The fourth recipient of the Charles Ives Living, a three-year, $225,000 grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, is George Tsontakis.

Jury chairman William Bolcom, also a well-known composer, said, "There are a slew of awards for young composers. There aren't nearly enough for composers who have gained a solid reputation, who are in mid-career and sorely in need of more time to compose ... For someone like George Tsontakis, the Charles Ives Living affords precious and well-deserved time to create."

Composers that won the Ives living previously are Stephen Hartke (2004), Chen Yi (2001) and Martin Bresnick (1998).

[source: www.playbillarts.com]