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Jiří Trtík, an undergraduate composition major studying with Keith Fitch, won the Cleveland Composers Guild’s fifth annual Collegiate Composition Contest. Trtík is a Czech composer and conductor who has also studied at the Prague Conservatory.

His piece — Improvisation No. 30 (after Kandinsky) — for solo cello will be performed by Wesley Hornpetrie on Thursday, April 5 at 7:30pm at Heiser Auditorium in Oberlin and Sunday, April 8 at 7pm at Judson Manor in Cleveland. The Judson performance is part of NEOSonicFest V. Both concerts are free and open to the public. More info, .

Trtík said: “This is my first First Prize win – I’m always going to remember this! I spent a lot of time with [student cellist] Cheuk-Yan Vincent Leung on this piece, trying different versions and constantly revising the material until the best shape has been found. What a beautiful surprise when all the hard work gets appreciation like that."

“We have such a great luxury at ����, without any exaggeration, to have the best performers in the world being open to perform new music and collaborate with composers. This combination creates a very artistic environment ideal for young composers to fully express themselves,” Trtík continued. “As a composer, the most important thing for me is freedom, for only with freedom you can find yourself. This is a wonderful skill of Dr. Fitch that he respects various students' styles and helps develop it by his great mastery and knowledge of music.”

Trtík has received a number of commissions and performances from world-class performers and ensembles, such as members of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Kühn Mixed Choir and the principal cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra Mark Kosower. He has also composed music for several Czech movies and theatrical productions. His works have been performed in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Latvia, United States and Japan.