Dr. Isaac Lovdahl, Bemidji State University’s director of choral activities, has won the prestigious Composer Award from the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association for 2026-27.
The award recognizes excellence by composers “…with a creative voice and clear compositional ability” working in the association’s Midwestern region.
Lovdahl submitted three pieces from his catalog as his application:
Lovdahl said that his composition work, and the attention it is bringing to both him and the BSU vocal music program, helps expand his connections with choral professionals around the country.
“I’m able to discover new repertoire and learn new rehearsal or pedagogical techniques that I can bring back to my work with our students at BSU,” he said.
As this year’s award recipient, Lovdahl receives a cash prize and will have a commissioned new work performed by the William Ferris Chorale in Chicago. Lovdahl said that performance on March 6, 2027, will debut a musical setting the N. Scott Momaday poem, “Prayer for Words,” to music for an unaccompanied, mixed choir.
“The William Ferris Chorale is a professional ensemble with some of the best singers in the Chicago area, so I’m able to write something exciting and virtuosic for them,” Lovdahl said.
He said the award was meaningful and validating for his composition work.
“As composers, we are often writing into the void; an opportunity to be recognized with an award like this and to have my music performed by a world-class ensemble is exhilarating and encouraging,” he said.
Lovdahl, Bemidji Choir also finalists in three American Prize categories
The Composer Award is the second major recognition of the year for Lovdahl, who this summer was also named a finalist for the American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts in both the conducting and composition categories. In addition, the Bemidji Choir — which Lovdahl directs — is a finalist in the choral performance category.
Lovdahl is one of 19 finalists for the Dale Warland Award for college or university chorus conducting and is among a group of 30 finalists in the professional division for composition of shorter choral works. The Bemidji Choir was named as one of 10 finalists for choral performance in the college/university division, smaller program category.
It is Lovdahl’s third appearance as a finalist in the composition competition. He finished third in the 2023 competition and was also a finalist in 2024.
American Prize winners will be announced throughout the fall.