Ottawa, September 6, 2006 Talented young musicians from across the country will be vying for the loan of 11 fine stringed instrumentsworth more than $18 million (Canadian dollars)in the largest national competition ever held by the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.
Created in 1985, the Musical Instrument Bank acquires fine stringed instruments through donations and loans to be lent to gifted young Canadian musicians to help further their international solo or chamber music careers. Winners of the competition, once described as classical music's answer to Canadian Idol, are awarded the use of the instruments for a three-year period.
In the Instrument Bank's 2003 competition, cellist Kaori Yamagami was awarded the single most valuable instrument, the 1696 Bonjour Stradivari cello, valued at nearly $5 million. Top honours in the 2003 violin competition went to Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, who was awarded the 1729 Guarneri del Gesù violin, valued at more than $3 million. Both Ms. Yamagami and Ms. Hou have entered the 2006 competition, as have several of the other 2003 winners, including violinists Hermine Gagné, Jessica Linnebach, Kerry DuWors and Julie-Anne Derome.
In addition to the 10 instruments and a fine cello bow which were in the 2003 competitionincluding a total of four Stradivari instruments and the Guarneri del Gesù violinthe musicians will also be competing for the use of the 1715 Dominicus Montagnana violin, valued at approximately $830,000, which has since been loaned to the Canada Council by an anonymous donor.
During the week of September 18, the musicians will perform for a jury of three distinguished experts in the field of classical music: Walter Homburger, a Toronto-based agent and former Managing Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Isolde Lagacé, director of the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and internationally-acclaimed violinist Andrew Dawes. The winners will be officially presented with their instruments by Canada Council Director Robert Sirman and perform at a special concert on:
Thursday, September 21, 7 p.m. at Glenn Gould StudioCanadian Broadcasting Centre, 250 Front Street, Toronto
The names of the winners, biographical notes and downloadable photographs will be available on the Canada Council's web site as of 10:30 a.m. on September 21. The winners will be available for interviews and media representatives are welcome to attend the concert and the reception that follows.
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Media contact:Donna BalkanSenior Communications Manager1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4134 Email this contactCarole BretonPublic Relations Officer1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4523 Email this contact
