NAC announces winners of 2002 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competitions following Finals held on May 19
May 21, 2002 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre (NAC) has announced the
winners of the 2002 NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition following the
finals held on Sunday, May 19, in the NAC Studio. Eight finalists had
been chosen from the 25 contestants heard in preliminary auditions
held on Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18. The grand prize winner of
the 2002 NACO Bursary ($6,000) is percussionist John Wong (22). The
winner of the New Sun Award of $5,000 is tuba player Martin Labrosse
(23). The NACOA Award ($3,000) went to violist Sonya Probst (24),
while the Vic Pomer Award ($1,500) was won by percussionist Tristan
Green (22) and the Piccolo Prix ($500) by violinist Nancy Ricard
(20).
Percussionist John Wong (22) is currently studying towards his
Bachelor of Music at McGill Univeristy. He is currently a member of
the McGill Symphony Orchestra as well as the Ottawa Symphony
Orchestra, and was in the National Youth Orchestra in 2000. He will
use his prize for his final year at McGill.
Tuba player Martin Labrosse (23) is currently a member of the
Canadian Forces Central Band while also completing his Bachelor of
Music part-time at the University of Ottawa under NACO tuba player
Nicholas Atkinson. He was the winner of the NACOA Award in 2000, and
was formerly with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard and the Band of
the Governor General's Foot Guards. He will use his prize to
continue in a master's programme and for private lessons.
Violist Sonya Probst (24) is completing her Artist Diploma at
McGill University where she graduated from her Bachelor of Music with
high distinction. She is the acting principal violist of the McGill
Symphony Orchestra, and will use her prize for the completion of her
Artist Diploma at McGill.
Percussionist Tristan Green (22) has completed a Licentiate in
Music from McGill University. He is currently completing an Artist
Diploma at the University of Montreal. He is the principal
percussionist of the Trois Rivières Symphony Orchestra. He
will use his prize to help cover his tuition costs.
Violinist Nancy Ricard (20) is studying for her Bachelor of Music
at McGill University. She was a participant in the NAC Young Artists
Programme in 2001. She currently performs in the McGill Symphony
Orchestra, and was a member of l'Orchestre de la francophonie
canadienne in 2001, and the National Youth Orchestra in 2000, among
others. She will use her prize to help cover the cost of
participating in the World Youth Orchestra this summer, and to
continue her studies at McGill.
The Bursary Committee was chaired by Vernon G. Turner,
Canada's former Ambassador to the USSR and an active volunteer
at the National Arts Centre. The Bursary Committee consisted of NAC
Orchestra musicians Walter Prystawski (concertmaster), Winston Webber
(assistant principal second violin), Marjolaine Laroche (assistant
principal double bass), Charles (Chip) Hamann (principal oboe), and
Karen Donnelly (principal trumpet), with Claire Speed and
Geneviève Cimon as the NAC Music representatives, and
Alexander (Sandy) Waddell as the non-voting NACOA representative. The
Bursary Jury consists of Turner (non-voting member), Prystawski,
Webber, Laroche, Donnelly, and Waddell (non-voting member), with
Jean-Guy Brault (flute) replacing Charles Hamann in keeping with
conflict-of-interest guidelines, and invited guests Matthew Larkin,
organist and Director of Music at St. Matthew's Church; soprano
Rosemarie Landry, NAC Board of Trustees member and Head of Voice at
the Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal; and Greg
Hodgson, former principal timpanist, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
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 2002 of $16,000. These
prizes, in addition to the NACO Bursary, are the New Sun Award,
created by the Community Foundation of Ottawa in 1997 and provided by
an anonymous donor "to assist a favourite institute", the NAC
Orchestra Association Award created in 1993 to celebrate the
Orchestra's 25th anniversary season, the Vic Pomer Award
commemorating one of the founding violinists of NACO and a dedicated
teacher who died in 2001 at age 70, and the Piccolo Prix provided "to
encourage and support our young artists" by NAC volunteer and Patrons
Circle member Cav. Pasqualina Pat Adamo.
All prizes are intended for music students aged 16 to 24 whose
family residence is in the National Capital Region, or who have been
following a recognized course of music study in the NCR in
preparation for careers as professional orchestral musicians. Each
year, a jury identifies deserving recipients through audition and
selection.
