2020-2021 Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards
Nominees, JAZZ Composition (Emerging Division)
Tomer George Cohen, Gan HaShomron, Israel
Website — Instagram — Twitter — Soundcloud
Tomer George Cohen is a saxophone and clarinet player as well as a composer, arranger and producer. He has published two albums of original music with his band George & The Good Vibes.
Claire Cope, London, United Kingdom
Claire studied piano at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where she won the John Ireland prize and the Principal’s Prize for Improvisation in 2011. Having played regularly with the RNCM Big Band in performances featuring Tina May, John Taylor, Gwilym Simcock and Diana Torto, the ‘Claire James Trio’ was her first project as a bandleader and composer, and their EP ‘Lines’ was released on the Manchester-based Efpi label in 2011. In the same year, the group performed at the Manchester Jazz Festival, the London Jazz Festival and during the BBC Proms Plus Series which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3. More recently, Claire performed in Andy Scott’s ‘Mancunity’ band, a commission for the 2019 Manchester Jazz Festival, and also composed the original piano score for Rob Cope’s celebrated 2019 film about jazz trumpeter Richard Turner, ‘Richard Turner – A Life in Music’. In July 2020, Claire released her debut album as bandleader of the septet Ensemble C, where she is joined by acclaimed UK jazz musicians Brigitte Beraha, Jack Davies, Jon Ormston, Tom Varrall, Ed Babar and Rob Cope. Claire is also a passionate educator, and since graduating from music college has garnered a wide range of experience as a piano teacher. Currently, she works as a piano tutor for Donhead Preparatory School in Wimbledon and at Wycombe Abbey Girls School in High Wycombe. Having achieved a distinction level Fellow of the Associated board of the Royal Schools of Music in piano performance in 2017, Claire also now works as a Grade examiner for the ABRSM and is enjoying touring nationally and internationally.
Edgar Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
Born in Mexico in 1990, Edgar studied with distinguished teacher Arnoldo Paredes and his studies included classical piano, solfège, musical theory, harmony and composition.
Since his debut in 2007 he has performed regularly as a Classical and Jazz pianist, as well as an Opera accompanist, in all the major concert halls in Mexico, and has also performed in the USA, England, Germany and Greece.
In 2009 he won the Fine Arts Award – Jazz Piano from the recognized institute Interlochen Center for the Arts, in Michigan, USA.
Patrick Lui, Hong Kong
I've been working as a pianist, arranger, and sometimes composer, in the Hong Kong jazz scene and pop industry since graduating from Berklee College of Music. I have won the 'Album of the Year' award with local band RubberBand, as an arranger and producer. I run my own big band, which has appeared in numerous local jazz festivals with special guests such as Alex Sipiagin and Will Vinson. I have also collaborated with big bands in Japan (Kyoto Composers Jazz Orchesta) and Taiwan (Taipei Jazz Orchestra), where they have performed my works. Two years ago I traveled to New York City and recorded my own compositions and arrangements, and the album will be released this year. Recently I was awarded a full scholarship to pursue my master's degree in composition at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, in order to broaden my scope of writing and explore music in a different field from jazz.
Luca Poletti, Rome, Italy
Luca Poletti is a pianist and composer, his work covers a wide range of musical languages and genres, using backgrounds in classical music and jazz as point of departure. He was born 1986 and raised in Italy. He earned the Bachelor of Music degree in classical piano, composition for band and Jazz Music (110/110 magna cum laude).
As a composer, arranger and pianist, Luca worked with some international stars like Paolo Fresu, Uri Caine, Steve Swallow, Maria Schneider, Fabrizio Bosso, David Riondino, West European Symphony Orchestra (Lisbon), Andrea Tofanelli, “Big Band LINZ”. Luca presently teaches harmony, theory, arranging and piano at some musical institutes in Italy. Recently he works as arranger, composer and orchestrator for soundtracks, orchestra, bands and for pop singers.