Discover the winners of the 55th annual ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards, celebrating outstanding contributions to music literature, media, and criticism.
The winners of the 55th annual ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards were unveiled on Friday (Oct. 31), recognizing outstanding achievements in music literature and media. This year's honorees featured works celebrating iconic musicians like Donna Summer, Sinéad O’Connor, John Williams, and Miles Davis.
Broadcast/Media Awards
Pop Music: The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award in pop music went to directors Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano for their HBO documentary, Love to Love You, Donna Summer. This insightful documentary delves into the life and legacy of the disco queen, highlighting her contributions to music and culture.
Concert Music: In concert music, journalist and author Jon Burlingame received the Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award for his compelling interview with John Williams featured on the Disney Music Group podcast, Disney for Scores. This interview provided a rare glimpse into the mind of the legendary composer known for his film scores.
A Special Recognition Award in memory of the late Jeremy Tepper, a prominent figure in the alt-country scene, was also presented. Tepper was a musician, producer, programmer, and the executive director of SiriusXM’s “Outlaw Country” and “Willie’s Roadhouse” channels.
Liner Notes Awards
The ASCAP Foundation Paul Williams “Loved the Liner Notes” Award for pop music was awarded to Deanie Parker and Robert Gordon for Scribble and Hum from Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos on Craft Recordings. This work sheds light on the songwriting processes behind some of Stax Records' most memorable hits.
Special recognition was also given to Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt for Matmos: Return to Archive on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, alongside Jeff Place and John W. Troutman for Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings from the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958-1971.
The “Loved the Liner Notes” Award, established in 2016, is funded by ASCAP Foundation president Paul Williams, honoring exceptional contributions to liner notes and music documentation.
Book Awards
In the pop music category, the Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book Awards were presented to John Szwed for Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Allyson McCabe for Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters, published by University of Texas Press.
A Special Recognition Award in the book category was given to Henry Threadgill and Brent Hayes Edwards for Easily Slip Into Another World: A Life in Music, published by Alfred A. Knopf.
In concert music, Denise Von Glahn received the award for Circle of Winners: How the Guggenheim Foundation Composition Awards Shaped American Musical Culture, while Lois Svard was honored for The Musical Brain: What Students, Teachers and Performers Need to Know.
Special Recognition Awards were also given to Dan Gutstein for Poor Gal: The Cultural History of Little Liza Jane, and Howard Pollack for Samuel Barber: His Life and Legacy.
Article Awards
The recipients of the Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for articles published in 2023 include:
- Pop Music: Jeffrey Magee for “Honor the Source: Race, Representation and Intellectual Property in Jelly’s Last Jam,” published in Studies in Musical Theatre.
- Concert Music: Tina Frühauf for “The Dialectics of Nationalism: JaromÃr Weinberger’s Schwanda the Bagpiper and Anti-Semitism in Interwar Europe,” published in Cambridge Opera Journal.
In the realm of music criticism, the Virgil Thomson Award for outstanding music criticism in pop music was awarded to Lewis Porter for his article, “Miles Davis Did Not Exactly Steal Tunes,” published by Playback with Lewis Porter! on Substack. For concert music, the award went to Kerry O’Brien and William Robin for “On Minimalism: Documenting a Musical Movement,” published by University of California Press.
Legacy of the Awards
Established in 1967 to honor the memory of composer and critic Deems Taylor, the ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards recognize outstanding contributions to music literature and media. These prestigious awards are made possible by the generous support of the Virgil Thomson Foundation, honoring the legacy of a notable American composer and critic.
