Winners of the 70th edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate distribution

The OSM reveals the identities of the winners of the 70th edition
of the OSM Standard Life Competition
(piano and percussion)

Montreal, November 21, 2009 – The winner of the OSM Standard Life Grand Prize is Jan Lisiecki, pianist from Alberta, born in 1995. The 70th edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition wound up after four days of auditions (semi-finals and finals) in Tanna Schulich Recital Hall at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Twenty-one (21) competitors took part in the semi-finals of the Competition, this year devoted to piano and percussion.

The jury chairman and judge (semifinals, finals - piano and percussion)  was Henry Fogel. Mr Fogel is  Dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University as of July 2009, President and CEO of the American Symphony Orchestra League from 2003 to 2008, and President and CEO of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 2003. "The 70th OSM Standard Life Competition was an extraordinary and thrilling event to be part of. The musical quality was exceedingly high, the world class jury was a model of what a competition jury should be, and the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal's  staff and volunteers did a fabulous job in organizing it. It has been a privilege for me to be a part of it" said Henry Fogel.

                      

The jury for the semi-finals in the piano category was made up of Michel Béroff, concert pianist and Professor at the Paris Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse, and Robert McDonald, Professor at The Juilliard School of Music in New York. In the percussion category, it was made up of Louis Charbonneau, Principal Timpani with the OSM from 1950 to 1998, and Emmanuel Séjourné, percussionist and Head of Percussion Department of the Strasbourg Conservatoire.

For the finals, the following judges joined the semi finals’ jury: Earl Blackburn, Senior Vice-President and Agent with Opus 3 Artists, and Walter Homburger, Artist Manager since 1947 and General Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1987.

The jury for the preliminary round, in the piano category, consisted of Lise Boucher, pianist and Head of the competition Prix d'Europe, Stéphane Lemelin, concert pianist, Professor and Chair of the School of Music at Ottawa University, and member of Trio Hochelaga, and Natalie Pepin, pianist and Professor Emeritus at Université de Montréal. In the percussion category, it was made up of Ian Bernard, Principal Timpani at the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Serge Desgagnés, Principal Percussion with the OSM, and Carol Lemieux, percussionist and Director of the Conservatoire de musique de Québec.

THE RESULTS

OSM Standard Life GRAND PRIZE

The winner of the OSM Standard Life Grand Prize is Jan Lisiecki, pianist from Alberta born in 1995. This prize is awarded to one of the first-prize winners (piano and percussion) who made the strongest impression during the Competition.

In addition to receiving a $10,000 scholarship offered by Standard Life, the winner will perform in aconcert with the OSM, under the direction of Roberto Minczuk, on January 12, 2010 in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, as part of the OSM 2009-2010 Season. The Grand Prize OSM  Standard Life also include:

• The Espace musique Prize: a professional recording in one of the CBC studios

• A recital at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as part of the 2010-2011 NACC season

• A concert with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as part of the 2010-2011 NSO season

• The Orford Arts Centre Prize: a recital at the Orford Arts Centre presented in 2010

The first prizes

• A $10,000 Standard Life Scholarship, awarded in each of the three categories

Piano category (class A): the winner is Tristan Longval-Gagné, Québec, (21 years old)

Piano category (class B): the winner is Jan Lisiecki, Alberta (14 years old)

Percussion category: the winner is Benjamin Duinker, Nouvelle-Écosse, (26 years old)

The second prizes

• A $5,000 scholarship, offered by Marjorie and Gerald Bronfman, piano category, class A.

The winner is: Alexander Malikov, Alberta, (20 years old)

• The $5,000 Rosemary-Bell and Gabrielle-Côté scholarship, offered by the OSM Volunteer Committee, piano category, class B

The winner is: Meagan Milatz, Saskatchewan (16 years old)

• The $5,000 V. E. Lambert scholarship, offered by the Succession Lambert-Fortier-Gagnon, percussion category

The winner is: Clara Warnaar, Québec, (18 years old)

The third prizes

• The $2,000 V.E. Lambert scholarship, offered by the Succession Lambert-Fortier-Gagnon, piano category, class A

The winner is: Olivier Hébert-Bouchard, Québec, (21 years old)

• The $2,000 Aline-Hector-Perrier scholarship, offered by the Fonds Les Amis de l'Art, piano category, class B

The winner is: Simon Boily Proulx, Québec, (16 years old)

• A $2,000 scholarship, offered by an anonymous contributor, percussion category

The winner is: Noam Bierstone, Ontario, (19 years old)

                                        

Prizes for the best performance of a Canadian work

• A $2,000 scholarship, offered by the Groupe Archambault, piano category, class A

The winner is: Tristan Longval-Gagné, Québec (21 years old)

Marc-André Hamelin, Etude no 2, "Prélude et fugue"

• A $2,000 scholarship, offered by the OSM Musicians Association, piano category, class B

The winner is: Jan Lisiecki, Alberta (14 years old)

Marjan Mozetich, Prélude, extrait de Three Pieces for Piano

• A $2,000 scholarship, offered by the OSM Volunteer Committee, percussion category

The winner is: Benjamin Duinker, Nouvelle-Écosse (26 years old)

Alcides Lanza, Diastemas

The other prizes

• The Paul Merkelo scholarship: open to all participants and awarded by a jury chaired by Paul Merkelo, principal trumpet of the OSM, the $2,000 scholarship aims at encouraging musical excellence and providing relevant financial assistance to a candidate's proposed training program

The winner is: Charles Richard-Hamelin, (piano), Québec, (26 years old)

• The Banff Centre Prize: three scholarships covering tuition and accommodation for a three-week session in the Music and Sound Department at the Banff Centre for the Arts, in 2010

·         Piano category (class A): the winner is Charles Richard-Hamelin, Québec, (26 years old)

·         Piano catégorie (class B): the winner is Jan Lisiecki, Alberta, (14 years old)

·         Percussion catagory : the winner is Clara Warnaar, Québec, (18 years old)

• The Domaine Forget Prize: one scholarship covering tuition and accommodation for a two-week music session within the framework of the Rencontres de musique nouvelle en Charlevoix, at the Domaine Forget in 2010

The winner is: Noam Bierstone, (percussion), Ontario, (19 years old)

• The Orford Arts Centre Prize: three scholarships covering tuition and accommodation for a two-week music session at the Orford Arts Centre, in 2010

·         Piano category (class A): the winner is Tristan Longval-Gagné, Québec, (21 years old)

·         Piano category (class B): the winner is Simon Boily Proulx, Québec, (16 years old)

·         Piano category (class B): the winner is Meagan Milatz, Saskatchewan, (16 years old)

• The Toronto Summer Music Festival Prize: two scholarships covering tuition for a music session lasting up to four weeks at the Toronto Summer Music Academy, in 2010

·         Piano category (class A): the winner is Alexander Malikov, Alberta, (20 years old)

·         Piano category (class B): the winner is Benjamin Woo, Colombie-Britannique (18 years old)

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal congratulates all the winners and thanks the partners who made it possible to stage this competition. Sponsored for 18 years by the Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada, the OSM Standard Life Competition, this year under the presidency of Mr. Jean Élie, is a Canada-wide competition offering $100,000 in prizes and scholarships.

About Standard Life

Standard Life is an important Scottish asset-management group that carries out its activities around the world, including in Canada for more than 175 years. Today it specializes in investment products for retirement and in insurance for individuals and for companies. With 2,000 employees based in Montreal and across Canada, the Canadian operation is Standard Life’s largest outside the U.K.

For more information: www.standardlife.ca

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is presented by Hydro-Québec

Info: OSM.ca

Honens announces 2009 Winners

media release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Honens International Piano Competition announces Laureates and prizewinners

CALGARY, AB, November 6, 2009 – William Aide, Chairman of the Honens Jury, announced tonight the Laureates and prizewinners of the Sixth Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary. First Laureate is Georgy Tchaidze, 21, (Russia), Second Laureate is Evgeny Starodubtsev, 27, (Russia), and Third Laureate is Gilles Vonsattel, 28, (Switzerland). 

“The outstanding concerto performances by the Honens finalists have made the jury’s decision all the more difficult,” says Aide. “Our three Laureates demonstrate the artistic conviction Honens seeks in its search for the ‘Complete Artist’.”

In addition to more than $100,000 CAN in cash prizes, Honens awards its three Competition Laureates one of the competition world’s most lucrative career development prizes valued at more than $500,000.  This three-year program, which prepares the laureates for the rigours and realities of a professional music career, includes international engagements, presentation of debuts in essential career-building markets, production of recordings, residencies at The Banff Centre, media training, networking opportunities with presenters and artist managers, and mentoring and coaching.  The program is customized to each laureate’s needs, regardless of Competition ranking.

During the Awards Ceremony, Nexen Inc. announced it would again be the Presenting Sponsor of the Seventh Honens International Piano Competition, October 18 to November 3, 2012.

Honens International Piano Competition is among the world’s most prestigious events of its kind.  It searches the world to discover “Complete Artists” – 21^st century musicians for 21^stcentury audiences.  The Sixth International Piano Competition, was presented by Nexen Inc., and supported by Steinway & Sons, Irene Besse Keyboards Ltd, Macleod Dixon LLP, TransAlta and Enbridge Inc. For more information visit honens.com.

Chant / Voice 2009 : et les lauréats sont…/ and the Laureates are

For English, see below

Chant 2009 : et les lauréats sont…

Le Concours Musical International de Montréal annonce les noms des 3 lauréats de l’édition Chant 2009 :

Premier prix* 30000 $ Angela MEADE, soprano États-Unis
Deuxième prix 15 000 $ Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada

Troisième prix 10 000 $ Andrew GARLAND, baryton, États-Unis

*Le Premier prix du Concours est accompagné d’un enregistrement pour la maison de disques canadienne Analekta.

Ces trois chanteurs se produiront lors du concert gala des lauréats ce jeudi 28 mai à 19 h 30, au Théâtre Maisonneuve de la Place des Arts, avec la participation spéciale de la mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne et du ténor Joseph Kaiser. Placé sous la direction d’Alain Trudel, l’Orchestre Métropolitain accompagnera les lauréats. Le programme musical exact du concert sera annoncé ultérieurement.

Les noms des lauréats des prix spéciaux seront divulgués ce jeudi 28 mai, lors de la cérémonie officielle de remise des prix, qui précédera le concert gala.

Cérémonie officielle de remise des prix et concert gala des lauréats
Le jeudi 28 mai, 19 h 30
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Orchestre Métropolitain
Alain Trudel, chef d'orchestre
Régulier : 45 $ / 27,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $
514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, diffuseur officiel du Concours
Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, est fière d’être le diffuseur officiel du Concours Musical International de Montréal. Voici l’horaire de diffusion des différentes épreuves du Concours sur les ondes d’Espace musique (100,7 FM à Montréal) et sur le site d’Espace classique Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Mercredi 27 mai 20 h : Les soirées classiques : émission entièrement consacrée aux lauréats du CMIM 2009 : Entre autres au programme, diffusion du récital donné par le lauréat du 1er Prix lors de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

Samedi 30 mai à 12 h : sur les ondes de CBC Radio Two, 93,5 FM à Montréal, et sur le site www.cbc.ca/radio2 , Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, émission spéciale de quatre heures présentant les meilleurs moments du Concours; animation, Bill Richardson / réalisation, Matthew McFarlane et Kelly Rice / réalisatrice-coordonnatrice, Denise Ball / adjoint à la production, Hayley Lapalme.

Mercredi 1 juillet, 20 h : La radio des festivals : diffusion d’extraits de l’épreuve finale avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain sous la direction d’Alain Trudel ; réalisation-coordination, Guylaine Picard / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

Rappelons que l’épreuve finale a été diffusée en direct sur les ondes d’Espace musique, 100, 7 FM à Montréal (animation : Sylvia L’Écuyer, commentaires : Fabrizio Melano), et sera disponible en ligne sur Espace classique dès le 29 mai. Les concerts filmés de la demi-finale du Concours qui ont été diffusés en direct sur Espace classique, la web Radio d’Espace musique, seront disponibles pendant un an au www.radio-canada.ca/musique

En plus de ces diffusions en direct, l’épreuve finale sera entendue dans plusieurs pays du monde dans le cadre des Festivals d’été Euroradio, grâce à l’association de la radio de Radio-Canada avec l’Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision. Dès le 19 mai, consultez le blogue d’Espace classique ainsi que différents reportages sur Internet à Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Tous les détails au www.concoursmontreal.ca

******

Voice 2009: and the Laureates are …

The Montreal International Musical Competition announces the names of the 3 winners of the 2009 Voice Edition:

First Prize* $30,000 Angela MEADE, soprano, United States

Second Prize $15,000 Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada

Third Prize $10,000 Andrew GARLAND, baritone, United States


*The Competition’s First prize includes a recording with the Canadian record label Analekta.

These three singers will appear in the Winners’ Gala Concert this Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, with the special participation of mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne and tenor Joseph Kaiser. Under the direction of Alain Trudel, the Orchestre Métropolitain will accompany the winners. The concert’s exact musical programme will be announced shortly.

The names of the winners of the Special Awards will be revealed on Thursday, May 28, during the official awards ceremony preceding the Gala Concert.

Official Awards Ceremony and Winners’ Gala Concert:
Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 pm
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Orchestre Métropolitain
Alain Trudel, Conductor
Regular : $45 / $27,50 / Student : $10
514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, official broadcaster
Radio-Canada’s music radio network, Espace musique, is proud to be the official broadcaster of the Montreal International Musical Competition. Following is the broadcast schedule for the various rounds of the competition on Espace musique (100.7 FM in Montreal) and the Espace classique website Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Wednesday, May 27 at 8 pm: Les soirées classiques, a whole show devoted to the laureates of the MIMC 2009. Programme includes a broadcast of the recital given by the 1st Prize winner during the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Producer: Michèle Patry.

Saturday, May 30 at 1 pm : on CBC Radio 2 (93.5 FM in Montreal) and on the Internet at www.cbc.ca/radio2: Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, a 4-hour special programme of MIMC Voice 2009 highlights. Host: Bill Richardson | Producers: Matthew McFarlane and Kelly Rice | Executive Producer: Denise Ball | Production Assistant: Hayley Lapalme

Wednesday, July 1 at 8 pm: La radio des festivals, excerpts from the Final round with the Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Alain Trudel. Executive Producer: Guylaine Picard

Remember that the Final round was broadcast live on Radio-Canada’s Espace musique (100.7 FM in Montreal) with host Sylvia L'Écuyer and commentator Fabrizio Melano, and will be available online on Espace classique starting May 29. The video concerts of the Semi-Finals will also be posted for one year on Espace classique, Espace musique’s Web Radio, at www.radio-canada.ca/musique

In addition to these live broadcasts, the Final round will be heard internationally, thanks to Radio-Canada’s partnership with the European Broadcasting Union. Starting May 19, follow Espace classique’s competition blog and webcasts at Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Details: www.concoursmontreal.com

---

Two RCM Students Win at The TSO National Piano Competition

Alexander Seredenko and Samuel Deason, two students of The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School, won prizes at The Toronto Symphony Orchestra National Piano Competition, held at The Royal Conservatory between May 22 and 24, 2009. This prestigious piano competition is a biennial event and attracts Canada's finest young pianists between the ages of 16 and 25. Created to foster young talent, the competition has been a project of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Volunteer Committee for over 20 years. Previous winners include acclaimed virtuoso Stewart Goodyear and rising star Todd Yaniw, both of whom are alumni of The Royal Conservatory.

Alexander Seredenko, currently pursuing his performance diploma in piano at The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School in Toronto, under the instruction of Dean James Anagnoson, won The Roy Thomson Hall First Prize of $8,000 and a future performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. No stranger to competitions, Alexander received first place at the annual Canadian National Competition in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Following these awards, and many local competitions in and around Ontario, he obtained first standing in several international piano competitions, including most recently the 2008 Hamamatsu Piano Academy Competition. On February 20, 2009, he appeared in concert with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra under TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian, in a progamme of Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Elgar.

Samuel Deason, a piano student of Marc Durand, also at The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School, won The Victor Feldbrill Prize of $500 for best performance of a Canadian work. Most recently, Samuel also won the $500 Mary Winston Smail Piano award as well as a $3,500 scholarship to the Madeline Island Music Camp at the 53rd annual WAMSO (Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association) Young Artist Competition.

The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory is an internationally recognized centre for professional training in music performance and pedagogy at the post-secondary and post-bachelor levels. The School provides an intimate training environment with a curriculum designed to prepare the most gifted young musicians for all aspects of a professional career. An enrolment of 130 students keeps classes small, students receive more private lesson time, and are offered more than 150 master classes, in addition to between 80 and 100 performance opportunities throughout the year. The faculty consists of world-renowned performers, teachers, and scholars, each bringing expertise and knowledge of the highest standards to Glenn Gould students. Famous alumni include Isabel Bayrakdarian, Naida Cole, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. The Glenn Gould School has been designated a National Training Institute by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

www.tsvc.on.ca/piano_competition

Chant / Voice 2009 : et les finalistes sont…/ and the Finalists are

For English, see below

Le Concours Musical International de Montréal dévoile l’identité des huit finalistes ainsi que l’horaire détaillé de l’épreuve finale (Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts) :

Lundi, 25 mai 19 h 30 Anthony Roth COSTANZO, contreténor, États-Unis 20 h 00 Falko HÖNISCH, baryton, Allemagne 20 h 30 Pause 21 h 00 Sidney OUTLAW, baryton, États-Unis 21 h 30 Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada 22 h 00 Fin

Mardi, 26 mai 19 h 30 Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italie 20 h 00 Seil KIM, ténor, Corée du Sud 20 h 30 Pause 21 h 00 Andrew GARLAND, baryton, États-Unis 21 h 30 Angela MEADE, soprano, États-Unis 22 h 00 Délibérations

Le mardi 26 mai, l'épreuve finale sera suivie des délibérations du jury et de l'annonce des lauréats. Pour accéder au programme musical complet de chacun des candidats : www.concoursmontreal.ca


Finale : les 25 et 26 mai à 19 h 30 (Orchestre Métropolitain et Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre)
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Régulier : 32,50 $ / 22,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $
514.842.2112 / http://www.laplacedesarts.com/

Concert gala des lauréats : le jeudi 28 mai à 19 h 30, avec la participation spéciale de la mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne et du ténor Joseph Kaiser (Orchestre Métropolitain et Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre)
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Régulier : 45 $ / 27,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $
514.842.2112 /www.laplacedesarts.com


Espace musique, diffuseur officiel du Concours
Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, est fière d’être le diffuseur officiel du Concours Musical International de Montréal. Voici l’horaire de diffusion des différentes épreuves du Concours sur les ondes d’Espace musique (100,7 FM à Montréal) et sur le site d’Espace classique Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Dimanche 24 mai à 12 h : émission spéciale présentant les meilleurs moments de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

Lundi 25 mai et mardi 26 mai à 19 h : diffusion en direct de l’épreuve finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

Mercredi 27 mai 20 h : Les soirées classiques : émission entièrement consacrée aux lauréats du CMIM 2009 : Entre autres au programme, diffusion du récital donné par le lauréat du 1er Prix lors de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

Samedi 30 mai à 12 h : sur les ondes de CBC Radio Two, 93,5 FM à Montréal, et sur le site www.cbc.ca/radio2 , Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, émission spéciale de quatre heures présentant les meilleurs moments du Concours; animation, Bill Richardson / réalisation, Matthew McFarlane et Kelly Rice / réalisatrice-coordonnatrice, Denise Ball / adjoint à la production, Hayley Lapalme.

Mercredi 1 juillet, 20 h : La radio des festivals : diffusion d’extraits de l’épreuve finale avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain sous la direction d’Alain Trudel ; réalisation-coordination, Guylaine Picard / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal.

En plus de ces diffusions en direct, l’épreuve finale sera entendue dans plusieurs pays du monde dans le cadre des Festivals d’été Euroradio, grâce à l’association de la radio de Radio-Canada avec l’Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision.

Tous les détails au www.concoursmontreal.ca

******

Voice 2009: and the Finalists are …

Montreal, Saturday, May 23, 2009 - The Montreal International Musical Competition (MIMC) announces the eight Finalists and the detailed schedule of the Finals (Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts):

Monday, May 25 7:30 p.m. Anthony Roth COSTANZO, countertenor, United States 8:00 p.m. Falko HÖNISCH, baritone, Germany 8:30 p.m. Break 9:00 p.m. Sidney OUTLAW, baritone, United States 9:30 p.m. Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada 10:00 p.m. End

Tuesday, May 26 7:30 p.m. Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italy 8:00 p.m. Seil KIM, tenor, South Korea 8:30 p.m. Break 9:00 p.m. Andrew GARLAND, baritone, United States 9:30 p.m. Angela MEADE, soprano, United States 10:00 p.m. Deliberations

The announcement of the laureates will be made following the last Final session on Tuesday, May 26. The complete musical programme of each round is available at www.concoursmontreal.ca


Finals: May 25 and 26 at 7:30 pm (Orchestre Métropolitain and Alain Trudel, conductor)
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Regular : $32,50 / $22,50/ Student : $10
514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com


Gala Concert: May 28 at 7:30 pm, with the special participation of mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne and tenor Joseph Kaiser (Orchestre Métropolitain and Alain Trudel, conductor)
Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts
Regular : $45 / $27,50 / Student : $10
514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com


Espace musique, official broadcaster
Radio-Canada’s music radio network, Espace musique, is proud to be the official broadcaster of the Montreal International Musical Competition. Following is the broadcast schedule for the various rounds of the competition on Espace musique (100.7 FM in Montreal) and the Espace classique website Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Sunday, May 24 at noon: special program featuring highlights from the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer Commentator: Fabrizio Melano Producer: Michèle Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 25.

Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 at 7 pm: Live broadcast of the Final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer Commentator: Fabrizio Melano Producer: Michele Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 29.

Wednesday, May 27 at 8 pm: Les soirées classiques, a whole show devoted to the laureates of the MIMC 2009. Programme includes a broadcast of the recital given by the 1st Prize winner during the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer Producer: Michèle Patry.

Saturday, May 30 at 1 pm : on CBC Radio 2 (93.5 FM in Montreal) and on the Internet at www.cbc.ca/radio2: Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, a 4-hour special programme of MIMC Voice 2009 highlights. Host: Bill Richardson Producers: Matthew McFarlane and Kelly Rice Executive Producer: Denise Ball Production Assistant: Hayley Lapalme

Wednesday, July 1 at 8 pm: La radio des festivals, excerpts from the Final round with the Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Alain Trudel. Executive Producer: Guylaine Picard

In addition to these live broadcasts, the Final round will be heard internationally, thanks to Radio-Canada’s partnership with the European Broadcasting Union. Starting May 19, follow Espace classique’s competition blog and webcasts at Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Details: www.concoursmontreal.ca

Chant / Voice 2009 : et les demi-finalistes sont…/ and the Semi-Finalists are

For English, see below

Le Concours Musical International de Montréal dévoile l’identité des seize demi-finalistes ainsi que l’horaire détaillé de l’épreuve demi-finale (Salle Pierre-Mercure, Centre Pierre-Péladeau)

Vendredi, 22 mai 1ère séance : 19 h 30 Anthony Roth COSTANZO, contreténor, États-Unis 20 h Catrin Aur DAVIES, soprano, Royaume-Uni 20 h 30 Pascale BEAUDIN, soprano, Canada 21 h Pause 21 h 30 Stephen HEGEDUS, baryton-basse, Canada 22 h Mariane LEMIEUX, soprano, Canada 22 h 30 Charlotte CORWIN, soprano, Canada 23 h Fin

Samedi, 23 mai 2e séance 13 h 30 Irina SHISHKOVA, mezzo-soprano, Russie 14 h 00 Falko HÖNISCH, baryton, Allemagne 14 h 30 Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italie 15 h Pause 15 h 30 Sidney OUTLAW, baryton, États-Unis 16 h Seil KIM, ténor, Corée du Sud 16 h 30 Jegyung YANG, soprano, Corée du Sud 17 h Pause 3e séance : 19 h 30 Maghan STEWART-McPHEE, soprano, Canada 20 h Angela MEADE, soprano, États-Unis 20 h 30 Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada 21 h Andrew GARLAND, baryton, États-Unis 21 h 30 Délibérations

Le samedi 23 mai, l'épreuve demi-finale sera suivie des délibérations du jury et de l'annonce des finalistes. Pour accéder au programme musical complet de chacun des candidats : www.concoursmontreal.ca

8 chanteurs seront ensuite invités à participer à la finale. Les lauréats seront annoncés suite aux délibérations du jury, le mardi 26 mai en fin de soirée.

Demi-finale : 22 mai à 19 h 30 et 23 mai à 13 h 30 et à 19 h 30 ; Salle Pierre-Mercure
Régulier : 12 $ / étudiant : 5 $

Finale : les 25 et 26 mai à 19 h 30, Orchestre Métropolitain, Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre, Théâtre Maisonneuve / Régulier : 32,50 $ / 22,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $

Concert gala des lauréats : jeudi 28 mai, 19 h 30, Orchestre Métropolitain, Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre – Avec la participation spéciale du ténor Joseph Kaiser (3e Grand prix et Prix Joseph-Rouleau en 2002) et de la mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne (4e prix en 2007)
Régulier : 45 $ / 27,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $

Passeport CMIM
Donne accès à toutes les épreuves du Concours et au concert gala
Régulier : 165 $ / étudiant : 55 $
En vente aux Jeunesses Musicales du Canada seulement : 514.845.4108, poste 221
reception@concoursmontreal.ca

Achat de billets
Salle Pierre-Mercure : 514.790.1245 / www.admission.ca
Théâtre Maisonneuve : 514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, diffuseur officiel du Concours
Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, est fière d’être le diffuseur officiel du Concours Musical International de Montréal. Voici l’horaire de diffusion des différentes épreuves du Concours sur les ondes d’Espace musique (100,7 FM à Montréal) et sur le site d’Espace classique (Radio-Canada.ca/musique) :

- vendredi 22 mai à 19 h 30 et samedi 23 mai à 13 h 30 et à 19 h 30: diffusion en direct, en son et en images, de l’épreuve demi-finale sur Internet, www.radio-canada.ca/musique

- Dimanche 24 mai à 12 h : émission spéciale présentant les meilleurs moments de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Lundi 25 mai et mardi 26 mai à 19 h : diffusion en direct de l’épreuve finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Mercredi 27 mai 20 h, Les Soirées classiques : émission entièrement consacrée aux lauréats du CMIM 2009 : Entre autres au programme, diffusion du récital donné par le lauréat du 1er Prix lors de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Samedi 30 mai à 12 h : sur les ondes de CBC Radio Two, 93,5 FM à Montréal, et sur le site www.cbc.ca/radio2 , émission spéciale de quatre heures présentant les meilleurs moments du Concours; animation, Bill Richardson / réalisation, Matthew McFarlane et Kelly Rice / réalisatrice-coordonnatrice, Denise Ball / adjoint à la production, Hayley Lapalme

- Mercredi 1 juillet, 20 h, La radio des festivals : diffusion d’extraits de l’épreuve finale avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain sous la direction d’Alain Trudel ; réalisation-coordination, Guylaine Picard / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

En plus de ces diffusions en direct, l’épreuve finale sera entendue dans plusieurs pays du monde dans le cadre des Festivals d’été Euroradio, grâce à l’association de la radio de Radio-Canada avec l’Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision.

Tous les détails au www.concoursmontreal.ca

Le Concours Musical International de Montréal tient à remercier ses partenaires
pour leur soutien à son édition 2009.

Voice 2009: And the Semi-Finalists are …

The Montreal International Musical Competition (MIMC) announces the sixteen Semi-Finalists and the detailed schedule of the Semi-Finals (Salle Pierre-Mercure, Centre Pierre-Péladeau):

Friday, May 22 1st Session: 7:30 p.m. Anthony Roth COSTANZO, countertenor, United States 8 p.m. Catrin Aur DAVIES, soprano, United Kingdom 8:30 p.m. Pascale BEAUDIN, soprano, Canada 9 p.m. Break 9:30 p.m. Stephen HEGEDUS, bass-baritone, Canada 10 p.m. Mariane LEMIEUX, soprano, Canada 10:30 p.m. Charlotte CORWIN, soprano, Canada 11 p.m. End

Saturday, May 23 2nd Session: 1:30 p.m. Irina SHISHKOVA, mezzo-sporano, Russia 2:00 p.m. Falko HÖNISCH, baritone, Germay 2:30 p.m. Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italy 3:00 p.m. Break 3:30 p.m. Sidney OUTLAW, baritone, United States 4 p.m. Seil KIM, tenor, South Korea 4:30 p.m. Jegyung YANG, soprano, South Korea 5 p.m. Break 3rd Session: 7:30 p.m. Maghan STEWART-McPHEE, soprano, Canada 8 p.m. Angela MEADE, soprano, United States 8:30 p.m. Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada 9 p.m. Andrew GARLAND, baritone, United States 9:30 p.m. Deliberation

The announcement of the 8 finalists will be made following the last Semi-Final session on Saturday, May 23. The announcement of the laureates will be made following the last final session on Tuesday, May 26.
The complete musical programme of each round is available at www.concoursmontreal.ca

Semi-finals: May 22 at 7:30 pm and May 23 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Salle Pierre-Mercure Regular : 12 $ / student : 5 $

Finals: May 25 and 26 at 7:30 pm; Orchestre Métropolitain; Alain Trudel, conductor; Théâtre Maisonneuve / Regular : 32,50 $ / 22,50 $ / Student : 10 $

Gala Concert: May 28 at 7:30 pm; Orchestre Métropolitain; Alain Trudel, conductor / With the special participation of tenor Joseph Kaiser (3rd Grand Prize and Joseph Rouleau Award in 2002) and mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne (4th Prize in 2007)

MIMC Pass
(All rounds and gala concert, official programme included)
Regular: $165 / Student: $55
On sale at Jeunesses Musicales of Canada only: 514.845.4108, extension 221 / reception@concoursmontreal.ca

Tickets :

Admission: 514.790.1245 / www.admission.com
Place des Arts: 514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, official broadcaster
Radio-Canada’s music radio network, Espace musique, is proud to be the official broadcaster of the Montreal International Musical Competition. Following is the broadcast schedule for the various rounds of the competition on Espace musique (100.7 FM in Montreal) and the Espace classique website (Radio-Canada.ca/musique):

- Friday, May 22 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 23 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm: Live audio-video webcast: www.radio-canada.ca/musique

- Sunday, May 24 at noon: special program featuring highlights from the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Commentator: Fabrizio Melano | Producer: Michèle Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 25.

- Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 at 7 pm: Live broadcast of the Final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Commentator: Fabrizio Melano | Producer: Michele Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 29.

- Wednesday, May 27 at 8 pm: Les soirées classiques, a whole show devoted to the laureates of the MIMC 2009. Programme includes a broadcast of the recital given by the 1st Prize winner during the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Producer: Michèle Patry.

- Saturday, May 30 at 1 pm, on CBC Radio 2 (93.5 FM in Montreal) and on the Internet at www.cbc.ca/radio2: Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, a 4-hour special programme of MIMC Voice 2009 highlights. Host: Bill Richardson | Producers: Matthew McFarlane and Kelly Rice | Executive Producer: Denise Ball | Production Assistant: Hayley Lapalme

- Wednesday, July 1 at 8 pm: La radio des festivals, excerpts from the Final round with the Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Alain Trudel. Executive Producer: Guylaine Picard

In addition to these live broadcasts, the Final round will be heard internationally, thanks to Radio-Canada’s partnership with the European Broadcasting Union. Starting May 19, follow Espace classique’s competition blog and webcasts at Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Details: www.concoursmontreal.ca

---

2009 Shean Strings Competition Results

EDMONTON NATIVE TAKES $8,000 TOP PRIZE

Edmonton, AB – On Friday, May 15, 2009 – after two days of amazing competition – Ewald Cheung, violin (19 years old), from Edmonton, AB, was awarded the $8,000 top prize in The Shean Strings Competition. He has also won the opportunity to play with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at a future date. Ewald was one of 6 finalists chosen from a field of 24 entries from across Canada to compete in the 2009 Shean Strings Competition on May 14 and 15.

The complete results of the Competition were as follows:

• First Place and $8,000 – Ewald Cheung, violin
• Second Place and $5,000 – Alissa Cheung, violin
• Third Place and $4,000 – Aaron Schwebel, violin
• Fourth Place and $3,000 – Emily Westell, violin
• Fifth Place and $2,000 – Meghan Nenniger, violin
• Sixth Place and $1,000 – Wook (Luke) Young Kim, violoncello

Ewald Cheung also won $1,000 for the Best Performance of the Test Piece – Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16 in g minor by Henryk Wieniawski.

The adjudicators for this year’s competition were David Hoyt, Chair; David Colwell, violin; Jack Mendelsohn, violoncello and Brian Finley, piano.

The 2010 Shean Piano Competition takes place in Edmonton on May 20 and 21, 2010 in Edmonton with an $8,000 top prize and $1,000 prize for best performance of the test piece.

www.sheancompetition.com

- 30 -

Media Contact: Alternate Contact:

Kent Sutherland Paul J. Bourret

Sutherland Productions Chair, The Shean Trust

P: 780.982.9916 P: 780.436.3412

E: sutherlandproductions@shaw.ca

Chant / Voice 2009 : horaire détaillé .../ detailed schedule...

For English, see below

Chant 2009 : horaire détaillé de l’épreuve quart de finale
(Salle Pierre-Mercure, Centre Pierre Péladeau)

Selon le tirage au sort effectué le lundi 18 mai, la direction du CMIM annonce l’ordre de passage des candidats et l’horaire détaillé de l’épreuve quart de finale :

Mardi, 19 mai

1^ère séance
13 h 30 Leslie Ann BRADLEY, soprano, Canada 14 h Leslie John FLANAGAN, baryton, Australie 14 h 30 Anthony Roth COSTANZO, contre-ténor, États-Unis 15 h

Pause

15 h 30 Catrin Aur DAVIES, soprano, Royaume-Uni 16 h Pascale BEAUDIN, soprano, Canada

2^e séance :
19 h 30 Elena GUSEVA, soprano, Russie 20 h Alexandre SYLVESTRE, baryton-basse, Canada 20 h 30 Stephen HEGEDUS, baryton-basse, Canada 21 h

Pause

21 h 30 Marta DE CASTRO DE LAGO, soprano, Espagne

Mercredi, 20 mai

13 h 30 Giles TOMKINS, baryton-basse, Canada 14 h Mariane LEMIEUX, soprano, Canada 14 h 30 Charlotte CORWIN, soprano, Canada 15 h

Pause

15 h 30 Byoung Nam HWANG, ténor, Corée du Sud 16 h Sharleen JOYNT, soprano, Canada

4^e séance :
19 h 30 Irina SHISHKOVA, mezzo-soprano, Russie 20 h Falko HÖNISCH , baryton, Allemagne 20 h 30 Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italie
21 h

Pause

21 h 30 Sidney OUTLAW, baryton, États-Unis 22 h

Lee HEE SANG, contre-ténor, Corée du Sud

Jeudi, 21 mai

5^e séance :

13 h 30

Seil KIM, ténor, Corée du Sud

14 h

Jegyung YANG, soprano, Corée du Sud

14 h 30

Christina TANNOUS, soprano, Canada

15 h

Pause

15 h 30

Taehyun JUN, basse, Corée du Sud

16 h

Maghan STEWART-McPHEE, soprano, Canada

16 h 30

Angela MEADE, soprano, États-Unis

6^e séance :

19 h 30

Kijong WI, ténor, Corée du Sud

20 h

Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada

20 h 30

Andrew GARLAND, baryton, États-Unis

21 h

Délibérations

Le 21 mai, l'épreuve quart de finale sera suivie des délibérations du jury et de l'annonce des demi-finalistes. Le programme musical complet de chacun des candidats est disponible au http://www.www.concoursmontreal.ca

16 chanteurs seront ensuite invités à participer à la demi-finale, puis 8 à la finale. Les lauréats seront annoncés suite aux délibérations du jury, le mardi 26 mai en fin de soirée.

Demi-finale : 22 mai à 19 h 30 et 23 mai à 13 h 30 et à 19 h 30 ; Salle Pierre-Mercure
Régulier : 12 $ / étudiant : 5 $

Finale : les 25 et 26 mai à 19 h 30, Orchestre Métropolitain, Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre, Théâtre Maisonneuve / Régulier : 32,50 $ / 22,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $

Concert gala des lauréats : jeudi 28 mai, 19 h 30, Orchestre Métropolitain, Alain Trudel, chef d’orchestre – Avec la participation spéciale du ténor Joseph Kaiser (3e Grand prix et Prix Joseph-Rouleau en 2002) et de la mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne (4e prix en 2007)
Régulier : 45 $ / 27,50 $ / Étudiant : 10 $

Passeport CMIM
Donne accès à toutes les épreuves du Concours et au concert gala
Régulier : 165 $ / étudiant : 55 $
En vente aux Jeunesses Musicales du Canada seulement : 514.845.4108, poste 221
reception@concoursmontreal.ca

Achat de billets
Salle Pierre-Mercure : 514.790.1245 / www.admission.ca
Théâtre Maisonneuve : 514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, diffuseur officiel du Concours
Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, est fière d’être le diffuseur officiel du Concours Musical International de Montréal. Voici l’horaire de diffusion des différentes épreuves du Concours sur les ondes d’Espace musique (100,7 FM à Montréal) et sur le site d’Espace classique (Radio-Canada.ca/musique) :

- vendredi 22 mai à 19 h 30 et samedi 23 mai à 13 h 30 et à 19 h 30: diffusion en direct, en son et en images, de l’épreuve demi-finale sur Internet, www.radio-canada.ca/musique

- Dimanche 24 mai à 12 h : émission spéciale présentant les meilleurs moments de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Lundi 25 mai et mardi 26 mai à 19 h : diffusion en direct de l’épreuve finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / commentateur, Fabrizio Melano / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Mercredi 27 mai 20 h, Les Soirées classiques : émission entièrement consacrée aux lauréats du CMIM 2009 : Entre autres au programme, diffusion du récital donné par le lauréat du 1er Prix lors de l’épreuve demi-finale; animation, Sylvia L’Écuyer / réalisation, Michèle Patry / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

- Samedi 30 mai à 12 h : sur les ondes de CBC Radio Two, 93,5 FM à Montréal, et sur le site www.cbc.ca/radio2 , émission spéciale de quatre heures présentant les meilleurs moments du Concours; animation, Bill Richardson / réalisation, Matthew McFarlane et Kelly Rice / réalisatrice-coordonnatrice, Denise Ball / adjoint à la production, Hayley Lapalme

- Mercredi 1 juillet, 20 h, La radio des festivals : diffusion d’extraits de l’épreuve finale avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain sous la direction d’Alain Trudel ; réalisation-coordination, Guylaine Picard / Espace musique, 100,7 FM à Montréal

En plus de ces diffusions en direct, l’épreuve finale sera entendue dans plusieurs pays du monde dans le cadre des Festivals d’été Euroradio, grâce à l’association de la radio de Radio-Canada avec l’Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision.

Tous les détails au www.concoursmontreal.ca

Le Concours Musical International de Montréal tient à remercier ses partenaires
pour leur soutien à son édition 2009.

****

Voice 2009 : detailed schedule of the Quarter Final round
(Salle Pierre-Mercure, Centre Pierre Péladeau)

The MIMC officially announces the candidates’ order of appearance for the Quarter Final round, determined by means of a random draw on May 18:

Tuesday, May 19

1^st Session:
1:30 p.m. Leslie Ann BRADLEY, soprano, Canada 2 p.m. Leslie John FLANAGAN, baritone, Australia 2:30 p.m. Anthony Roth COSTANZO, countertenor, United States 3 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m. Catrin Aur DAVIES, soprano, United Kingdom 4 p.m. Pascale BEAUDIN, soprano, Canada

2^nd Session:
7:30 p.m. Elena GUSEVA, soprano, Russia 8 p.m. Alexandre SYLVESTRE, bass-baritone, Canada 8:30 p.m. Stephen HEGEDUS, bass-baritone, Canada 9 p.m.

Break

9:30 p.m. Marta DE CASTRO DE LAGO, soprano, Spain

Wednesday, May 20

3^rd Session:
1:30 p.m. Giles TOMKINS, bass-baritone, Canada 2 p.m. Mariane LEMIEUX, soprano, Canada 2:30 p.m. Charlotte CORWIN, soprano, Canada 3 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m. Byoung Nam HWANG, ténor, South Korea 4 p.m. Sharleen JOYNT, soprano, Canada

4^th Session:
7:30 p.m. Irina SHISHKOVA, mezzo-sporano, Russia 8 p.m. Falko HÖNISCH, baritone, Allemagne 8:30 p.m. Jennifer BORGHI, mezzo-soprano, Italy
9 p.m.

Break

9:30 p.m. Sidney OUTLAW, baritone, United States 10 p.m.

Lee HEE SANG, countertenor, South Korea

10:30 p.m.

End

Thursday, May 21

5^th Session:
1:30 p.m. Seil KIM, tenor, South Korea 2 p.m. Jegyung YANG, soprano, South Korea 2:30 p.m. Christina TANNOUS, soprano, Canada 3 p.m.

Break

3:30 p.m. Taehyun JUN, bass, South Korea 4 p.m. Maghan STEWART-McPHEE, soprano, Canada 4:30 p.m.

Angela MEADE, soprano, United States

6^th Session:

7:30 p.m. Kijong WI, tenor, South Korea 8 p.m. Yannick-Muriel NOAH, soprano, Canada 8:30 p.m. Andrew GARLAND, baritone, United States 9 p.m.

Deliberation

The announcement of the sixteen semi-finalists will be made following the last quarter final session on Thursday, May 21.
The complete musical programme of each round is available at www.concoursmontreal.ca

16 singers will be chosen for the Semi-finals and 8 for the Finals. The announcement of the laureates will be made following the last final session on Thursday, May 26.

Semi-finals: May 22 at 7:30 pm and May 23 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Salle Pierre-Mercure Regular : 12 $ / student : 5 $

Finals: May 25 and 26 at 7:30 pm; Orchestre Métropolitain; Alain Trudel, conductor; Théâtre Maisonneuve / Regular : 32,50 $ / 22,50 $ / Student : 10 $

Gala Concert: May 28 at 7:30 pm; Orchestre Métropolitain; Alain Trudel, conductor / With the special participation of tenor Joseph Kaiser (3rd Grand Prize and Joseph Rouleau Award in 2002) and mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne (4th Prize in 2007)

MIMC Pass
(All rounds and gala concert, official programme included)
Regular: $165 / Student: $55
On sale at Jeunesses Musicales of Canada only: 514.845.4108, extension 221 / reception@concoursmontreal.ca

Tickets :

Admission: 514.790.1245 / www.admission.com
Place des Arts: 514.842.2112 / www.laplacedesarts.com

Espace musique, official broadcaster
Radio-Canada’s music radio network, Espace musique, is proud to be the official broadcaster of the Montreal International Musical Competition. Following is the broadcast schedule for the various rounds of the competition on Espace musique (100.7 FM in Montreal) and the Espace classique website (Radio-Canada.ca/musique):

- Friday, May 22 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 23 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm: Live audio-video webcast: www.radio-canada.ca/musique

- Sunday, May 24 at noon: special program featuring highlights from the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Commentator: Fabrizio Melano | Producer: Michèle Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 25.

- Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 at 7 pm: Live broadcast of the Final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Commentator: Fabrizio Melano | Producer: Michele Patry. Online at Espace classique starting May 29.

- Wednesday, May 27 at 8 pm: Les soirées classiques, a whole show devoted to the laureates of the MIMC 2009. Programme includes a broadcast of the recital given by the 1st Prize winner during the Semi-final round. Host: Sylvia L’Écuyer | Producer: Michèle Patry.

- Saturday, May 30 at 1 pm, on CBC Radio 2 (93.5 FM in Montreal) and on the Internet at www.cbc.ca/radio2: Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, a 4-hour special programme of MIMC Voice 2009 highlights. Host: Bill Richardson | Producers: Matthew McFarlane and Kelly Rice | Executive Producer: Denise Ball | Production Assistant: Hayley Lapalme

- Wednesday, July 1 at 8 pm: La radio des festivals, excerpts from the Final round with the Orchestre Métropolitain, conducted by Alain Trudel. Executive Producer: Guylaine Picard

In addition to these live broadcasts, the Final round will be heard internationally, thanks to Radio-Canada’s partnership with the European Broadcasting Union. Starting May 19, follow Espace classique’s competition blog and webcasts at Radio-Canada.ca/musique

Details: www.concoursmontreal.ca

.

---

In search of the complete artist, Honens invites 93 pianists to international piano competition

Pianists selected for first public stage of 2009 Honens Competition

CALGARY, AB, January 9, 2009 – Honens announced today that 93 concert pianists from 26 countries have been invited to take part in Stage One of the Sixth Honens International Piano Competition. Honen’s International Piano Competition is one of the highest-ranking musical competitions in the world. Its uniqueness lies in its mission to find the complete artist – one who possess technical mastery as well as expressiveness in a wide range of musical forms and styles – one whose music-making possesses imagination, innovation and relevance in today’s world.

Stage One is the preliminary round of the competition where pianists from around the world perform individual 40-minute solo recitals. Stage One sessions take place before audiences in Calgary on March 21; in New York from March 26 to 31; and in Munich on April 25 to 27. A total of 11 pianists in Calgary, 50 in New York and 32 in Munich will perform.

The Application Screening Jury, which included Angela Cheng, Chairwoman, Honens First Jury; William Aide, Chairman, Honens Second Jury; and Stephen McHolm, Honens Executive Director reviewed 145 applications.

“It’s evident by the quality of the applicants that Honens has become one of the world’s leading competitions,” says McHolm. “The competition juries will face a challenging task ahead in choosing the 2009 Honens Laureates.”

Stage One performances will be videotaped and reviewed by the First Jury at the Banff Centre in June. From a field of 93 pianists, 21 will advance to the Quarterfinals in Calgary, which begins on October 22.

Honens International Piano Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious events of its kind. The Sixth Honens Competition takes place in Calgary, October 22 to November 6, 2009. It is presented by Nexen Inc. and supported by Steinway & Sons, Irene Besse Keyboards Ltd., MacLeod Dixon LLP, Enbridge Inc., and TransAlta. For more information about Honens, please visit honens.com.

Winners of the second music Ally/ Midemnet "New buisness showcase"

	WINNERS OF THE SECOND MUSIC ALLY / MIDEMNET "NEW BUSINESS SHOWCASE" Paris, 12 December 2008 – Music Ally, the leading digital music strategy and research company, and MIDEM, organisers of MidemNet, the international forum dedicated to reflection on the music business in the digital age, are delighted to announce the winners of the second Music Ally/MidemNet "New Business Showcase". The winners will present their ideas at MidemNet's 10th annual conference in Cannes from 17-18 January 2009. The seven winners are as follows: The EchoNest (US), Soundcloud (Germany), MPTrax (US), Playanywhere (Israel/US/UK), Instinctiv (US), Passionato (UK), Mustik (Netherlands). Following on from last year's hugely successful event, the showcase will once again highlight some of the most innovative and inspiring business ideas from across the globe which will help to shape and influence new digital music business models, services and products. Last year's inaugural winners were the Barcelona-based developers of the Reactable collaborative instrument which has since gone on to win four further awards. About the Winners Instinctiv Shuffle Ever thought random shuffling of music was too, well, random? Instinctiv has had that thought too, and has come up with Instinctiv Shuffle. It's an iPhone / iPod Touch application that aims to provide a smarter shuffle feature, guessing the user's mood by what songs they listen to and what ones they skip. The app has so far only been available on jailbroken iPhones, but has been causing a stir. MPTrax MPTrax is focused on bringing Web 2.0 connectivity to the live music arena, connecting bands, rappers and DJs to venues, clubs and party planners – including people arranging house parties and other small events. Currently in beta, it offers a dedicated booking platform, complete with a feedback/rating system, invitation tools, sample contracts and social networking features. It could be a crucial tool for bands looking off the beaten track for their live revenues. Mustik Mustik is an interactive musical instrument which allows non musicians to play music. The way you interact with the Mustik alters the way that the musical track plays back. It's a kind of Guitar Hero on acid. Conceived from a University project on embodied interaction, this is one product you have to see to believe. Passionato Launched earlier this year, Passionato is a website targeting classical music fans with higher quality downloads, selling DRM-free music as 320kbps MP3 files, or lossless FLAC files for proper audiophiles. The store also builds in reviews, user ratings and community features, as well as the obligatory Facebook and MySpace widgets. Play Anywhere Catch Media's Play Anywhere scheme is certainly ambitious, aiming to offer a grand solution to interoperability. It's about allowing users to playback music that they own, or which they're legally entitled to access, across all possible devices. The company has already obtained new Play Anywhere licences from two major labels, and is ultimately hoping to entice all players within the digital value chain, including retailers, mobile operators and ISPs. Soundcloud It's been described as "a Google Docs for audio" and a "Flickr for music", so Soundcloud has solid Web 2.0 credentials. It's an online audio platform designed to let people move music quickly and easily, whether they're artists, labels, producers or other professionals. It's attracted more than 2,000 labels and 50,000 users so far without splashing the cash. It's been winning praise for its flexibility and featureset from early users this year. The Echo Nest Founded at the prestigious MIT Media Lab, The Echo Nest claims to be "the software equivalent of a hardware store for music developers". In other words, it offers open APIs covering artist information, music search, recommendation, remix applications, mash-ups and analytic tools. The idea is that clever developers tap into these APIs to build innovative new music services. Early proof of concepts have showed how powerful these tools can be. Note to Editors: About Music Ally London-based Music Ally is the world's leading digital music strategy and research company. Music Ally has been providing publications, consulting, research, training and events to the music and technology industries since 2001. Clients include BBC, EMI, SGAE, Real Networks, Gracenote, Yahoo!, Universal, Ticketmaster, Warner Music Group, Sony BMG, IFPI, Sony Ericsson, Live Nation and Vodafone. For more information go to www.musically.com. About MidemNet In 10 years MidemNet has become the definitive event for monetizing music in the digital age. MidemNet takes place just prior to MIDEM, the music industry's largest BtoB event, on January 17th & 18th 2009 in Cannes, France. Over two days, this acclaimed international event welcomes 1400 leading decision makers – coming from all sectors and shaping the future of the music business - to debate and network. The 10th MidemNet, whose central theme is "creating, serving and monetising the artist-fan relationship", will bring together numerous key players in the sector, such as David Eun, pilot of content strategy for Google, Jim Balsillie, co-CEO, Resarch in Motion (RIM), Blackberry, Amit Kapur, COO, MySpace, Dr. Tero Ojanperä, EVP, Entertainment & Communities, Nokia, or J.Y. Park, President & Artist, JYP Entertainment. http://www.midem.com ABOUT REED MIDEM: Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia, MIPIM HORIZONS and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate sectors. Reed MIDEM is a division of Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organiser Reed organises a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 500 events serves 47 industry sectors. In 2007 Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 39 fully staffed offices. For further information about Reed MIDEM visit www.reedmidem.com For more information please contact: Reed MIDEM Jane GARTON, Press Director Tel: +33 (0)1 41 90 44 39, Email: jane.garton@reedmidem.com Mélanie AIGLE, Press Officer Tel : +33 (0)1 41 90 49 95, Email: melanie.aigle@reedmidem.com Philippe LE GALL, Press Events Manager Tel : +33 (0)1 41 90er 46 48, Email: philippe.legall@reedmidem.com Fax: +33 (0)1 41 90 67 24 www.midem.com
BP 572 - 11 rue du colonel Pierre Avia - 75726 Paris Cedex 15 - FRANCE Tél: 33 (0)1 41 90 44 00 / Fax: 33 (0) 1 41 90 44 09

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Honens International Piano Competition in NYC | 27-30 March 2009

THE NEXT GENERATION:

MORE THAN 35 OUTSTANDING PIANISTS TO PERFORM IN THE PRELIMINARY ROUND – STAGE ONE – OF THE SIXTH

HONENS INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

AT NEW YORK CITY'S SYMPHONY SPACE,

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, THROUGH MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009

More than 35 pianists from around the world will perform individual 40-minute solo recitals as part of the preliminary round – called Stage One – of the sixth Honens International Piano Competition. These performances will take place Friday, March 27, through Monday, March 30, 2009, at New York City's Peter Norton Symphony Space (2357 Broadway at 95^th Street) in the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater. Similar Stage One sessions will take place in Calgary, Munich, and Shanghai in the spring of 2009.

Honens International Piano Competition is one of the highest ranking musical competitions in the world. Its uniqueness lies in its mission to find the complete artist – one who possesses technical mastery as well as expressiveness in a wide range of musical forms and styles – one whose music-making possesses imagination, innovation and relevance in today's world.

Tickets are specially priced to allow a wide range of music lovers to attend the performances: $25 for a four-day pass, $10 for a one-day pass, and $5 for a single session. Passes may be purchased by calling 212/864-5400, online at SYMPHONYSPACE.ORG, or at the door.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, March 27

Session 1 - 10 am to 1:10 pm (pianists 1 to 4)

Session 2 - 2 pm to 5:10 pm (pianists 5 to 8)

Session 3 - 7 pm to 9:20 pm (pianists 9 to 11)

Saturday, March 28

Session 1 - 10 am to 1:10 pm (pianists 11 to 14)

Session 2 - 2 pm to 5:10 pm (pianists 15 to 18)

Session 3 - 7 pm to 10:20 pm (pianists 19 to 22)

Sunday, March 29

Session 1 - 10 am to 1:10 pm (pianists 23 to 26)

Monday, March 30

Session 1 - 10 am to 1:10 pm (pianists 27 to 30)

Session 2 - 2 pm to 5:10 pm (pianists 31 to 34)

Session 3 - 7 pm to 10:20 pm (pianists 35 to 38)

(Schedule is subject to change)

There are three components to Honens International Piano Competition: a selection by application and reference letters only; Stage One recitals in the four cities previously listed; and finally the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals performances in Calgary from October 22 to November 6, 2009. Prize winners of the Competition are announced on stage after the performances on the second evening of the Finals.

The Stage One performances in all four cities will be recorded on digital video under as similar conditions as possible. The Honens recording team will consist of an audio-visual engineer and a representative of the competition. The latter will ensure that conditions are as uniform as possible, and will note the state of instruments, the acoustical qualities of the rooms in which applicants perform, and any unusual circumstances that may exist (such as extreme temperatures). Members of the Stage One jury, or First Jury, will meet at The Banff Centre from June 1-6, 2009, to view the Stage One performance videos, then to choose 21 pianists who will be invited to advance to the Quarterfinals in Calgary which begins on October 22, 2009. Members of the First Jury are Angela Cheng, Chairwoman (Canada); Katherine Chi (First Laureate of the 2000 Honens International Piano Competition; Canada), Matthias Kirschnereit (Germany), Ronan O'Hora (United Kingdom).

The Second Jury, which will be the judges of the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals in Calgary, are William Aide, Chairman (Canada), Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (1992 Honens Laureate; France), Iain Burnside (United Kingdom), Hung-Kuan Chen (Taiwan), Jane Coop (Canada), Aleksandar Madžar (Serbia), and one more to be announced.

At the Quarterfinals, each pianist will perform an 8-minute work by a Canadian composer that has been commissioned specially for this Honens Competition, and will play a recital for violin and piano; the Semifinals will include performances of art songs and lieder; the Finals will require concerto performances.

Collaborating artists for the Competition include: Quarterfinals: Brian Current, composer (Canada) and Erika Raum, violin (Canada); Semifinals: Marie-Nicole Lemieux, contralto (Canada); and Finals: Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (Canada) and Christoph Campestrini, conductor (Austria)

Concert by Minsoo Sohn, Honens Laureate, April 1, 2009

Minsoo Sohn, First Laureate of the 2006 Honens International Piano Competition, will make his Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut in a solo recital on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. The works of Beethoven, as well as Liszt transcriptions of works by Bach, Schubert and Mozart, will be included.

Stephen McHolm, Executive Director of Honens, said: "We like to think of Honens as the 'musician's competition' -- a search to reveal to the public musicians who add knowledge, audacity, risk, individuality and the widest perspective to all they do. We search for artists whose interpretations grow from a wide cultural context and keen imagination, whose art is formed by a fascination for life outside the practice studio, and whose talent inspires the heart and engages the intellect.

"After identifying such artists, Honens nurtures their budding careers for no fewer than three seasons, limiting the number of professional engagements to begin with, while providing our winners with opportunities to build their profiles without pushing the limits of their professional obligations. During the 2006 cycle, Competition laureates performed at chamber music festivals, toured with string quartets, violinists and dance companies. Eventually, we encourage laureates to create 'out-of-the-box' projects that may range from celebrations of obscure composers to musical collaborations to theatrical presentations. Life is changing quickly and, of course, art is changing with it. We are preparing musicians for the 21st century, with audiences for the 21st century in mind."

The Sixth Honens International Piano Competition is presented by Nexen Inc. and supported by Steinway & Sons, Macleod Dixon LLP, and Enbridge.

Background Information

Honens International Piano Competition

Founded in 1992, Honens International Piano Competition has grown to be one of the world's great music competitions, known for its pursuit of the "complete artist" – not only an accomplished soloist, but a musician whose interpretations reflect a wide cultural context, whose well-balanced programs are designed with knowledge and imagination, and who excels in chamber and ensemble performance. Every three years, 21 pianists between the ages of 20 and 30, from all parts of the globe, compete for more than $100,000 CAD (approximately $84,000 USD) in cash prizes, including a comprehensive three-season Artistic and Career Development Program for the laureates, preparing the for the rigors and realities of a professional life in music. This includes arranging performance engagements, production of recordings, residencies at The Banff Centre, promotional and publicity support, professional development opportunities for self-management, and networking opportunities with presenters and artist managers.

Honens searches for musicians whose talent, in the credo of the Competition, "inspires the heart and engages the intellect," whose understanding of his or her art will stem not only from knowledge of a particular composition itself but also from a wide knowledge of related music, of musical literature as a whole, of the other arts, the humanities, and of contemporary culture. Honens is not a series of tests, but rather, a compelling festival of music.

Past Honens Laureates include Maxim Philippov who, in June, 2001, won the Silver Medal at the Van Cliburn Competition; Albert Tiu, who won Juilliard's prestigious William Petschek Award, giving him a debut recital at Alice Tully Hall; Sergei Babayan, appointed Artist-in-Residence at The Cleveland Institute of Music, who founded the Sergei Babayan International Piano Academy in Cleveland and his own chamber music festival in Mexico (Babayan has recorded on the Connoisseur Society, Propiano and Discover International labels); Krzysztof Jablonski, who has recorded two CDs as part of the Polish National Edition of the complete works of Chopin (he has recorded 14 more CDs in Germany, Japan and Poland); Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, who has recorded several CDs of music by Haydn, Schumann, Ohana, Debussy and Chopin, the complete piano works of Ravel, and the recently critically acclaimed complete piano works of Debussy on the Chandos label (he has been nominated Professor-for-Life at the Detmold Hochschule in Germany); 2003 Laureate Winston Choi, Head of Piano Studies at Chicago's Roosevelt University, whose debut CD of the complete piano works of Elliott Carter received rave reviews, and whose CD of the music of Jacques Lenot was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie Charles Cros; Xiang Zou, 2003 First Laureate, who teaches at the Central Conservatory in Beijing; and Honens 2000 First Laureate, Katherine Chi.

Honens is now launching an online radio channel featuring past laureates, competition and concert highlights, and is recording many of the most important laureate engagements to create podcasts, thereby providing an additional promotional outlet for the musicians. Its "Music as a Second Language" concert series is used as a model for other presenters across Canada to introduce classical music to non-classical audiences. As presenter, Honens will feature Gabriela Montero's improvisational talents during the Competition in 2009; will present the North American premiere of the third Mendelssohn Piano Concerto; and will present one of only five North American dates of pianist Leif Ove Andsnes' performance project, "Pictures at an Exhibition – Reframed," featuring multimedia artwork by South African artist Robin Rhode, specially commissioned for Lincoln Center's 50th anniversary by StatoilHydro.

The Competition is named for Esther Honens, born in Pittsburgh and educated in Calgary, who became a successful businesswoman. She married John Hillier, who died in the 1970s, then Harold Honens, with whom she developed real estate holdings in Calgary. In 1991, Esther Honens made a capital gift to establish the international piano competition. She died five days after the first competition in 1992. After five competitions, Honens has distinguished itself as one of the most prominent competitions of its kind, worldwide. Additional information is available on-line at honens.com.

OSM / Standard Life Competition

Launch of the 69th edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition

A record number of entries, and candidates from all across Canada

Standard Life renews its commitment for 5 years

Montreal, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 – The launch of the 69th edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition took place today. The event is being held from November 26 to 29 at Tanna Schulich Hall in the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. This Canada-wide competition is the only one to offer more than $100,000 in prizes and grants and the chance to perform with the OSM. It is dedicated this year to woodwinds, brass and voice. For this 69th edition, a record number of 121 candidates from all regions of Canada entered the Competition.

After blind auditions, 24 semi-finalists between the ages of 19 and 30 were selected. The president of the Competition, Mr. Jean Élie, revealed the names of the chosen candidates: “Over the next few days these 24 promising young musicians will be experiencing great emotions. As in every competition, there will not be only winners. But what matters is the richness of the moments the candidates enjoy in our company. In a healthy spirit of competitiveness and self-transcendence, these young artists will be giving their very best and will benefit from the recommendations of a national and international jury of the highest calibre. We are especially proud, this year, to be welcoming a record number of candidates, who hail from all over Canada.”

The jury, of great prestige, is under the chairmanship of Welz Kauffman, president and CEO of Ravinia Festival outside Chicago. It brings together performers, veteran teachers and players on the musical scene like Maestro Kent Nagano, Renata Scotto, Françoise Pollet and Jean-Pierre Brossmann.

Standard Life, title sponsor for the next 5 years

The grants awarded to first-prize winners in each of the categories are offered by Standard Life, sponsor of the event. At the launch of the 69th edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition, the Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada announced the renewal of its sponsorship of the acclaimed Canadian musical competition. Standard Life has supported this event since 1992 and will continue to serve as the title sponsor for at least five more years.

“Standard Life’s community investments are highly focused on expanding the potential of young Canadians, and I’m convinced that our commitment to the Competition will continue to respond to our objectives in the years ahead,” stated Joseph Iannicelli, president and chief executive officer of Standard Life. “It is gratifying for us at Standard Life to have been able to help young Canadian musicians succeed by opening up possibilities for them that they might not otherwise have even imagined.”

The chief executive officer of the OSM, Madeleine Careau, stressed the significance of the renewal of this partnership with Standard Life: “The commitment for the next five years of a company as important as Standard Life is proof that the Competition is on people’s minds all over Canada and that it has become an essential step for all young musicians who aspire to a performing career. The names of winners down through the years are proof of this. Moreover, over the years the Competition has attracted judges of great reputation and loyal partners. I wish to thank those invaluable collaborators most sincerely for their generosity and their constant support, especially Standard Life, our title sponsor since 1992; our principal partner, Espace musique; our major partner, the Schulich School of Music at McGill University; as well as Yamaha Canada.”

November 30: free chamber-music concert

The semi-finals, the finals and the master classes are open to the public and free of charge. They take place from November 26 to 29 at Tanna Schulich Hall in the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. Moreover, in light of the great success enjoyed last year, the OSM Standard Life Competition will once more be presenting a chamber-music concert, on Sunday, November 30 at 7 p.m. in Redpath Hall at McGill University. This free concert closes the Competition and is a wonderful opportunity to hear the winner of the 2008 edition OSM Standard Life Grand Prize winner. Other musicians featured are soprano Aline Kutan, trombonist Alain Trudel, trumpeter Jens Lindemann, clarinettist James Campbell and violinist Andrew Wan, winner of the 68th edition of the Competition and recently appointed concertmaster at the OSM. The detailed program can be found in an appendix.

Espace musique: principal partner

Espace musique, the music radio service of Radio-Canada, is joining forces with the OSM for the second year in a row in the capacity of principal partner of the Competition. Espace Musique will be offering the winner of the OSM Standard Life Grand Prize the chance to record a demo CD or DVD in one of its studios. In addition, the music service will broadcast this recording and promote the winner over Radio-Canada. Also, the concert on January 11 featuring the winner of this 69th edition will be recorded by Espace musique.

Over $100,000 in prizes

The total value of the prizes awarded to the winners is $100,000. In addition to the one-of-a-kind opportunity of performing in a concert with the OSM under the direction of English conductor Mark Wigglesworth on January 11, 2009, the grand-prize winner will also have the privilege of appearing in 2009-2010 with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra directed by Marc David, of presenting a recital at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre in Yellowknife in 2009-2010, as well as a recital at the Orford Arts Centre in 2009.

Background

Since its creation in 1940, the OSM Standard Life Competition – organized jointly by the OSM Volunteer Committee and the OSM – has launched the careers of nearly 300 prize-winners on the national and international scene: André Laplante, Angela Cheng, Louis Lortie, Angèle Dubeau, Lyne Fortin, Jean-François Rivest, James Ehnes, and more recently Andrew Wan, to give some examples. Intimately connected with the history of the Orchestra, and attracting prestige partners and judges of great reputation, the Competition continues to carry out the educational mission fostered by Wilfrid Pelletier, conductor and the first music director of the OSM.

The OSM Standard Life Competition is open to all the instruments of the orchestra and is intended for all young Canadian performers. It is one of the few competitions to offer contestants three prize categories: cash grants totalling more than $55,000, training grants enabling artists to learn in greater depth; the chance to be offered professional engagements, and finally the enormous privilege of performing before an audience with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and being broadcast on the radio by Radio-Canada.

Attending the launch of the 69th edition today were Maestro Kent Nagano; the president of the OSM Standard Life Competition, Mr. Jean Élie; the chief executive officer of the OSM, Ms. Madeleine Careau; the Vice-president, External Communications and Public Affairs, at Standard Life, Mr. Vincenzo Ciampi; the deputy advisor for culture and for the downtown area of the City of Montreal, Ms. Catherine Sévigny; the head of programming at Espace Musique, the music radio service of Radio-Canada, Ms. Anne Sérode; the Dean of McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, Mr. Don McLean; and several members of the jury.

About Standard Life

The first life insurance company to transact business in Canada, in 2008 Standard Life marks its 175th year of operations. With 10,000 employees globally, Standard Life plc is a major international financial services group headquartered in Scotland. The firm provides asset-managing services for retirement, investment and protection to some seven million customers around the world. It has offices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, India and China, including Hong Kong. The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada is Standard Life plc's largest operation outside the U.K., with 2,000 employees based in Montreal and across Canada, serving more than 1.3 million Canadians, including group insurance and pension plan participants. (www.standardlife.ca)

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is presented by Hydro-Québec

Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition

Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition

$15,000 in Cash Prizes

October 30 - November 1, 2008 - Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory

The Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition which honours the memory of Aaron Brock, a brilliant young classical guitarist, composer and Royal Conservatory instructor, who died tragically two years ago, will be held from October 30 to November 1, 2008.

The Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition is the first initiative of the Foundation created in Aaron's name. The Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling the wishes that, as a result of Aaron's young life being cut tragically short, were left unfulfilled.

The Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition will take place in Mazzoleni Hall in conjunction with The Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W. Access through the Philosopher's Walk entrance.

Aaron Robin Brock passed away suddenly at his home on August 3, 2006 at 31 years of age, when his good heart failed without warning, the result of an undiagnosed condition known as ARVC. Aaron was already an accomplished performer having given concerts across the United States, Europe, Canada and Mexico. At the time of his death he was regarded as a great musician of exceptional talent, capable of evoking deep emotion, and sharing a warm, generous connection with his audiences. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a Doctorate of Musical Arts in 2003, where he was chosen to be the inaugural recipient of the Andres Segovia Award. He had won top prizes at numerous international competitions such as the Schadt String Competition, Rantoucci Guitar Festival, Appalachian Guitarfest, Canadian Music Competition, Barnett Foundation Guitar Competition, Stotsenberg Guitar Competition, Guitar Foundation of America Competition and the Concert Artists Guild.

Aaron had collaborated as a guitar soloist with many distinguished musicians, ensembles and orchestras in Canada and abroad. His performances were broadcast on CBC radio and City-TV television. Aaron was also a dedicated teacher on the guitar faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, as well as an active composer. His first CD, Toccata was released May 2006.

An international panel of accomplished guitarists and judges from Canada, U.S.A. and Norway will adjudicate the Aaron Brock Memorial International Guitar Competition which is the largest prize guitar competition in Canada offering $15,000 in cash prizes, a three week music residency at the Banff School of Music, and engagements in Canada, U.S.A. and Mexico.

This year's qualifying competing guitarists are from Canada, Australia, U.S.A., Mexico and Greece. The Preliminary Round is Thursday, October 30th from 10am to 2pm. That night at 7:30pm three of the judges, Nicholas Goluses, Mark Delpriora and Randal Avers will play a short concert celebrating the guitar in Mazzoleni Hall.

The Semi-Final Round is Friday, October 31st 10am to 2pm. The Final Round (Concerto] is Saturday, November 1st at 7pm with results announced at the end of the evening. All events are open to the public and are FREE! For complete details and a schedule of events, visit www.aaronbrockcompetition.com.

Worldwide search for aspiring new composers begins

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

October 23, 2008

Worldwide search for aspiring new composers begins

A worldwide search for 21^st century compositional talent will begin this Friday (October 24) with the call for scores for the 2009 University of Aberdeen Music Prize.

The Aberdeen Prize – as it has become known in musical circles – is a unique, biennial competition for aspiring new contemporary composers from around the globe.

Established in 2005, it represents a unique collaboration between the University of Aberdeen and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (SSO), and will be judged by the pre-eminent Scottish composer James MacMillan.

Hundreds of scores from as far afield as Australia, China, India and Russia were submitted for the 2007 prize, with South Korea's Jun Lee eventually coming out on top.

He was awarded £5,000 in the form of a commission to write a full piece for orchestra, which will be premiered by the BBC SSO at Aberdeen Music Hall this Friday (October 24), before being broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

The event will also see the launch of the global call for scores for the 2009 prize. Five works will be selected by a panel of experts and the composers brought to Aberdeen in November 2009 for a series of workshops with the distinguished composer James MacMillan and members of the BBC SSO.

Under the patronage of Dame Evelyn Glennie, the University of Aberdeen Music Prize competition forms the centerpiece of a wider celebration of contemporary musical creativity in the form of a weekend of hands-on events, workshops and concerts in Aberdeen.

Dr Paul Mealor, Senior Lecturer in Music and Director of the University of Aberdeen Music Prize said: "Since it was first launched, this search for creative talent has helped to develop Aberdeen's role as one of the major cultural centres in the UK. Hundreds of composers from every corner of the globe embraced the 2007 competition, many of whom wrote to us to express their gratitude that such an event exists.

"We are also honoured to have such a well respected judge in James Macmillan, and in the BBC SSO we have a body of musicians that understands the techniques of modern music better than anyone. We're delighted to be able to open the call for scores for the 2009 competition."

Gavin Reid, Director of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, said: "The BBC SSO has an international reputation for promoting new music and developing the work of young composers, and so we're delighted to continue our partnership with the University of Aberdeen Music Prize."

Jun Lee will have his commission, Marea, premiered by the BBC SSO, under the baton of American conductor Andrew Litton, at Aberdeen Music Hall on Friday, October 24, 7.30pm. The concert will also include Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony.

The University of Aberdeen Music Prize is open to composers of any nationality, with no age limit or restrictions. Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday, May 29, 2009.

For further information and application details for the Music Prize please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/aberdeenmusicprize, email musicprize@abdn.ac.uk or call + 44(0)1224 273 874. Alternatively, contact Aberdeen Music Prize, Office of External Affairs, University Office, King's College, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom AB24 3FX.

Le nouveau Prix de composition de CBC/Radio-Canada

ESPACE MUSIQUE ET CBC RADIO 2 LANCENT UN TOUT NOUVEAU

CONCOURS DE CRÉATION MUSICALE :

ÉVOLUTION

Montréal, 15 octobre 2008 Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, et CBC Radio 2, en partenariat avec le Banff Centre, sont fiers d'annoncer la naissance du concours ÉVOLUTION, le nouveau Prix national de composition de CBC/Radio-Canada.

Date limite d inscription : 15 décembre 2008 à Radio-Canada.ca/evolution

Ouvert à tous les compositeurs canadiens ou résidents permanents âgés de 19 à 35 ans au 15 décembre 2008, ÉVOLUTION accueille toutes les esthétiques musicales contemporaines, une vitrine unique sur la création musicale d'aujourd hui. En plus des 55 000 $ en prix remis par CBC/Radio-Canada et ses collaborateurs, le Banff Centre offre aux cinq finalistes une résidence de composition unique, un séjour de 25 jours (du 2 au 26 mars) au cœur d'un des plus imposants parcs nationaux canadiens. Cette résidence intensive et obligatoire culminera avec la présentation en concert des cinq œuvres finalistes, le 26 mars 2009, un événement diffusé en direct sur CBC Radio 2, à l'antenne d'Espace musique et en son et en images sur Radio-Canada.ca/evolution.

« ÉVOLUTION a pour but d'identifier et d'encourager les jeunes compositeurs les plus prometteurs au pays, et de démystifier, par différents moyens, le processus de création musicale. Nous espérons ainsi mettre en lumière l immense talent de ces artistes issus d un milieu encore trop méconnu, tout en jetant un regard attentif et très personnel sur les étapes de composition d'une œuvre », ont déclaré Christiane LeBlanc et Mark Steinmetz, respectivement première directrice d'Espace musique et directeur de la programmation musicale de CBC Radio 2.

À partir de toutes les candidatures reçues au 15 décembre 2008, un jury national sélectionnera cinq finalistes dont les noms seront dévoilés publiquement le 2 février 2009. Les cinq compositeurs obtiendront alors des indications leur permettant de procéder au travail préliminaire de composition de l uvre finaliste. Mais c'est à partir du 2 mars, à leur arrivée au Banff Centre, que les compositeurs vivront la partie la plus intense du concours, des moments que pourront suivre dans le détail les internautes sur Radio-Canada.ca/evolution. Des entrées de blogues, des vidéos, des entrevues et autres permettront au grand public de ne rien manquer de cette grande aventure.

CBC/Radio-Canada accordera une bourse de 5000 $ à chacun des cinq finalistes. De plus, à l'issue de la grande finale en concert le 26 mars 2009, le Grand Prix national de composition de 20 000 $ sera remis au lauréat par CBC/Radio-Canada et le Conseil des Arts du Canada. Le prix de l'Orchestre de la Francophonie canadienne, sous forme d une commande de 5000 $, sera quant à lui remis à l'un des cinq finalistes. Les auditeurs et les internautes seront appelés à faire connaître leur oeuvre préférée par un vote qui déterminera le lauréat du Prix du public d une valeur de 5000 $, offert par la Fondation Jeunesses Musicales du Canada.

CBC/Radio-Canada est le radiodiffuseur public national du Canada et l'une des plus importantes institutions culturelles du pays. Avec ses 28 services offerts sur toutes ses plateformes radio, télévision, Internet, radio par satellite, audio numérique, sans compter un service de distribution de disques et de musique, et ses services de messagerie sans fil WAP et SMS , CBC/Radio-Canada est de plus en plus accessible à tous les Canadiens, en tous lieux, à tout moment et d innombrables façons.

Radio-Canada.ca/evolution

CBC.ca/evolution

Mount Royal Conservatory students perform Olympian-style musical feats

Mount Royal Conservatory Students perform Olympian-style musical feats Tuesday Aug 26, 2008 The final count is in and Canadian athletes have taken home a total of 18 medals at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Outside the sports arena, summer also produced wins for Mount Royal Conservatory students who led internationally and nationally in the field of music. In early August, Tiedan Yao won first prize at the prestigious Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition in Rochester, New York, having outperformed 23 contenders (aged 15-18) from around the world. The 16-year-old champion impressed the globally-selected panel of judges in several intense rounds of competition, securing the gold medal with what the local Democrat and Chronicle newspaper describes as "a spectacular and sparkling version of Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto. Through the lightness of the music, he (Yao) demonstrated brilliant control laced with feeling." In addition to the $4,000 cash award, Yao, who is a student in the Academy of Music at the Conservatory, also received $1500 in other special prizes, including the audience choice award. And although the highly-gifted musician is still two years away from graduating from high school, Yao has been offered a four-year full tuition scholarship at the Eastman School of Music upon graduation. "This was my first time travelling outside of Canada for an international competition and I'm so happy to have won. Between the nerves, excitement and happiness, it was a great experience. Everyone was very focused and played really well, so it made me play my very best," says an excited Yao. Conservatory student Jan Lisiecki also finished ahead of the musical pack in August. The 13 year old now adds the title of 2008 grand prize winner of the National Music Festival to his medal-laden resume. After taking on 59 other classical musicians and choral groups from across Canada, Lisiecki was one of seven to advance to the final rounds for the top spot and $5,000 prize. According to the director of the Mount Royal Conservatory both students are potent piano forces whose skills and training are not unlike those of Olympic athletes. "To perform at the artistic level demonstrated by Tiedan and Jan requires the same dedication, discipline and specialized training that we see with our Olympic athletes in sports like gymnastics or diving," says Paul Dornian, who goes to compare the two disciplines physically and psychologically. "Playing the piano is a physical process and these young people train their muscles and hone their reactions for many hours a day. Of course, they work with the small muscles in the hands and arms rather than large muscles that athletes need to develop - but like elite athletes - they must constantly be in training," explains Dornian. In addition to the physical similarities, playing concerts or competing in international competitions poses the same psychological challenges of athletic competition and requires the same mental discipline and poise of a winning athlete. "At the level of competition these young artists are involved in - the competitors are all strong and the difference between winning and losing is usually who has prepared the best, and who engages the audience and the jury most effectively," says Dornian, who concludes the eventual result is a combination of technical skill and creative artistry. ___________________________

 ___________________________
 Silvana Saccomani 
 Senior Public Relations Consultant

 Mount Royal College Conservatory
 4825 Mount Royal Gate S.W.
 Calgary, AB T3E 6K6
 Ph    403. 440.6710
 Cell  403. 827.4415
 ssaccomani@mtroyal.ca
 http://www.mtroyal.ca/conservatory/

Junior Piano E-competition final results

1st Minnesota International JUNIOR

Piano-E Competition is now final

Calgary's Jan Lisiecki ties for 3rd place in Yamaha Sponsored Piano Competition for pianists under the age of 17 !

The winners of the e-Piano Junior have been announced in the dramatic Awards Ceremony at 5:30PM on Friday, July 11, 2008 from the stage of the Orchestra Hall. The Ceremony featured performances of all finalists from the earlier rounds. With a Yamaha Disklavier Pro Concert Grand (DCFIIISM4 PRO), video projector, and screen set up on stage, the audience was able to experience the same video-sync technology that was used in the Virtual Audition phase of the competition.

The first prize was shared by Frank Dupree, 16 yrs old, Germany and Nansong Huang, 14 yrs old, China. Both winners have performed again with the Minnesota Orchestra on Friday evening Gala Concert that followed the award ceremony. Second Prize was not awarded The third prize was shared by Osip Nikiforov, 14 yrs old, Russia and Jan Lisiecki, 13 yrs old, Canada. Fourth Prize was not awarded. The fifth prize was awarded to Vladimir Levitsky, 16 yrs old, Russia.

The archived videos of all solo rounds, pictures from the competition will be available on the Minnesota E-Competition website soon. MIDI files of all solo performances will be available shortly after. Please stay tuned.

For further information visit:

www.piano-e-competition.com

NEC Students Sweep Four Top Prizes at International Klein Strings Competition

New England Conservatory String Players Sweep Irving M. Klein Competition

Take First, Second, and Third Prizes, Tie for Fourth

Four New England Conservatory string students swept the 23rd annual Irving M. Klein International String Competition, held June 14—15 at San Francisco State University. This was the second major competition this month in which NEC students took the top prizes: On June 8, two NEC violists, Dimitri Murrath and Emily Deans, took First and Second Prizes at the Primrose International Viola Competition.

At the Klein Competition, Tessa Lark (Frederick), 18, from Richmond, KY and a student of Miriam Fried, won both First Prize and the Weiss Prize for Best Performance of a Commissioned Work by Frank Stemper. Her prizes included a cash award of $10,000 and solo appearances with the Peninsula and Santa Cruz Symphonies, recitals in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico), and the Tulsa Chamber Music Series (Oklahoma), plus a benefit concert and other performances to be announced.

Second Prize of $5000 went to Robin Scott, 21, from Indianapolis, IN who also studies with Fried.

Ying Xue, 22, from Urumqi, China and a student of Donald Weilerstein won the $2500 Third Prize.

Emily Deans, the 23-year old violist who was a prize winner in the Primrose competition, shared the 4th Prize. She is a student of Kim Kashkashian.

Founded in 1985, the Klein is recognized as one of the world’s leading competitions for young string players, age 15—23. This year, 74 young musicians, hailing from 11 countries, entered the competition. Eight played in the semi-finals and finals in San Francisco. The jurors included members of the Alexander and Cypress Quartets, Peter Gelfand, Marc Gottlieb, Patricia Taylor Lee, Melvin Margolis, Jeffrey Miller, Donna Mudge, Alice Schoenfeld, and Frank Stemper.

For further information, check the NEC Website at: http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/faculty/index.html

or call the NEC Concert Line at 617-585-1122. NEC’s Jordan Hall, Brown Hall, Williams Hall and the Keller Room are located at 30 Gainsborough St., corner of Huntington Ave. St. Botolph Hall is located at 241 St. Botolph St. between Gainsborough and Mass Ave.

Winners of the 2008 Primrose Competition

Dimitri Murrath of Belgium Wins

the 2008 Primrose International Viola Competition

On Sunday night, June 8th, in the Smith Music Theatre of Arizona State University's Herberger College of the Arts, 26 year-old Dimitry Murrath and fellow finalists Emily Deans, Lambert Jun-Yuan Chen, Wei-Ting Kuo, Molly Carr, and Barbara Buntrock appeared during the Eleventh Primrose International Viola Competition Final Round. Over the course of the evening five Bartok concerti and one Walton concerto were performed.

As evening turned into morning the audience eagerly awaited results joined by listeners streaming live online from around the world.

Murrath was overwhelmed by his win. "This is an unbelievable moment," he said. First Prize includes $5,000 USD, a viola made by Italian master luthier Carlo Testoni, a gold-mounted Arcos Brasil bow, and select concert appearances in the United States and Europe.

Second Prize of $3,000 and an Arcos Brasil bow went to 24 year old Emily Deans of the United States; Third Prize of $1,000 and an Arcos Brasil bow went to 21 year old Molly Carr of the United States. The Liben Music Prize for a Semi-Finalist who had the best performance of Scott Slapin's composition Recitative for Solo Viola, a piece specially commissioned for the Competition, was won by First Prize Winner Dimitri Murrath. The Linnet Music Prize for an outstanding performance of a Bach work was awarded to Barbara Buntrock of Germany. The Primrose Prize for an outstanding performance of a Primrose transcription was awarded to YiYin Li of China and Second Prize winner Emily Deans. The Sonata Prize for an outstanding performance of a sonata was awarded to Victor de Almeida of the United States and First Prize winner Dimitri Murrath.

The 2008 Competition jury, chaired by former Competition director Claudine Bigelow, was internationally representative and included Amir Shiff of Israel, Bruno Pasquier of France, Steven Tenenbom of the United States, Eugene Sarbu of Romania, and Ensik Choi of Korea. Carol Rodland of the United States returned having served as juror for the semi-final and final rounds in 2005.

Leading up to the finals was a week of intense competition for 70 competitors representing 18 countries. Live Preliminary Rounds were held June 2nd and 3rd, during which competitors were required to perform the first movement of their chosen concerto and a Primrose transcription. At the completion of those rounds the jury selected seventeen competitors to go through to the Recital Round. During the Recital Round competitors were required to perform Scott Slapin's Recitative for Solo Viola, a second Primrose transcription, a sonata, and a selection of Bach. From this round, the jury chose the six finalists. All rounds were streamed live online.

The triennial Primrose International Viola Competition, chaired this year by past winner Nokuthula Ngwenyama, aims to recognize and showcase young musicians who have achieved world class excellence through intensive hard work and unusual talent. Founded in 1979 as the first international competition solely for violists, William Primrose served as chair of the jury for its inaugural year. The American Viola Society (AVS), through an endowment established by memorial contributions made by friends, colleagues, artists, and admirers of the great virtuoso, has sponsored the competition since 1986. Over the last 30 years it has established an impeccable track record for identifying the talent of tomorrow and is respected for its integrity. Past winners are currently engaged in the highest levels of professional artistic careers.

The Twelfth Primrose International Viola Competition is scheduled to begin the end of May, 2011.

2008 Honens ProAm amateur piano competition raises more than $80,000

CALGARY, AB, June 3, 2008 – Five Calgarians, all of them accomplished musicians with day-jobs in other professions, took their turn at a 9-foot Steinway concert grand on Saturday night to stake their claim on the 2008 Honens ProAm title. In a surprise twist, two of the pianists walked away winners. Derek Bullen, founder and President of S.i. Systems Ltd and Kieth Mullback, a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP tied as 2008 ProAm Champion Prize. Bullen also received the Audience Choice Prize.

Bullen and Mullback and fellow competitors Terry Slabe, Ruth Spivak, and Amy West, each performed a 20- minute recital for a near full-house at The GRAND, and raised more than $80,000 for the prestigious Honens International Piano Competition. Each pianist committed to raising $15,000 individually since signing on to the event last September. They exceeded their fundraising target of $75,000 early last week.

"These five professionals really have nerves of steel,"commented Stephen McHolm, Executive Director of Honens. "They each have demanding careers in other professions but found time to perform at a remarkably high level. Honens is truly lucky to have the support of people like Derek, Kieth, Terry, Ruth, and Amy."

The Honens ProAm jurors were Irene Besse, owner of Irene Besse Keyboards Ltd; Minsoo Sohn, First Laureate, 2006 Honens International Piano Competition; and Joyi Wei, winner of the 2005 Honens ProAm and an engineer with Enbridge Inc.

The Sixth Honens International Piano Competition takes place in Calgary, October 22 to November 6, 2009. For more information about Honens, please visit honens.com.

CMIM Piano 2008: l’étape quart de finale / Quarter Finals

For English, see below

Piano 2008: Aujourd'hui !

C'est aujourd'hui que débute l'étape quart de finale du 7e Concours Musical International de Montréal (CMIM), consacré cette année au piano. Suite au désistement d'Eun-Shik Park de la Corée-du Sud, c'est 23 pianistes (11 hommes et 12 femmes) de 12 pays qui prendront part à cette première portion de la compétition.

Photo: Gunther Gamper

Voici l'ordre de passage, déterminé par tirage au sort :

Salle Pierre-Mercure
Centre Pierre-Péladeau
300, boul. de Maisonneuve Est
Montréal
Réservations : 514-987-6919
Réseau Admission : 514-790-1245
www.admission.com

Mardi 20 mai

13 h	Chun-Chieh YEN - Taiwan
13 h 50	Andrejs OSOKINS - Lettonie
15 h	Wei-Jen YUAN - États-Unis
15 h 50	Irina SHKURINDINA - Russie
19 h	Marie-Hélène TREMPE - Canada
19 h 50	Vladimir MILOSEVIC - Serbie
21 h	Sara DANESHPOUR - États-Unis
21 h 50	Alexandre MOUTOUZKINE - Russie

Mercredi 21 mai

13 h	Lang Ning LIU - Canada
13 h 50	Kotaro NAGANO - Japon
15 h	Sanja BIZJAK - Serbie
15 h 50	Michelle NAM - Canada
19 h	Yu-Lin SHEN - Taiwan
19 h 50	Sergei SARATOVSKY - Canada
21 h	Dorel GOLAN - Israël
21 h 50	Piotr Tomasz SZCZEPANIK - Pologne

Jeudi 22 mai

13 h	Gintaras JANUSEVICIUS - Lituanie
13 h 50	Aiko YAJIMA - Japon
15 h	Elizabeth SCHUMANN - États-Unis
15 h 50	Masataka TAKADA - Japon
19 h	Jiny CHOI - Corée du Sud
19 h 50	Carlos AVILA - États-Unis
21 h	Nareh ARGHAMANYAN - Arménie

L'identité des 12 candidats qui seront retenus pour l'étape demi-finale sera dévoilée à l'issue de la dernière session du jeudi 22 mai. Rappelons que l'épreuve quart de finale est diffusée en direct, en son et en images, sur le site Internet de Radio-Canada au www.radio-canada.ca/cmim De plus, toujours en direct sur ce même site web et à l'issue de chaque session, l'animatrice Françoise Davoine recueillera les commentaires du pianiste français Bruno Rigutto. Notons par ailleurs que CBC Radio Two, 93,5 FM à Montréal, diffusera les meilleurs moments du quart de finale et de la demi-finale, lors d'une émission spéciale, le dimanche 25 mai à 15 h 30. L'animateur Kelly Rice sera alors entouré du pianiste canadien David Jalbert et de la réalisatrice Martha de Francisco.

Horaire complet

Tous les détails du CMIM 2008 au www.concoursmontreal.ca

Piano 2008 : Today !

The Quarter Final round of the 7th Montreal International Musical Competition, dedicated to piano, begins today. Following South Korean Eun-Shik Park's withdrawal, 23 pianists (11 men and 12 women) will take part in this first part of the Competition.

Photo: Gunther Gamper

Here is the candidates' order of appearance, determined by random draw:

Salle Pierre-Mercure
Centre Pierre-Péladeau
300, Maisonneuve East Bwd
Montréal
Berri-UQAM Subway
Réservations : 514-987-6919
Réseau Admission : 514-790-1245
www.admission.com

Tuesday, May 20

1 p.m.	Chun-Chieh YEN - Taiwan
1:50 p.m.	Andrejs OSOKINS - Latvia
3 p.m.	Wei-Jen YUAN - United States
3:50 p.m.	Irina SHKURINDINA - Russia
7 p.m.	Marie-Hélène TREMPE - Canada
7:50 p.m.	Vladimir MILOSEVIC - Serbia
9 p.m.	Sara DANESHPOUR - United States
9:50 p.m.	Alexandre MOUTOUZKINE - Russia

Wednesday, May 21

1 p.m.	Lang Ning LIU - Canada
1:50 p.m.	Kotaro NAGANO - Japan
3 p.m.	Sanja BIZJAK - Serbia
3:50 p.m.	Michelle NAM - Canada
7 p.m.	Yu-Lin SHEN - Taiwan
7:50 p.m.	Sergei SARATOVSKY - Canada
9 p.m.	Dorel GOLAN - Israel
9:50 p.m.	Piotr Tomasz SZCZEPANIK - Poland

Thursday, May 22

1 p.m.	Gintaras JANUSEVICIUS - Lithuania
1:50 p.m.	Aiko YAJIMA - Japan
3 p.m.	Elizabeth SCHUMANN - United States
3:50 p.m.	Masataka TAKADA - Japan
7 p.m.	Jiny CHOI - South Korea
7:50 p.m.	Carlos AVILA - United States
9 p.m.	Nareh ARGHAMANYAN - Armenia

The names of the 12 candidates who will move to the Semi-final round will be announced following the outcome of the last Quarter Final session on Thursday, May 22. Remember that video and audio of the Quarter Final round is broadcast live on Radio-Canada's website at www.radio-canada.ca/cmim. In addition, also live on the same website at the end of each session, host Françoise Davoine will take comments from French pianist Bruno Rigutto. Please note that CBC Radio Two, 93.5 FM in Montreal, will broadcast highlights of the Quarter Final and Semi-final rounds on a special show on Sunday, May 25 at 3:30 p.m. Host Kelly Rice will welcome Canadian pianist David Jalbert and producer Martha de Francisco to the studio.

Complete schedule

Complete MIMC 2008 details can be found at www.concoursmontreal.ca

Le Concours international d'orgue du Canada : Une première à Montréal !

Le nouvel événement majeur prend son envol avec l'annonce de
16 concurrents

MONTREAL, le 5 mai /CNW Telbec/ - Cet automne, Montréal accueillera du 8 au 19 octobre 16 organistes virtuoses dans le cadre de la première édition du Concours d'orgue international du Canada (CIOC). "Ce Concours est une vitrine extraordinaire pour l'imposant patrimoine culturel montréalais, notamment, pour les magnifiques orgues de ses nombreuses églises, a déclaré Kent Nagano, directeur musical de l'Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal et patron d'honneur du Concours. Je salue les efforts investis dans la démystification de la musique d'orgue, et je suis fier d'offrir mon soutien en vue de cet événement musical de premier plan." Seul concours international d'orgue des Amériques en 2008, l'événement triennal misera sur la qualité pour offrir au public un nouveau rendez-vous musical de classe internationale.


Montréal, berceau de l'orgue

Ville aux cent clochers, Montréal possède une collection d'orgues de grande envergure d'une valeur inestimable. Les professeurs d'orgue des universités et conservatoires du Québec sont reconnus et le talent des facteurs d'orgues d'ici rayonne à l'étranger. "Avec autant d'éléments jouant en faveur de Montréal, la création d'un concours international d'orgue devenait incontournable. Octobre 2008 sera mémorable dans l'histoire de l'orgue au pays !", a déclaré M. John Grew, organiste de l'Université McGill et directeur artistique du CIOC.

Avec l'arrivée du Concours, un nouveau rendez-vous est maintenant inscrit à l'agenda culturel des Montréalaises et des Montréalais et à celui des visiteurs. "Je me réjouis de la tenue de ce concours d'envergure internationale dans la métropole, a déclaré madame Catherine Sévigny, conseillère associée à la culture et au centre-ville à la Ville de Montréal. Indéniablement, ce nouvel événement est source de fierté et contribue au rayonnement de Montréal comme métropole culturelle."


Un concours international prestigieux

Menée auprès de 1500 facultés de musique et conservatoires autour du monde, la campagne de recrutement du CIOC a permis de recevoir 60 candidatures de 17 pays. Outre le nombre important d'inscriptions pour un nouvel événement, le niveau très relevé des musiciens ressort de façon claire.

Des 16 organistes retenus par un jury préliminaire, 13 sont lauréats de concours d'orgue établis. Représentant 11 pays, cette sélection de très haut calibre regroupe six femmes et dix hommes d'une moyenne d'âge de 28 ans. Pendant le concours un jury de neuf éminents spécialistes de sept pays déterminera les lauréats et leur remettra 65 000 $ en bourses et de nombreux prix spéciaux. "C'est à la fois grâce au jury international et avec les prix les plus importants de tous les concours d'orgue que le Concours international d'orgue du Canada a attiré 16 des meilleurs jeunes organistes au monde", a déclaré M. Grew, qui présidera le jury en octobre prochain.

Le volet compétitif du concours se déroulera en trois épreuves, entre le 8 et 17 octobre, et se clôturera par un concert gala des lauréats le 19 octobre. La première épreuve se tiendra à l'Eglise Immaculée-Conception, la deuxième à l'Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste et la finale à la Basilique Notre-Dame. John Grew, directeur artistique du CIOC, promet aussi des concerts et des activités de formation dont l'annonce se fera en septembre prochain.

"Le CIOC ancrera le statut de Montréal comme capitale nord-américaine de l'orgue. Dès la première édition, nous souhaitons positionner notre Concours parmi les meilleurs au monde", a fait remarquer M. E. Noel Spinelli, C.M., le président du conseil d'administration du CIOC.

Partenaires et visionnaires

C'est grâce aux efforts et à l'engagement des membres du conseil d'administration du Concours que des appuis financiers importants ont été obtenus. Comme diffuseur officiel, Radio-Canada contribuera à la découverte. Avec les intervenants du milieu de l'orgue, ses donateurs et ses partenaires fondateurs soit RBC, Equipe Spinelli, Financière Sun Life et Hydro Québec, le Concours international d'orgue du Canada jouera un rôle de premier plan pour faire connaître de nouveaux talents qui mettront en valeur ces instruments spectaculaires, souvent inconnus du public. Mentionnons aussi la participation du Ministère de la culture, des communications et de la condition féminine, du Ministère du tourisme et de la Ville de Montréal. Fort de l'appui de ses partenaires, le CIOC poursuit les démarches de recherches de fonds afin de garantir le succès de sa première édition et d'assurer sa continuité.

A propos du CIOC

Le Concours international d'orgue du Canada (CIOC) accueille au pays de jeunes organistes recrutés à travers le monde. L'organisme effectue un travail annuel pour promouvoir l'orgue comme instrument majeur dans la culture musicale au pays en plus de contribuer au développement de la carrière de jeunes organistes. Présenté sur des instruments de qualité dans des lieux d'une grande beauté architecturale, le CIOC jouera un rôle important dans la mise en valeur du patrimoine qui a fait de Montréal une référence nord-américaine dans le domaine de l'orgue. Vous pouvez consulter le site Web du CIOC au www.ciocm.org.

Canadian International Organ Competition: A "First" in Montreal!

Major new event launches, 16 international competitors revealed

MONTREAL, May 5 /CNW Telbec/ - This Fall, between October 8 and 19, Montreal will welcome 16 brilliant young organists from around the world under the auspices of the first edition of the Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC). "This Competition will showcase Montreal's diverse heritage, notably through the exceptional collection of instruments held in churches throughout the city," commented Kent Nagano, Music Director of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Honorary Patron of the competition. "I salute the efforts made in demystifying the organ and its music, and I am proud to offer my support in preparation for this major musical happening." The only international organ competition in the Americas in 2008, this triennial event is of such high quality that it offers the public a new musical experience of international calibre.

Montreal, cradle of the organ

City of a hundred churches, Montreal possesses an extraordinary collection of priceless organs. Professors of organ music at Quebec universities and conservatories are well renowned and the talent of our organ builders is recognized all over the world. "With all these elements playing in favour of Montreal, the creation of an international organ competition here was inevitable. October 2008 will be memorable in Canada's history of the organ!" so said Mr. John Grew, Organist at McGill University and Artistic Director of the CIOC.

With the arrival of this competition, a new rendezvous is now written in the cultural agenda of all Montrealers and all visitors to Montreal. "I am thrilled that we are holding this international competition in the heart of the city," declared Ms. Catherine Sévigny, associate councillor for culture and downtown, City of Montreal. "This new event is without a doubt a source of great pride, and contributes to the influence of Montreal as a cultural centre."

A prestigious international competition

After a major launch in 1500 faculties and conservatories of music around the world, the CIOC recruitment campaign brought forward 60 candidates from 17 countries. In addition to this important number of entries for a new event, the high level of talent in the musicians became rapidly obvious.

Of the 16 organists chosen by a preliminary jury, 13 are already prize winners in well-established international organ competitions. Representing 11 countries, this selection of very high calibre talent includes six women and ten men with an average age of 28 years. For the Competition, a jury of nine eminent specialists from seven countries will determine the winners, and who will ultimately receive the $65,000 in prizes and other special awards. "It is thanks to the quality of this international jury and the appeal of the Competition's generous prizes, which are greater than any other organ competition in the world, that the Canadian International Organ Competition has attracted 16 of the finest young organists from across the globe," declared Mr. Grew, who will preside over the jury next October.

The competitive part of the event will take part in three rounds, between October 8 and 17, and will close with a Gala Concert showcasing the winners on October 19. The first round will take place at the Immaculate Conception Church, the second at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church and the final round at the Notre-Dame Basilica. Artistic Director John Grew promises that a number of concerts and educational activities will be held conjointly. The exact place and time of these will be announced in September.

"The CIOC will confirm Montreal's status as North America's pipe organ capital. And for its first edition, we want the CIOC to position itself as one of the most prestigious organ competitions in the world," commented Mr. E. Noel Spinelli, C.M., Chairman of CIOC's Board of Directors.

Partners and visionaries

It is thanks to the generous efforts and the commitment of the members of the Competition's Board of Directors that important financial support has been obtained. Radio-Canada will contribute to the experience as the contest's official broadcaster. The support of the pipe organ world, private sponsors, and founding partners, such as RBC, Team Spinelli, Sun Life Financial and Hydro Québec, will allow the CIOC to play a leading role in highlighting those new talents that are able to bring out the spectacular, and often unknown, nature of these instruments. The event is also being bolstered by the participation of the Quebec Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and the City of Montreal. Greatly encouraged by this support, CIOC is actively seeking other sources of funding to ensure the success of this first edition of the Competition and guarantee its continuance.

About CIOC

The Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC) welcomes young organists to Montreal from around the world. Each year, the organization works to promote the organ as a major instrument in the world of music, and also contributes to the development of the careers of the young organists. The Competition, by showcasing these impressive instruments in their historically beautiful settings, plays an important role in emphasizing the value of our heritage, and recognizing Montreal as a major North American centre for pipe organ music. Please visit the CIOC's website at www.ciocm.org.

NAC announces winners of 2008 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre (NAC) has announced the winners of the 2008 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition following the finals held on Sunday, May 4 in the NAC Studio. Eight finalists had been chosen from the 26 contestants heard in preliminary auditions held on April 30 and May 1. The grand prize-winner of the 2008 NACO Bursary ($7,000) is flutist Amelia Lyon (age 22). In 2007, Amelia was the winner of both the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award and the Special Prize for Orchestral Excerpts.

This year’s winner of the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award of $5,000 is cellist Brian Jangho Yoon (age 21). The Friends of the NAC Orchestra Award ($3,000) went to percussionist Krystina Marcoux (age 18), while violinist Yolanda Bruno (age 18) won the NAC Vic Pomer Award ($2,000). The Piccolo Prix ($1,000) went to flutist Lara Deutsch (age 16).

The NACO Special Prize for the best performance of prescribed orchestral excerpts was not awarded this year.

Honourable mentions of $150 went to violinist Won-Hee Lee (age 19); oboist Marc Gibbons (age 22), and violinist Justin Lamy (age 18).

The Bursary Committee and Jury were chaired by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’s former Ambassador to the USSR and to Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre. Mr. Turner said: “The dedication of these young artists is admirable. It makes me feel very optimistic about their prospects.”

The 2008 Bursary Committee and Jury consisted of NAC Orchestra concertmaster Yosuke Kawasaki, assistant principal second violin Winston Webber (upper strings), bassist Murielle Bruneau (lower strings), flutist Emily Smethurst (winds), French horn Félix Acevedo (brass and percussion), and Ross Francis, (Friends of NACO representative). The Committee included Kelly Abercrombie as the NAC Music representative. The Jury included Turner and Francis (non-voting members), and also included special guests Jean-Guy Brault (former NACO flutist) and Rosalind Sartori (former NACO cellist), and special advisor Ian Bernard (non-voting member).

The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) Bursary Competition was first held in 1981. The NACO Bursary was created by the musicians of the NAC Orchestra as a gesture of appreciation to the audiences who had been so supportive to the Orchestra during its first decade. It is meant to provide recognition and financial support to help further the development of young Canadian orchestral musicians who have connections to the National Capital Region (NCR). In subsequent years thanks to the generosity of additional organizations and individuals, other prizes have been added for a total in 2008 of $18,500. These prizes, in addition to the NACO Bursary, are the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award, created in 2003 by this Foundation which strongly believes in the importance of helping young people; the Friends of the NAC Orchestra (formerly NACOA) Award created in 1993 to celebrate the Orchestra’s 25th anniversary season; the NAC Vic Pomer Award commemorating one of the founding violinists of NACO and a dedicated teacher who died in 2001 at age 70; the Piccolo Prix provided “to encourage and support our young artists” by NAC volunteer and Donors Circle member Cav. Pasqualina Pat Adamo, and the NACO Special Prize of $500 for the best performance of prescribed orchestral excerpts.

All prizes are intended for music students aged 16 to 24 whose principal or family residence is in the National Capital Region, or who have been following a recognized course of music study in the NCR in the previous year in preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. Each year, a jury identifies deserving recipients through audition and selection.

CBC Radio One & The Quebec Writers' Federation Announce The Winners Of The 2007 Quebec Writing Competition

And a New Book Of Winning Stories From Vehicule Press

Montreal, May 4, 2008

Creative non-fiction by Joel Yanofsky wins the 2007 Quebec Writing Competition.

CBC Radio One and the Quebec Writing Federation are pleased to announce that Joel Yanofsky has won the top prize in the 2007 Quebec Writing Competition with a moving piece about being the father of a child with autism.

We're also celebrating the launch of a new book of winning stories from the last 3 years of the competition: In Other Words (Vehicule Press).

For 9 years the Quebec Writing Competition (formerly the Quebec Short Story Competition) has supported new writing in Quebec by offering authors a chance to create pieces for broadcast on CBC Radio as well as for publication by Maisonneuve Magazine + Vehicule Press. Two years ago, the competition was opened up to include creative non-fiction as well as short stories.

The awards ceremony took place at the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival on May 4, 2008 and was hosted by CBC Radio One's Jeanette Kelly. The 2007 QWC Jurors were Lee Maracle, Sherry Simon + Matthew Fox.

About the 2007 QWC Winners:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Joel Yanofsky for 'What You Need'

Jurors' Comments: In a story that describes an adulthood of thoughts in a single drive home, readers will find the sobriety of an essay, the honesty of a memoir and the truth of narrative fiction. Crisp sentences roll smoothly yet surprisingly along, showing us that parenthood is a journey of unpredictable emotions.

Joel Yanofsky is the author of Mordecai & Me: An Appreciation of a Kind. His most recent work is Love U: The Grad School Musical.

Other 2 winners of 2007 QWC:

Jessica Block for 'Common Gull'

Jurors' comments: Nostalgia and violence conspire here to offer a quiet and understated story. "Common Gull" uses simple dialogue to show us the complexity of childhood, and how even the earliest parts of our life can offer surprising depths of both compassion and curiosity.

Author Bio: Jessica Block works as a subtitle editor in Montreal. She is also completing an MFA in creative writing through UBC's Optional Residency program.

Jennifer Neri for 'The Mistake'

Jurors' Comments: [This story] brings to life the hypocrisy and racism that exist under the veneer of everyday life, even in a multicultural society. The author shrewdly embeds her social observations in the history of both the central character and her city—Montreal.

Author Bio: Before she could read, she told stories. Once she began reading, she was never without a book. It is this fascination with the unknown, and the known, that led her to do Masters degree in Biochemistry at McGill University. She has recently completed her first novel, and is eager to embark on a second.

Young musicians compete for $18,500 at the Finals of the NACO Bursary Competition 2008 on May 4

Ottawa, Canada – Up to eight young musicians with connections to the National Capital Region will compete for prizes totaling $18,500 at the Finals of the 2008 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition to be held on Sunday, May 4 at 19:00 in the National Arts Centre Studio. These finalists will be selected from 30 applicants who auditioned before a jury of National Arts Centre Orchestra musicians and guests on April 30 and May 1. The winners will be announced and presented with certificates and cheques at the May 4 Finals. Admission is FREE, but donations to the NAC Orchestra Bursary Trust Fund are greatly appreciated.

Each finalist will perform short orchestral excerpts followed by a movement from a concerto or sonata that features their instrument, sometimes accompanied by piano. Refreshments will be served while the jury deliberates before the announcement of the winners.

The NACO Bursary Competition is open to music students in or from the region aged 16 to 24 who are following a recognized course of music study in preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. This year’s Bursary Committee and Jury are chaired by Vernon G. Turner, Canada’s former Ambassador to the USSR and to Israel, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The NACO Bursary Trust Fund was established in 1979 to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the founding of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and to thank the people of the National Capital Region for their support during the Orchestra’s first decade. The top prize is the NACO Bursary of $7,000 funded from the NACO Bursary Trust Fund. A second Trust Fund prize of $2,000 is the NACO Vic Pomer Award named for the late NACO violinist. A third prize covered by the Fund is the NAC Orchestra Special Prize of $500 for Best Orchestral Excerpts. Also available are three additional prizes to be awarded at the Jury’s discretion: the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award of $5,000; the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Award of $3,000, created in 1993 to celebrate the Orchestra’s 25^th season; and the Piccolo Prix of $1,000 initiated in 2001 by Pasqualina (Pat) Adamo.

Former CBC producer Joe Fingerote joins Honens

news release
for immediate Release

Monday, April 21, 2008 - Joe Fingerote, Executive Producer of Radio Music, Arts, and Entertainment for CBC Alberta, will join the management of Honens International Piano Competition as Director, Recording and Online Development in June.

Producer and host of numerous CBC Radio shows including Arts Encounters, Shaken Not Stirred, Shuffle, and guest host of In Performance, Joe Fingerote will lead Honens' live recording, and internet-based broadcasting projects.

"With the changing landscape of classical music broadcasting and the emerging ease of online music streaming, a door has opened for Honens," said Stephen McHolm, Honens' Executive Director. "We will soon make hundreds of concerts from past Honens International Piano Competitions available for streaming, and share the incredible talents of Honens laureates through online broadcasts of their recordings and performances from around the world. We're thrilled that Joe will lead this charge."

Commenting on his new position, Fingerote said, "Honens is recognized for its creativity, imagination and integrity. My goal is to bring this important music institution to a much wider, global audience."

Honens is Canada's leading presenter of music for piano. Every year, Honens produces and supports more than 100 concert, education and outreach events in Calgary, across Canada and around the globe. The triennial Honens International Piano Competition is one of the world's great music competitions.

Joe Fingerote
Director, Recording and Online Development

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Joe Fingerote aspired to a career in music from an early age. He studied both piano and cello, completing a Bachelor of Music at the University of Manitoba. During his undergraduate studies, Fingerote found that his love of music was matched by his interest in audio and electronics. This discovery launched his career as a music producer and recording engineer. Still an undergraduate student, he joined the CBC Radio Music department in Winnipeg where he worked on live music recordings of all kinds, in addition to daily music programs. His first assignment was the classical music request show RSVP. Fingerote maintained his work at CBC while continuing his studies in music and sound, first at The Banff Centre, and later at McGill University. In 1999, while his work as a producer continued behind the scenes, he began hosting regional and national programs on CBC Radio 2. In 2005 Fingerote moved to Edmonton to take on the role of Executive Producer for CBC Radio Music in Alberta and led the Radio Music teams in Edmonton and Calgary as they launched several new programs for CBC Radio 2.

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Julie Wright
Honens
403 299 0130 x 138
jwright@honens.com
honens.com

2009 Honens International Piano Competition Announces Jury and Featured Artists

Canada's prestigious Honens International Piano Competition

makes first announcement for 2009 Competition

CALGARY, AB, January 24, 2008 - Honens announced today the juries and featured artists of the Sixth Honens International Piano Competition:

JURIES

First Jury - Stage One

Angela Cheng, Chairwoman Canada

Katherine Chi Canada

Matthias Kirschnereit Germany

Ronan O'Hora United Kingdom

Second Jury - Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals

William Aide, Chairman Canada

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet France

Iain Burnside United Kingdom

Hung-Kuan Chen Germany

Jane Coop Canada

Aleksander Madzar Belgium

Anne-Marie McDermott United States

COLLABORATING ARTISTS

Quarterfinals

Brian Current, composer Canada

Erika Raum, violin Canada

Semifinals

Marie-Nicole Lemieux, contralto Canada

Finals

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Canada

Christoph Campestrini, conductor Austria

Canada's Honens International Piano Competition is a wonderfully different kind of music competition. Honens looks for artists whose interpretations grow from a wide cultural context and keen imagination, whose performances are informed yet flavoured by a fascination for life outside the practice studio, and whose talent inspires the heart and engages the intellect. Honens is dedicated to "Discovering the Complete Artist" - every aspect of the Competition reflects this philosophy.

After the Competition, Honens serves an essential need in the lives of emerging concert artists, those of mentorship and management. The laureates of the Honens Competition are supported in their budding careers by a robust career development program lasting three seasons - a program that provides opportunities for creative development, career growth and exposure.

Applications for the Competition will be available at honens.com starting February 1. The deadline for applying is October 31, 2008.

The Sixth Honens International Piano Competition takes place in Calgary, October 22 to November 6, 2009, and is presented by Nexen Inc. and supported by Steinway & Sons, Irene Besse Keyboards Ltd, TransAlta, Arcis Corporation, Alberta Views, Bantrel Co., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Masters Gallery, CBC Radio 2, WAX Partnership, and RPM Piano Movers. For more information about Honens, visit honens.com.

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Information:

Julie Wright

Honens

403 299 0130 x 138

jwright@honens.com

Backgrounders:

Competition schedule

Collaborating Artists and Jury bios

Premier concours chorégraphique / Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal

Communiqué

Pour diffusion immédiate

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal

lancent leur PREMIER concours chorégraphique en 2008

Montréal, le 15 janvier 2007 - Une grande première aux Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal ! Soucieux de découvrir de nouveaux talents et de soutenir la création en ballet, la compagnie initie en ce début d'année un concours chorégraphique unique en son genre à travers le Canada. Les jeunes chorégraphes canadiens ou résidents permanents de 30 ans et moins, dont la formation, la démarche et la sensibilité artistiques s'appuient sur la technique de ballet classique, sont invités à s'y inscrire d'ici le 18 avril prochain.

Le concours chorégraphique des Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, lancé aujourd'hui, offre l'occasion à quatre artistes du pays, dont un du Québec, de concevoir une oeuvre ne dépassant pas 25 minutes, pour au plus quatre danseurs de la troupe. Les lauréats pourront réaliser leurs créations au cours d'une période de cinq semaines, s'échelonnant de la mi-août à la fin septembre 2008. Celles-ci seront présentées à l'Agora de la danse, partenaire de présentation du projet, les 25, 26 et 27 septembre 2008, à la suite d'une résidence technique de trois jours au sein de ce chaleureux théâtre de la danse.

Fait important : dans le cadre de ce projet, les lauréats bénéficieront tout au long du processus de création du mentorat éclairé de Gradimir Pankov, directeur artistique des Grands Ballets, et de celui également de Stéphan Pépin, directeur de production de l'institution. Le concepteur d'éclairages, Marc Parent, fera de plus partie de l'équipe.

Dès son arrivée aux Grands Ballets, en 2000, Gradimir Pankov rêvait d'établir un tel concours innovateur. Identifier, encourager et solliciter la participation de talents émergents, soutenir la création, contribuer au développement et au rayonnement du ballet dans ses diverses expressions ont toujours été ses premiers objectifs. Par ce concours, il espère de plus établir des relations à long terme avec les jeunes chorégraphes au pays et intégrer les créateurs les plus talentueux à l'intérieur même de la programmation régulière de la compagnie.

Les Grands Ballets ont à différentes occasions commandé des pièces à des chorégraphes québécois et canadiens, dont par le passé Ginette Laurin, Édouard Lock et Shawn Hounsell, et aujourd'hui Peter Quanz. Toutefois, le nombre d'oeuvres canadiennes présentées a diminué au cours des dernières années en raison d'un manque de plateformes qui auraient permis aux nouveaux talents en chorégraphie d'acquérir de l'expérience. Tremplin pour les jeunes artistes, le concours chorégraphique des Grands Ballets se veut une solution pour pallier cette situation.

Créer dans un cadre exceptionnel, être conseillé et soutenu par des professionnels, travailler avec des danseurs accomplis et jouir de la crédibilité et de la réputation de la troupe : voilà ce que le concours chorégraphique des Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal offre aux futurs lauréats.

Les candidats intéressés peuvent se procurer le feuillet d'information du concours sur le site Internet de la compagnie www.grandsballets.com. Date limite d'inscription : 18 avril 2008.

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Renseignements : Francine Arsenault, communications

(514) 849-8681, poste 227 / farsenault@grandsballets.com

www.grandsballets.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal

lAUNCHES ITS FIRST CHOREOGRAPHIC COMPETITION IN 2008

Montréal, January 15, 2007 - A major "première" for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal! With an eye to discovering new talent and supporting creation work in the ballet world, the company is initiating a choreographic competition...the only one of its kind in Canada. Young Canadian choreographers (citizens and permanent residents) aged 30 and under, whose training, approach and artistic sensibility are based on classical ballet techniques, are invited to enter by this April 18.

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal choreographic competition, launched today, will give four artists from Canada, including one from Québec, the opportunity to create works a maximum of 25 minutes long for at most four of the troupe's dancers. Winners will direct their creations over a five-week period running from mid-August to late September 2008. The works will then be performed at the Agora de la danse, the project's presenting partner, on September 25, 26 and 27, following a three-day technical residence.

An important note: as part of the project, throughout the creation process winners will benefit from the enlightened mentorship of Gradimir Pankov, Artistic Director of Les Grands Ballets, as well as that of Stéphan Pépin, the institution's Production Director. Resident lighting designer Marc Parent will also be part of the team.

Ever since his arrival at Les Grands Ballets in 2000, Mr. Pankov has dreamed of founding an innovative competition like this one. His main objectives have always been to find, encourage and seek the participation of emerging talent, support their creation work and contribute to the development and growth of ballet in its various expressions. Through the competition, he hopes to establish long-term relationships with the country's young choreographers and integrate the most talented creators' work into the company's regular programming.

Les Grands Ballets has at various times commissioned works from Québécois and Canadian choreographers; past contributors include Ginette Laurin, Édouard Lock and Shawn Hounsell, and a current one is Peter Quanz. However, the number of Canadian works performed has diminished in recent years due to a notable lack of choreographers who master the arts of both ballet and choreography. As a spring plank for young artists, Les Grands Ballets choreographic competition aims to help improve this situation.

The opportunity to create within an exceptional framework, to receive the advice and support of professionals, to work with accomplished dancers and to benefit from the troupe's credibility and reputation: this is what Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal choreographic competition offers future winners.

Interested candidates can see the competition information sheet on the company's website at www.grandsballets.com. The deadline for entry is April 18, 2008.

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Information: Francine Arsenault, Communications

(514) 849-8681, ext. 227 / farsenault@grandsballets.com

www.grandsballets.com

[Competitions] Announcing the 2008 Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting Competition in Chattanooga, Tennessee

January 17, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeffrey James Arts Consulting
516-586-3433 or jamesarts@worldnet.att.net

Announcing the 2008 Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting
Competition in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting Competition, the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Jeffrey James Arts
Consulting announce the seventh Vakhtang Jordania International
Conducting Competition. To be held between June 1 and June 7, 2008 in
the beautiful, historic city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, this
competition will be open to conductors, regardless of age, sex or
nationality. Entries will be screened by an international panel of
judges. 24 people will be selected to compete in the first round of
the competition. Repertoire for the competition and other information
is at http://www.jamesarts.com/VJKRKVCNDCMP08.htm. A downloadable
entry form is available at

http://www.jamesarts.com/VJKRKVCNDCMP08APP.htm.

Competition week also includes Master Classes and Seminars with
Jordania Competition jury members and competition staff.

Prizes include the Jordania Grand Prize of $7, 500 to the winning
conductor, the William L. Montague, Jr. Second Prize of $5,000 and
the Third Prize of $2,500.

Complete applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2008. All
materials must be submitted in one package. No partial or email
applications will be accepted. Decisions will be announced by April
15, 2008.

Contestants must submit entry form, a curriculum vitae, recent photo,
biographical sketch, repertoire list and a performance videotape or
DVD (please see entry form on website for special video instructions)
along with a non-refundable processing fee of $150 (U.S. Funds only -
no bank transfers - payable to Vakhtang Jordania International
Conducting Competition) to:

Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting Competition
7457 Preston Circle
Chattanooga Tennessee 37421
USA

Complete competition information and entry form available at

http://www.jamesarts.com. Questions about the competition can be
directed to Jeffrey James Arts Consulting at
jamesarts@worldnet.att.net, or 516-586-3433 or Joan Murray at
clownjoni@aol.com or 423-894-5748.

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--
Jeffrey James Arts Consulting
45 Grant Avenue
Farmingdale, NY 11735 USA
Tel: 516-586-3433
E-mail: jamesarts@worldnet.att.net
Website: http://www.jamesarts.com

[London] News from the London Handel Society - dated 4 January 2008

London Handel Festival 2008 -

The deadline for applications for the Handel Singing Competition 2008 is approaching - Friday 18 January. I have had a few singers asking for clarification but hope that we will get a good number of singers actually taking part. All the information is on the website www.london-handel-festival.com for those who have not already decided to participate. This year all the Rounds are open to the public - 17, 18, 19 March for the First Round at the RAM, 25 March for the Semi-Final and 3 April for the Final, both at St George's Hanover Square.

Booking for the Festival has started for those who are part of the Handel Supporters scheme, and will be open to everyone else from 31 January - please see details in the brochure or online on the Booking Information page. Online booking is not quite ready but will be by mid January.

Friends of the LHF Winter Series - the first concert in 2008 is on 24 January, at 7pm at St George's Hanover Square (£10 tickets on the door) with the Ensemble Amaranthos. This will be followed on 28 February with a concert by Four Temperaments (Donum Musicum). Both young chamber groups are highly thought of and represent the RCM and the RAM.

There are two new CDs available - Handel Esther and the new London Handel Players' Handel - Complete Violin Sonatas Op2 and both are available from the office. Esther is getting excellent reviews and is the Editor's Choice in Gramophone January 2008.

Happy New Year

Best wishes
Catherine
____________________________
Catherine Hodgson
____________________________
Horton House, 8 Ditton Street
Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0BQ
Tel/Fax: 01460 53500
Box Office: 01460 54660
Email: c-hodgson@btconnect.com
www.london-handel-festival.com
____________________________
Festival Director
London Handel Festival
London Handel Society

London Handel Players

2007 Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Programme Results / Résultats du Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques 2007

Les résultats furent encore une fois positif pour les lauréats du programme des Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques 2008 du Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20

Once again the results were positive for the laureates of the programme of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques from Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20

Résultats des lauréats envoyés en Europe pour participer concours internationaux en 2007
Resuls for the laureates send in Europe to participate to international competition in 2007

Yanick Muriel Noah, soprano canadien
*- Deuxième Prix Opéra du concours international Hans Gabor Belvedere de Vienne en Autriche.
-Troisième d'opérette
-Prix de la Scala de Milan
-Prix Morioka du Japon
-Prix de l'Opéra de Klagenfurt
-Prix du public
*-Grand Prix du concours international de chant de Marmande en France
-Prix du Public
-Deuxiéme prix d'opérette

Marie-Eve Munger, soprano canadien

*-Premier Prix d'opéra -section femme-du concours international de chant de Marmande en France

Leticia Brewer, soprano canadien
*-Prix spécial du jury concours international de chant d'Alcamo en Sicile
* Troisième Prix du concours international de musique tchèque et slovaque de Montréal

Allison Cecilia Arends, soprano canadien
*-Troisiéme Prix Concours international Spazio Musica en Italie

Lian Liu, soprano chinois
*Deuxième Prix Concours international Spazio Musica en Italie

Zhengzhong Zhou, baryton chinois
*-Premier Prix d'opéra -section homme-du concours international de chant de Marmande en
France
Deuxième Prix de mélodies françaises.

Gang Song, baryton chinois
*Quatrième Prix du concours international de musique tchèque et slovaque de Montréal

Engagements dans théâtres lyriques, invitations à des concerts, invitation à des master-classes suite à l'audition nationale d'avril et au Gala de novembre 2007
Engagements in Lyric Theater, invitation for concerts, invitation for master-classes following the April National Audition and the November 2007 Gala

Marie-Eve Munger, soprano canadien
*- Invitation à l'Opera studio d'Amsterdam en 2008 à Amsterdam
Voyage payé plus une bourse chaque mois et aide pour trouver le logement
* Invitation au master class international de Monte Argentario avec concerts par Jorge Chamine
Master-class, et séjour gratuit (logement et repas) 2008-2009
* L'intendant du Gärtner Platz de Münich, Ulrich Peters s'intéresse à Melle Munger pour son
Opéra studio en 2008 ou 2009
Mireille Lebel, mezzo-soprano canadien
*-L'intendant du Gärtner Platz de Münich, Ulrich Peters s'intéresse à Mlle Lebel pour son Opéra studio en 2008 ou
2009
*- Invitation au master class de la Fondation Georges Bizet à la Villa Viardot et participation au Festival Georges
Bizet en 2009 à Bougival -Master-class, et séjour gratuit (logement et repas) 2008-2009
*- A obtenu un engagement par le directeur du Pacific Opera de Vicforia pour octobre 2009
Rôle de Myrtale dans Thais et aura une possibilité d'autres engagements
*-Possibilité de concert avec l'orchestre Philharmonique d'Etat de Kosice en Slovaquie en 2008 ou 2009

Marianne Lambert, soprano canadien
*-Engagement par le directeur de l'Opéra de Québec pour chanter en décembre 2008 au gala de
l'Opéra de Québec.
*-Engagement par le directeur de l'opéra de Rennes pour un rôle à l'Opéra de Rennes en France
en 2009
*-Rencontre d'un agent intéressé à Vienne
*-Prix du public du Gala des JAL 2007-bourse Sarah Bernes

Leticia Brewer, soprano canadien
*-Invitation à l'Opera studio d'Amsterdam en 2008 à Amsterdam
Voyage payé plus une bourse chaque mois et aide pour trouver le logement
*-Recommandé au directeur de l'Opera National de Prague
*-Invitation à la semi-finale du concours international d'Orvieto en Italie en 2008

Yanick Muriel Noah, soprano canadien
*-Invitée à chanter par l'Opéra d'Avignon en France au concert Tremplin international en décembre 2007

Laura Albino, soprano canadien
*-Invitation pour un concert avec l'orchestre Philharmonique d'Etat de Kosice en Slovaquie en 2008 ou 2009

Maria Lambroula Pappas, soprano canadien
*-Envoyée auditionner en Europe chez les partenaires du Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 en
Allemagne, Autriche, Suisse et Portugal.
*-Engagement en 2009 à l'Opéra de Berne en Suisse et possibilité d'engagement à l'Opéra de
Lisbon au Portugal

Maud Darizcuren, soprano français
*-Invitation à la semi-finale du concours international d'Orvieto en Italie en 2007

Changhan Lin, baryton coréen
*-Inviter au stage d'opéra du Spazio Musica d'Orvieto en 2008
*-Invitation pour un concert avec l'orchestre Philharmonique d'Etat de Kosice en Slovaquie en 208 ou 2009
*-Prix du public du Gala des JAL 2007-bourse Sarah Bernes

Philip Banzak, baryton tchèque
*-Invité à chanter par l'Opéra d'Avignon en France au concert Tremplin international en
décembre 2007

NOTES
D'autres engagements ou invitations pourront suivre en 2008 lorsque des partenaires du Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 en Europe auront visionnés la bande vidéo du Gala.

Plusieurs lauréats ont été envoyés aussi pour participer à des concours internationaux en Europe durant l'été et l'automne 2007 avcc un soutien financier en France (4 ), en Estonie (2), en Autriche (3) et en Italie (3).

4 lauréats furent aussi envoyés auditionner en Europe en 2007 en France, Allemagne, Suisse et Portugal
9e CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL DE MUSIQUE TCHEQUE ET SLOVAQUE DE MONTREAL

RÉSULTATS

39 candidats de 8 pays furent acceptés de participer au concours aux Etats-Unis et au Canada:
12 canadiens, 18 américains, 3 tchèques, 2 chinois, 1 français, 1 slovaque,1 hongrois, 1 roumanie

LE JURY
JITKA SLAVIKOVA, Présidente du jury, Chef dramaturge de l'Opéra d'Etat de Prague (République tchèque) (*1)
EVA BLAHOVA, mezzo-soprano, présidente du concours international de Chant Mikulas-Schneider Trnavsky (Slovaquie)
GILDO DI NUNZIO, répétiteur-Conseiller artistique du Metropolitan Opera de New York- (Etats-Unis)
ALES KANKA, Vice-doyen pour les affaires internationales - Conservatoire de musique de Prague (République tchèque)
JULIUS KLEIN, Directeur général de l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Kosice (Slovaquie)
SARAH MEREDITH, Mezzo-soprano,Professeur -Faculté de musique de l'Université du Wisconsin-Green Bay (Etats-Unis)
ALAIN NONAT,Directeur général et artistique- Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20, Fondateur du concours (Canada)
GUY SOUCIE, Directeur de la Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur de Montréal-Maison de la musique (Canada) (*1)
SCOTT STEWARD, Directeur Florentine Opera- Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Etats-Unis) (*2)
DAVID ADAMS, Professeur Conservatoire de Cincinatti (Etats-Unis) (*2)
(*1) juges seulement au Canada (*2) juges seulement aux Etats- Unis

LES PRIX
Premier Prix- Prix Leos Janacek
SIMONE OSBORNE, soprano canadien âgée de 21 ans de Vancouver
Bourse des fondations Velan et Sharon Resch de $ 5.000
Stages au Conservatoire de musique de Prague et à l'Académie des arts de Brno en République tchèque
Stage d'interprétation en Slovaquie
Concerts avec l'orchestre philharmonique de Bratislava et l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Kosice en Slovaquie

Deuxième Prix- Prix Antonin Dvorak
LETICIA BREWER, soprano canadien de Montréal-
Bourse Recochem de $ 2,000
Seconde nommée pour stages en République tchèque et concerts à Kosice en Slovaquie

Troisième Prix- Prix Bohuslav Martinu
ADRIENN MIKS,soprano hongrois de Budapest
Bourse Fondation EJLB de $ 1,500

Quatrième Prix- Prix Bedrich Smetana
GANG SONG , baryton chinois de Shanghai -
Bourse de la Fondation EJLB de $ 1,000
Concert avec l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Kosice en Slovaquie

Cinquième Prix- Prix Eugen Suchon
DANIEL CAPKOVIC, baryton slovaque
Bourse de la Maison Slovaque de $750 et du Fonds musical slovaque-canadien
Deuxième nommé pour concert avec l'orchestre philharmonique de Bratislava en Slovquie.

Trois bourses de soutien de $ 500 chacune furent accordées à Amanda Herrmann, soprano (Etats-Unis), Seth CaricoDaniel Cepkovic, baryton (Slovaquie)
AUTRES PRIX.
Les trois premiers prix sont éligibles à des engagements à l'Opéra de Severoceske Divadlo d'Usti Nad Labem, et de l'Opéra J.K. Tyll Théâtre de Plzen en République tchèque.

Renseignements : Alain Nonat - Directeur général et artistique - Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20
Téléphone : (514) 684-7287 Télécopieur : (514) 684-4979 Courriel : lyrique@cooptel.qc.ca
baryton (Etats-Unis) et