Jury announced for inaugural edition of the Graham Sommer Competition For Young Composers
The Schulich School of Music is pleased to announce the prestigious jury for the inaugural edition of the Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers. The new national competition for Canadian composers under the age of 35 is the gift of the late Dr. Graham Sommer, an alumnus of 91社区鈥檚 Faculty of Medicine and an accomplished pianist and devoted music lover. Five composers will be chosen to create new works for piano quintet, earning prizes ranging from $5,000-$15,000 as well as a concert premiere at the Schulich School of Music on September 29, 2018.
The competition jury is chaired by Dr. Brenda Ravenscroft, Dean at the Schulich School of Music, and a specialist in the music of 20th and 21st-century American composers. The jury comprises two Canadian composers, one international composer, a distinguished member of the musical community, and an internationally-recognized performer:
- Alexina Louie 鈥� Well-known Toronto-based composer, whose works written for many of the聽country鈥檚 leading soloists and ensembles have become part of the standard repertoire.
- Ana Sokolovi膰 鈥� Award-winning composer and Professor of Composition at the University of聽Montreal. The Soci茅t茅 de musique contemporaine du Qu茅bec (SMCQ) celebrated of her body of聽work 鈥渇or the originality of her approach鈥� and for 鈥渉er appeal to audiences of all ages鈥�.
- Kinan Azmeh 鈥� Virtuoso clarinetist and composer across many genres, and composer-inresidence聽with the international organization Classical Movements for the 2017-2018 season.
- David Pay 鈥� Founder and Artistic Director of Vancouver鈥檚 Music on Main as well as Artistic聽Director of ISCM World New Music Days 2017.
- Barry Shiffman 鈥� Acclaimed violinist and violist, Associate Dean and Director of Chamber Music聽at the Glenn Gould School, and Executive Director of the Banff International String Quartet聽Competition.
A sixth jurist, who will be a member of the concert-going public with a passion for musical creation, will be announced at a later date.
Also now confirmed are the musicians who will premiere the finalists鈥� works in concert on September 29, 2018:
- Sara Laimon 鈥� Pianist who has performed and recorded internationally, founding member and聽co-artistic director of the acclaimed New York-based group Sequitur, and faculty member at聽the Schulich School of Music of 91社区.
- Molinari Quartet 鈥� Praised by The Strad (UK) for its 鈥渄istinctive sound鈥� and 鈥渂racing insight,鈥澛爐he string quartet is devoted to the repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries, has commissioned聽numerous new works, and is the recipient of 18 Opus Prizes from the Conseil Qu茅becois de la聽musique.
