Trumpet major wins New York Youth Symphony composition award

Andrew Linn, a senior in trumpet performance at the University of Kansas, was recently chosen as a winner of the New York Youth Symphony's "First Music" program in the Jazz Band Classic category.

Linn, of Chesterfield, Mo, will receive a $1,000 commission to write a 8-9 minute big band work to be premiered on May 24, 2011, in the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The New York Youth Symphony First Music program is a project created to commission America's best emerging composers under the age of 30. First Music began in 1984 with the commissioning of three young composers to write works for premiere in Carnegie Hall and has since expanded to programs in chamber music and jazz. Three awards are given seasonally for orchestral compositions and one each for chamber music and jazz.

Linn began studying composition in spring 2009 with Dan Gailey, director of jazz studies at KU. He is the son of Mark and Jennifer Linn. While studying at KU, Linn was a member of KU Jazz Combos I and II and KU Jazz Ensemble I. He graduated on May 16 and plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado to pursue a graduate degree in jazz studies. Linn also was recently selected as the Undergraduate College Winner for Best Original Composition in DownBeat magazine's 33rd annual Student Music Awards.

"It will be my first visit to New York City when I travel to Lincoln Center next year," said Linn. "I can't imagine a better way to make this visit! Being able to collaborate with the Jazz Band Classic and have them perform want of my works would have been unfathomable a year ago." Linn continues, "These awards I have received in the last few months are a testament to the great teachers I have had here at KU and the four years of sweat put into becoming the best musician I can be."

For more information, contact the KU School of Music at 785-864-3436 or visit us at music.ku.edu.