Aug 2025 – I’m thrilled to share some exciting news from two composition competitions that will showcase new works in the coming years.
The 2025 Jessie S. Yee Memorial Commission
The first honor comes from Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Arts: winning the 2025 Jessie S. Yee Memorial Commission, resulting in the creation of a substantial new work for violin and piano, inspired by the life and extraordinary work of poet Nikki Giovanni.
Beyond the composition itself, I will be composer-in-residence at Virginia Tech during the premiere. I’ll have the opportunity to present my work in a seminar, lead a masterclass critiquing student compositions, and serve as an adjudicator for the annual Jessie S. Yee Memorial Prize student composition competition in the fall of 2026.
I’m honored to join the distinguished list of previous winners, including Juhi Bansal (2021), Bobby Ge (2022), David Biedenbender (2023), and Takuma Itoh (2024).
The 2027 Renée B. Fisher Composer Award
The second announcement is receiving the Renée B. Fisher Composer Award for a piano solo work to be premiered in the winter of 2027. My work An Anthology of Keyboard Challenges: Set Two for solo piano will receive their world premiere by young pianists at the Neighbourhood Music School in New Haven, Connecticut. The work was composed in late 2023 with generous support from the Toronto Arts Council.
Looking Forward
I’m grateful to the selection committees, the generous benefactors who make these awards possible, and the performers who will premiere these works. Stay tuned for updates and premiere information as these projects develop!
Roydon Tse 