E-Gré names string competitors for annual event

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This article was published 16/02/2012 (5081 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 35th Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition (Strings) has just announced the names of the nine string players who will compete in the 2012 semi-finals on May 4-5.

They are:

• Christina Bouey, New York (from Charlottetown, P.E.I.);

• Isaac Chalk, Montreal, (born in Oxford, U.K.);

• Kendra James, New Haven, Conn. (from Delta, B.C.);

• Véronique Mathieu, Toronto (from Québec City);

• Joshua Peters, Montreal (from Winnipeg);

• Britton Riley, Ann Arbour, MI;

• Dorothy Ro, Cleveland, Ohio (from Bedford, N.S.);

• Leana Rutt, Brooklyn, N.Y. (born in London, Ont.);

• Brian Yoon, Houston, Texas (from Coquitlam, B.C.).

Also known as the E-Gré Competition, this annual event focuses on contemporary music and exceptional performance. Created as a tribute to composer and pianist/violinist Sonia Eckhardt-Gramatté, the competition champions Canadian music and is open only to Canadian musicians between the ages of 18 and 30.

Held annually at the Brandon University School of Music on the first weekend in May, it alternates between voice (2011), strings (2012), and piano (2013).

Nationally recognized for its high standards, the E-Gré offers its competitors excellent opportunities. This year the first prize includes a cash award of $5,000, a Canadian recital tour (which provides another $5,000 in artist fees for both the winner and the collaborative pianist), and a three-week residency at Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy.

A second cash prize of $3,000 and a third prize of $2,000 cash are also awarded, as well as a best collaborative pianist prize of $500 and the City of Brandon Prize. This special prize of $1,000 honours the best performance of the annual commissioned work — which, this year, is String

Theory composed by John Burge of Kingston, Ont.

The jurors for the recorded preliminary round of the competition, which took place in November 2011, were Roman Borys (cello, Gryphon Trio), Nancy Dahn (violin, School of Music, Memorial University), and Jasper Wood (violin, School of Music, UBC). Jurors for the semi-finals and final rounds will be Patricia Shih, Yuel Yawney, Nikita Pogrebnoy and Shih-Lin Chen of the Borealis String Quartet. The Borealis String Quartet will be performing this year’s gala concert on May 5.

Past E-Gré Competition prizewinners include Ben Heppner, James Parker, Jon Kimura-Parker and Annalee Patipatanakoon.

The 2012 competition gratefully acknowledges the support of Brandon University and the E-Gré Development Fund, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, the City of Brandon, CBC Radio-Canada, RBC Emerging Artists Project, Investors Group and many corporate and private donors.

Competition dates are May 4-6. The finals are on the afternoon of May 6.

All events take place in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall in the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building on the Brandon University campus.

There is an admission charge for recitals.

MUSIC COMPETITION FINALISTS NAMED

Christina Bouey, violin

(New York; from Charlottetown P.E.I.; born in Toronto): Pursuing a professional study certificate, Manhattan School of Music, studying with Laurie Smukler. Master of Music (2011), Manhattan School of Music, studying with Nicholas Mann. Bachelor of Music (2009), Boston Conservatory, Boston, MA, studying with Irina Muresanu.

Isaac Chalk, viola

(Montreal; born in Oxford U.K.): Pursuing a Bachelor of Music, Schulich School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, studying with André Roy. Artist Diploma (incomplete), Glenn Gould School, Toronto, studying with Steven Dann. Licentiate and Artist Diploma (2008, 2010), McGill University, studying with André Roy.

Eleanor Kendra James, viola

(New Haven CT; from Delta B.C.): Master of Music (pending 2012), Yale School of Music, studying with Ettore Causa. Bachelor of Music (2010), Colburn School Conservatory of Music, Los Angeles, studying with Paul Coletti.

Véronique Mathieu, violin

(Toronto; from Québec City): Doctorate in Music (ABD), Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., studying with Mark Kaplan. Master of Music (2006) and Performer Diploma (2005), Indiana University, studying with Miriam Fried. Artist Diploma (2003), School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, studying with Denise Lupien. Bachelor of Music (2001), Conservatoire de Musique de Québec, Québec City, studying with Catherine Dallaire & Jean Angers.

Joshua Peters, violin

(Montreal; from Winnipeg): Bachelor of Music (pending 2013), Schulich School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, studying with Jonathan Crow & André Roy.

Britton Riley, cello

(Ann Arbour, Mich.): Doctor of Musical Arts pre-candidate and Master of Music (2011), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., studying with Richard Aaron. Bachelor of Music (2009), University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music, Los Angeles, studying with Eleonore Schoenfeld, Peter Stumpf and Alexander Suleiman.

Dorothy Ro, violin

(Cleveland Ohio; from Bedford N.S.): Master of Music candidate & Bachelor of Music (2011), Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Paul Kantor, David Cerone, & Linda Cerone.

Leana Rutt, cello

(Brooklyn N.Y.; born in London Ont.): Pursuing a Master of Music, Juilliard School, New York, studying with Timothy Eddy. Bachelor of Music (2011), Schulich School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, studying with Matt Haimovitz.

Brian Yoon, cello

(Houston Texas; from Coquitlam B.C.): Pursuing a Master of Music, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, Houston, Texas, studying with Desmond Hoebig. Bachelor of Music (2010), University of Ottawa, studying with Paul Marleyn.