The annual American Prize has been awarded to a number of local orchestras and conductors.

The American Prize is a national competition that honors and awards cash prizes to the best in performing arts at the community, school, and professional levels.

Among this year's local winners and runners-up are Seven Lakes High School Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia in Katy; the Houston Youth Symphony, along with its conductor Michael Webster; conductor Michael Isadore and the Dulles High School Honors Orchestra in Sugar Land; conductor Brad Smith of Houston's Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts; and the Texas Medical Center Orchestra.

The American Prize seeks to recognize the excellence of performing artists from communities across the U.S. that might not otherwise receive national attention. The Prize was founded in 2009 and is based in Danbury, Connecticut.

Winners are selected based on submitted recordings.

A complete list of winners and categories can be found here.

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