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Stories   >   Montana Public Radio's 'Classical Journey' chats with 17 year old composer: Samuel Siskind about debut album: 'Awake'

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Montana Public Radio's 'Classical Journey' chats with 17 year old composer: Samuel Siskind about debut album: 'Awake'

Posted: September 15, 2024
Interview with Montana Public Radio

Samuel Siskind is a 17 year old LA-based composer and baritone, a high school senior whose music has already garnered significant international recognition.  A winner of the 2024 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award after placing as a finalist in 2023, Samuel is also an LA Phil Composing Fellow, under the direction of acclaimed composer Andrew Norman.This summer, Samuel will release his debut album, Awake, recorded in New York shortly after the premiere of “Soaring Dreams,” at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium by the GRAMMY® Award-winning National Children’s Chorus. At age 15, Samuel was the youngest composer to be commissioned by The Golden Bridge, under Artistic Director, Suzi Digby OBE and patron Morton Laurenson. For the commission, Samuel chose to reimagine the a cappella Thomas Tallis Renaissance classic, “Out from the Deep.” Samuel wrote the original text for the piece which completed his choral cycle, “Release” which was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 ASCAP Foundation Young Composer Award. “Out from the Deep” went on to win the award in 2024. An avid hiker, Samuel draws much of his inspiration from the natural sounds and landscapes he encounters. 

Awake, the debut album from Siskind is conducted by Christopher Allen, features Fourth Wall Ensemble and GRAMMY® nominated baritone Johnathan McCullough. Fourth Wall Ensemble is thrilled to have this exciting collaboration with new talent and ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award winner. The album is released by Tiger Turn 

An LA Philharmonic Composing Fellow, his work has been performed by members of the legendary orchestra. This summer he is 1 of 30 students selected by Juilliard Dean of Music and renowned composer, David Serkin Ludwig to participate in their Summer Composition Program, studying with the composers he grew up listening to including Eric Whitacre, John Corigliano, Reena Esmail, and Wynton Marsalis.

As a vocalist and featured soloist in the GRAMMY® Award-winning National Children’s Chorus, Samuel had the unique experience of singing in the Carnegie Hall premieres of his own compositions Soaring Dreams 2024 and The Forest 2019. The latter went on to be performed on a tour of Asia culminating in a live televised performance from the DMZ with youth artists from North and South Korea.

When pandemic lock downs went into effect, Samuel found solace in writing pieces which can now be heard on Awake.  Having just started high school during this time, he and his peers were coping with the mental health impacts of staying at home. “I found writing the piece during isolation an exhilarating escape,” said Siskind.

GRAMMY® nominated baritone Johnathan McCullough, who serves as director of the National Youth Opera Academy, first met Samuel when he was singing in the program’s Vail, Colorado production in 2022. McCullough, who received acclaim for his cinematic production of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs on the topic of mental health and the toll of war, was immediately struck by how frankly his compositions addressed mental health topics. 

Reflecting on their meeting he says, “I first knew Samuel as a principal singer with a strong baritone voice, but then found out that he composed as well. I asked to hear some of his pieces and knew right away that he had a very special talent. It is vitally important that the music we make spreads messages of what we are passionate about and Samuel does just that.” 

McCullough shared Siskind’s work with Georg Solti Conducting Award winner Christopher Allen who together run NYC-based vocal group Fourth Wall Ensemble. They began putting the pieces together to get Samuel’s work heard by a larger audience. Fourth Wall Ensemble recorded Samuel’s choral catalog in NYC with Allen conducting and playing piano, days after the Carnegie Hall premier of Soaring Dreams. Also Included on the album are an art song written by Samuel performed by Allen and McCullough, and a piano étude performed by Siskind.

Siskind’s mentor, UCLA composition professor and former chair, Ian Krouse says, “Samuel is emerging as one of the most promising young composers of his generation. His music is original and rigorous yet always accessible and beautiful.”

Montana Public Radio Host Matt Donnelly interviews composer and baritone Samuel Siskind talking about his works and his latest album Awake featuring the award-winning vocal group Fourth Wall Ensemble.  

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