The Hope College Orchestra and its director of orchestras — Samuel Pang — learned this week they are the national winner of the The American Prize–Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in orchestral programming in the college/university division, 2026.
The Hope College Orchestra was one of six finalists in the national competition. The
American Prize is a nationwide recognition, with conservatory orchestras such as the
Curtis Symphony Orchestra and numerous state universities also competing in various
categories for this prestigious award.
“Being recognized as a national finalist is perhaps the most significant in recent years for the Hope College Orchestra,” said Pang, who also serves as Hope’s assistant professor of music. He joined Hope’s faculty in Fall 2023. “Hope’s student musicians have demonstrated they are among the best in the nation.”
The award specifically honors "orchestral programming," validating Hope’s distinct ensemble approach. Pang creates the orchestra curriculum with his students, taking an interdisciplinary focus and a specific mission rooted in artistic excellence as an act of worship. Pang said each of the nine members serving on the orchestra student board spends hours every week programming music and co-creating the curriculum based on the following questions:
- Does our decision respond well to God’s invitation to worship Him in spirit and in truth?
- Does this decision or project foster transformation into Christlikeness in our students?
- Is this decision or project life-giving to the community we serve?
“This national award is more than about playing music well. The professional judges seemed to recognize how our program is curated and led is really the power of student-led innovation,” he said. “Being recognized by The American Prize validates our unique, interdisciplinary programming and the deep commitment to excellence that defines the Hope College music program.”
He added that their April 2025 concert program, “The Symphonic Story of Hope,” was submitted as part of this national competition application process. The program featured sweeping musical pieces about faith and culminated in a historic performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 8, 2025. “We are proud of every orchestra member who performed this unique and momentous concert program.”
Additional Hope College music students and another music professor are also in the running for other awards of The American Prize as national finalists in 2026:
- Dr. Eric D. Reyes: The American Prize in Conducting-college/university chorus, 2026-The Dale Warland Award. Reyes is an assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Hope, where he leads the chapel choir, college chorus and VERITAS (TTBB). He also founded the treble ensemble SPERA (SSAA) at Hope.
- Professor Samuel Pang: The American Prize in Conducting-college/university orchestra division
- Hope College Chapel Choir: The American Prize in Choral Performance-college/university division (smaller program)
- Hope College Orchestra: The American Prize in Orchestral Performance (college/university-smaller program)
About the Hope College Orchestra
The Hope College Orchestra serves as an audition-based instrumental ensemble at the college, performing both nationally and internationally. It celebrates the diverse talents of its members by promoting interdisciplinary conversations within its course structure and concert programming. Orchestra students elect nine representatives to form the orchestra board. Together with the orchestra director, they make up the curriculum planning committee responsible for developing an orchestra course that supports students' artistic growth as well as their various degree programs and career paths.
About the The American Prize Awards
The American Prize—Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming honors the memory of Lithuanian conductor, Maestro Vytautas Marijosius. He was the music director of the Lithuanian State Opera, and for nearly 35 years he was the director of orchestral activities at the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford. The Prize recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community. More about The American Prize awards can be found at TheAmericanPrize.org.
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation's most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. The American Prize is unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, directors, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings. The American Prize was founded in 2010 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts. Thousands of artists from all 50 states have derived benefit from their participation in the contests of The American Prize, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.