Tarm, a student at the New England Conservatory in Boston, and the six others were chosen out 150 applicants for the First Music prize – an annual hallmark of the New York Youth Symphony. Called "invaluable" by The New York Times, the 31-year-old First Music competition is widely seen as a leading force in the U.S. for bringing the work of younger composers to the public's attention.
Tarm, 20, was selected based partly on his work for string orchestra, "Headline Hues," (https://soundcloud.com/jftarm/...) which had its world premiere in Estonia last year by the Tallinn Chamber orchestra and Risto Joost conducting. It received the American premiere at New England Conservatory earlier this month.
Orchestra, chamber music, and jazz composers under age 30 were eligible to participate in the First Music competition, which is judged by a panel of professional composers. First Music is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.
The pieces Tarm and the other winners must still complete will be performed during New York Youth Symphony’s 2014-15 concert season; Tarm's will be performed at Carnegie Hall on March 8 of next year.
Past recipients of the First Music commission include David Lang, Augusta Read Thomas, Michael Torke, Kevin Puts, and Derek Bermel, among others. First Music composers have gone on to receive a combined total of 3 Pulitzer Prizes, 12 Rome Prizes, 16 Guggenheim Fellowships and the Grawemeyer Award.
The Tallinn, Estonia-born Tarm who moved to Chicago at age 10 has received national and international attention for his compositions, including as the winner of a National YoungArts Foundation Award. He graduated from the Music Institute of Chicago's Academy program where he studied composition with MIC's Dr. Matthew Hagle, Dr. Mischa Zupko and violin with Northwestern University Professor Gerardo Ribeiro.
He currently is studying composition at the New England Conservatory with composer John Mallia.