Perrine wins national composition award

Cornell College Composer in Residence and Lecturer in Music Aaron Perrine has won the 2017 CBDNA Young Band Composition Contest.

This nationally recognized prize came with a $5,000 award and was announced in December at the College Band Directors National Association Forum.

“A few years ago, Timothy Mahr–conductor of the St. Olaf College Concert Band–approached me with a request for a new commission,” Perrine said. “He was specifically looking for something that could be played by and would appeal to a wide variety of bands. This commission resulted in a work titled ‘Temperance.’”

The winning piece was premiered by the 2017 Intercollegiate Honor Band at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic. Perrine was inspired by his past when he created “Temperance.”

“From the start, I knew I wanted the piece to be connected to the state of Minnesota: the place I’ve called home for most of my life,” Perrine said. “When I think of Minnesota, my mind tends to drift to the scenic stretch of Lake Superior between Duluth and Canada, locally referred to as the North Shore. While there are seemingly countless outdoor destinations along the North Shore from which to choose, the Temperance River has always been a personal favorite.”

This is Perrine’s third national composition award. He previously won the 2013 and 2015 Sousa/Ostwald Awards from the American Bandmasters Association.