The University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Music and Dance is proud to share that The Moanin’ Frogs, a saxophone sextet that includes Associate Professor of Saxophone, Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, MM, has won the Menuhin Gold Prize at the 12th Osaka International Chamber Music Festa in Japan.
Held every three years, the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition & Festa features competitively selected groups from around the world. The Chamber Music Competition is restricted to string ensembles, but the Festa is open to all music genres and types of musical instruments. The Moanin’ Frogs were one of the 16 ensembles from 10 different countries that advanced to live rounds in Osaka, Japan, this month and was one of only two U.S. groups selected. Advancement in the Festa is determined by popular vote by a jury of music-loving community members. The competition’s highest honor, the Menuhin Gold Prize, includes a cash award and a Grand Prix Concert Tour across Japan in 2028.
Hulting-Cohen joined the University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty as an assistant professor in 2014. Co-founder of The Moanin’ Frogs, they are an internationally recognized performer, educator, and advocate for chamber music, whose work spans from vaudeville to the vanguard of contemporary music. The Moanin’ Frogs are widely known for their virtuosic artistry, theatrical energy, and innovative chamber music programming, featuring six different saxophones, from sopranino to bass. As the group’s tenor and sopranino saxophonist, Hulting-Cohen shows exemplary skill as both soloist and ensemble performer. Their arrangement of Der Hölle Rache from Mozart’s The Magic Flute was featured in the competition’s semi-final round.
This international recognition reflects an extraordinary level of musicianship and creativity on a global stage. Livestream recordings from the competition are available on YouTube for those who would like to watch the show, and additional information about The Moanin’ Frogs and the competition are available below.
The Moanin’ Frogs Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/themoaninfrogs/
Osaka Chamber Music Competition YouTube Streams:
https://youtube.com/@osakachambermusic/streams
More information about the competition:
https://jcmf.or.jp/12thcompetition-festa/en/
Please join us in congratulating Jonathan Hulting-Cohen and The Moanin’ Frogs on this remarkable international achievement and representing the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Music & Dance on the world stage.