Thelonious Monk Award 2003
Ilja Reijngoud is winner of the Thelonious Monk/BMI Award 2003. His winning composition `No Substitute' was inspired by his believe that music is based on the two most important elements - melody and time. He always tries to write strong and clear melodies, avoiding intellectual interval structures and harmonies as much as possible. With `No Substitute' Ilja wanted to achieve a horizontal feeling, with long melodic lines and chord changes that supported rather than dictated the melody. The judges who picked Ilja's piece as winning composition, were Billy Childs (pianist/composer), Russell Ferrante (pianist/composer Yellowjackets) and Gerald Wilson legendary composer/bandleader).
On 27th of April 2003 Ilja performed his winning composition at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, after he received his award from Robbin Ahrold, BMI staffer. The audience, which consisted of now-days leading musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Thelonious Monk Junior, Steve Turre and Steve Davis, was pleased by both Ilja's composition and trombone playing (Wayne Shorter: `We need more people like you in modern jazz').
 
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Links:
Thelonius Monk Institute