Competition for Young Composers

Sue Fink founded Angel City Chorale (ACC) in 1993, bringing together a small group of 18 singers at McCabe’s Guitar Shop with a mission of inclusivity and community-building. Under her leadership, ACC has grown into a world-class ensemble of over 180 voices, known for its rich and diverse musical experiences. A student of legendary conductor Roger Wagner, Fink toured internationally with his Grammy Award-winning chorale before establishing herself as a conductor, composer, and singer-songwriter. She has led ensembles such as the Oriana Renaissance Ensemble and the Los Angeles Women's Community Chorus and has released two award-winning albums. Her distinguished 30-year career includes conducting performances at renowned venues worldwide, from Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles to Cadogan Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. She also led Angel City Chorale through four performances on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, earning the coveted Golden Buzzer and advancing to the semi-finals. In addition to conducting, Fink composes and arranges for choral organizations and writes music for television and film soundtracks. When not on the podium, she teaches in her private voice studio, continuing to inspire the next generation of vocalists.

Venezuelan native Dr. Cristian Grases joined the University of Southern California faculty in the Fall 2010 semester and is currently a professor of choral music, conductor of the USC Thornton Concert Choir, and Vice-Dean of the Classical Division. As a sought-out conductor, clinician, academic, and adjudicator, he has traveled to Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia, conducting in prestigious halls such as Carnegie Hall, and presenting in numerous international conventions and symposia. Grases is also an award-winning composer whose works have been commissioned and sung by numerous prestigious ensembles around the world. Grases served as the Vice-President for Latin America of the International Federation for Choral Music until December, 2020, and was the chair of the Ethnic Music Repertoire and Resources Committee for the Western Division of the American Choral Directors Association (2009-2018). He currently serves in many international committees including the artistic committee for the World Youth Choir and the World Symposium on Choral Music.

Dr. Tracy Wong is a Malaysian-Canadian choral conductor, music educator, composer, vocalist, and pianist. She strives to provide unique experiences for singers through collaborative commissions, customized workshops, festivals, and artist residencies. She focuses on the balance of performance practice considerations, vocal and acoustic explorations, and choral artistry and heart.

Currently in Ontario, she is the Assistant Professor of Choral Studies at Western University where she conducts Chorale and Les Choristes ensembles and teaches choral conducting. In July 2025, she transitions to her new role at Wilfrid Laurier University to the Eileen Mercier Endowed Professorship in Choral Music. She holds a Doctor in Musical Arts in Music Performance (Choral Conducting) from the University of Toronto and collaborates regularly with choral organizations in North America and internationally on conducting events, workshops/clinics, commissioned projects, and residences. Her compositions are widely published and performed internationally. (www.tracywongmusic.com)