Music doctoral student receives prestigious $10,000 commission

Jeremy Podgursky, a Jacobs School of Music doctoral student in composition, received a $10,000 commission from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard
University.

“It’s one of the most sought-after and prestigious commissions in the country,” said Claude Baker, professor of composition in the Jacobs School of Music and Podgursky’s composing instructor.

Baker said Podgursky was competing against people who have been in the field for decades. Pulitzer Prize winners have won this award before. 

“They have so many applicants, and they get those who have written the best music ... the highest caliber composer they can find,” Baker said. “So he was in competition with a pretty prestigious group.”

The commission allows Podgursky to compose any piece he wants for the ensemble he co-applied with.

“You have to have an ensemble sponsoring you for it, and they have to agree to play your piece if you get the commission,” Podgursky said. “So I applied with a group out of New York City called the Lost Dog New Music Ensemble.”

Podgursky decided to apply with the ensemble as his sponsor for the Fromm award. Podgursky has received many other composing awards and honorable mentions, and his pieces have been performed by various other ensembles.

Baker said it is very rare for students to receive an award this important while still in school, but he has no doubt of Podgursky’s success. 

“He is one of the hardest-working, talented, engaging, interesting students we have here,” Baker said.

Podgursky said he didn’t expect all this attention. He’s still in disbelief he won the award.

“I owe so much to the faculty at IU and the (composition) department and the electronic music department for being supportive of what I do,” Podgursky said.