The Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition, a new contest open to pipe organists between the ages of 18 and 30, has chosen its first winner. On Saturday, Benjamin Sheen was named as the recipient of the Pierre S. du Pont prize, which at $40,000 is one of the largest cash awards for a pipe organ competition. Mr. Sheen was chosen after a recorded audition process that lowered the pool of participants to 10. They were then asked to perform for a panel of judges on Longwood’s 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ.
Mr. Sheen, who was born in London, is a master’s student at the Juilliard School and was recently appointed an assistant organist at St. Thomas Church in Manhattan. He will assume that post in September. As part of his prize, Mr. Sheen also received a contract with Phillip Truckenbrod Concerts Artists and a guaranteed performance at Longwood Gardens at some point during the 2013-14 seasn.
