The Haifa International Flute Competition was founded by conductor Ada Pelleg in 1997. In 2001 a category for composers was added. In this category prizes were awarded to Israeli composer Max Levi for Concertino for Flute and String Orchestra (Premiered in London by flutist Wissam Boustany, the Israel Virtuosi conducted by Ada Pelleg) and to the Chinese/American composer Dr. Stephen Yip for his "Shun" for flute and string orchestra (Premiered in Tel-Aviv by flutist Raffaele Travizani with the Israel Virtuosi conducted by Ada Pelleg.
New Zealander composer David Hamilton received the 2007 prize for Hine Raukatauri, a composition for solo flute, string orchestra harp and percussion.
There are two honorable mentions: "Cantus Sirenum" by Arnydas Malcys (Lithuania) and "Arrows From a Bow of Burning Gold" by Brian Buch (USA).
The Haifa Prize and the honorable mentions were awarded by jury members chaired by Ada Pelleg, conductor (Israel/USA) Uri Shoham, Flutist, (Israel) Yossi Arnheim, Flutist (Israel) David Winkler, Composer (USA) & Maxim Levi, composer (Israel).
For this year's International competition, open to composers of all ages and nationalities, the Haifa Music Center received scores from all over the world; the jury subsequently selected 11 works to compete for the 2007 Prize.

The competition is sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture & Sports, the Haifa Municipality, the Reuben & Edith Hecht Trust and the Rich Foundation.

David Hamilton
One of New Zealand's most widely performed composers. He has works commissioned by major orchestras, instrumental groups and choirs throughout New Zealand and his works have been performed around the world, including Japan, England, Germany, Canada and USA , with recent commissions from Japan, England, Finland and USA.
Nearly thirty of his choral works have been published outside New Zealand , and a number have been recorded in North America and Finland. In 2000 he won first prize in the choral composition competition at the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2005 he won the NUVOVOX Choral Award in the USA, and in 2006 he won the Rorem Award for Song Composition.
Formerly Composer-in-Residence with the Auckland Philharmonia. He currently servers as Deputy Music Director of Auckland Choral Society.
In addition to being a composer, he is well- known as a choral conductor, workshop leader and clinician. In 200 he was invited to be on the adjudication panel at the Takarazuka International Choral Competition (Japan), and in 2001 he participated in the Asia South Pacific Symposium on Choral Music in Singapore. In 2005 he served on the faculty of the Pacific Basin Music Festival in Hawaii.
More on David Hamilton on his website: www.dbhmusic.co.nz