2020-2021 Golden Violin Award Winner Announced
Congratulations to violinist Russell Iceberg, winner of the 2020-2021 Golden Violin Award!
The Golden Violin Award final听on Sunday, May 16,听2021,听was an evening of outstanding music performed by听three exceptional Schulich string players:听violinist听Alicia Choi听飞颈迟丑听辫颈补苍颈蝉迟蝉听Brigitte Poulin听补苍诲听Gaspard Tanguay-Labrosse;听惫颈辞濒颈苍颈蝉迟听Russell Iceberg听with pianist听Felix Hong;听and violinist听Astrid Nakamura听with pianist听Brigitte Poulin. The repertoire听selection enjoyed by the online viewing audience was varied and听exciting, and was played with deft听skill and musicality by all candidates, making for an engaging final round.听听
A student of听Andrew Wan,听Russell听began his 40-minute program with Beethoven鈥檚 famed 鈥淜reutzer鈥澨齋onata No. 9 in A Major for Piano and Violin, Op. 47听and closed with a听Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op.听23 by听Chopin,听adapted for violin and piano by Eug猫ne听Ysa每e.听Russell said听that though听he could not choose a听favourite听from听the pieces听he played during the competition, the Chopin was extra special. Shares Russell, 鈥淐hopin sadly did not write any pieces for the violin, so we are forced to steal piano pieces, with sometimes mixed success. I learned of听Ysa每e鈥檚听adaptation of the famous G Minor Chopin Ballade because one of my teacher鈥檚 former students, Jacob听Niederhoffer, did a beautiful job creating a proper published edition of this adaptation. I think it is a beautiful and effective adaptation.听For me it is so much fun to get to play one of Chopin鈥檚 most loved and emotional works on the violin. As well, it has been a fun piece to work on with Felix, as he knows this work inside and out.鈥澨�
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For the final, candidates presented听a program of 40 minutes of music of their choice, excluding听repertoire presented at the semi-final round, as required by the competition.听The jury for both the semi-final and final round听was听comprised of Schulich School of Music faculty members Assistant Professor of Cello听Elizabeth Dolin, Associate Professor of Violin听Violaine听Melan莽on, Associate Professor of Viola and General听补苍诲听Artistic Director of MISQA,听Andr茅听Roy听along听with invited听guests听Marianne听Dugal, 2nd听associate and concertmaster of the OSM听as well as Violin professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montreal and听Anne Robert, founding member of Trio Hochelaga and violin听professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montr茅al and the Faculty of Music at the Universit茅 de Montr茅al. The jury听was听chaired by听Prof. Douglas听McNabney,听Associate Dean听of听Academic and Student Affairs听at the Schulich School of Music.听
The winner receives a generous scholarship, valued this year at $30,000, as well as a smaller likeness of the violin in the form of a 14-karat gold lapel pin. In addition, the winner will perform in the upcoming Schulich concert season听补苍诲听receives听6 hours of career coaching sessions with Marie-Catherine听Lapointe of听Boulevart听Artists鈥� Management in Montreal. Runners-up in the final were awarded a $1,000 cash prize.听
About the Golden Violin Award
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The Golden Violin Award was established in 2006 by businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, a year after he donated $20 million to 缅北强奸鈥檚 Schulich School of Music. Made of pewter and gold plate, the Golden Violin remains on permanent display in 缅北强奸鈥檚 Marvin Duchow Music Library.听
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