The West Genesee Chorale, under the direction of Anthony Alvaro, placed first out of six participating schools – including ensembles from Long Island, Boston, Connecticut and Buffalo – at Ithaca’s 32nd annual College Choral Composition Contest held Nov. 13.

This national competition features the world premieres of new choral works as well as the performance of a commissioned work published by the Ithaca College Choral Series and the Roger Dean Music Series as part of the Lorenz Publishing Company.

Hundreds of compositions are submitted each year and six finalists are chosen. Each high school choir spends the day with the composer of their piece and performs in the competition later in the evening. The winner can choose to receive a cash prize or have the new work published.

This year, the West Genesee High School Chorale worked with Ross Bernardt, director of choral activities at Texas A & M University in Corpus Christi, on his composition entitled “The Gift Disguised.”