Miami University Symphony Orchestra wins The American Prize for Orchestra Performance, 2025
MUSO director Ricardo Averbach also won second place in The American Prize for Orchestral Conducting (College/University Division)
Miami University Symphony Orchestra wins The American Prize for Orchestra Performance, 2025
The Miami University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO), conducted by Ricardo Averbach, director of Orchestra Studies, won The American Prize in Orchestra Performance, 2025 in the college/university (smaller program) division.
One of the most distinguished honors in collegiate music performance, this achievement that firmly places Miami University among the most respected musical institutions in the country.
"I am thrilled to congratulate the Miami University Symphony Orchestra on being named first-place winner of The American Prize for 2025 Best Orchestral Performance in the collegiate small program category," Ryan Fisher, dean of Miami's College of Creative Arts, said. "This award further exemplifies the extraordinary musical talent and performance excellence within our Department of Music, brought to life through the dedication of our student musicians and the inspired leadership of Maestro Ricardo Averbach."
Miami University President Gregory Crawford said, "The first place accomplishment by the MUSO "is an extraordinary testament to Maestro Averbach's leadership, artistry, and dedication."
Averbach received second place in The American Prize for Orchestral Conducting (College/University Division) for directing the MUSO. First place in this category was awarded to Micah Gleason of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, of the renowned Curtis Institute of Music — internationally recognized as one of the world’s premier pre-professional orchestras, according to Averbach.
"Earning second place in The American Prize for Orchestral Conducting, in a category where the Curtis Symphony Orchestra received first place, speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of Maestro Averbach's work and the excellence of our students,” President Crawford said.
“These recognitions place Miami University and the Department of Music in distinguished national company," President Crawford said.
The American Prize is designed to evaluate, recognize, and reward the best performers, ensembles, composers, directors, and administrators in the U.S. based on submitted recordings.
It is one of the most prestigious national awards in classical music, evaluated by panels of respected conductors, composers, and scholars. Its methodology ensures that only performances of truly distinguished quality are recognized at the national level, according to Averbach.
Affirmation of the transformative educational impact of the program
“What makes MUSO’s accomplishment even more remarkable is the distinctive and dynamic nature of the orchestra itself,” Averbach said of his students. “Each year, roughly 40 percent of the musicians who join the ensemble are new to MUSO, and the majority of these newcomers are first-year students adjusting not only to university life, but also to the demands of high-level orchestral performance,” he said.
“In addition, about 30 percent of the orchestra’s members are non-music majors, representing disciplines as varied as engineering, business, and the sciences. The ensemble is therefore rebuilt annually in both structure and identity, with students of diverse backgrounds converging to create a unified artistic voice,” Averbach said.
More importantly, more than two-thirds of MUSO’s musicians each year have never performed a major symphonic composition before joining the ensemble.
This award “affirms the transformative educational impact of the program, demonstrating how students — many of them new to orchestral performance at this level — rise to meet professional artistic standards through dedicated instruction and a supportive, excellence-driven environment,” Averbach explained. “MUSO embodies the principle that genuine artistic excellence can flourish in a diverse and inclusive educational setting.”
Averbach has shaped the Miami University Symphony Orchestra for the past 23 years, building a program rooted in educational transformation, high-level performance standards, and a belief in the potential of every student. His long-standing commitment has created an environment in which a constantly changing ensemble can achieve national excellence year after year.
