction in 2ed (2014) and 4th (2016) Polish Composer Competition Opus 966, special prize „German premiere” founded by Kammerchor Hannover (2015). He
3rd Prize: not awarded
Category B
not awarded