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2020-2021 Golden Violin Award Finalists Announced

Published: 16 May 2021

We are pleased to announce that the three finalists chosen to compete for the 2020-2021 Golden Violin Award are violinists Russell IcebergAlicia Choi, and Astrid Nakamura. These string players were selected from a stellar semi-final round held on Saturday May 15, 2021 at Pollack Hall.  
 
For the final, candidates will present a program of 40 minutes of music of their choice, excluding repertoire presented at the semi-final round. The jury for both the semi-final and final round is comprised of Schulich School of Music faculty members Assistant Professor of Cello Elizabeth Dolin, Associate Professor of Violin Violaine Melançon, Associate Professor of Viola and General Artistic Director of MISQA, André Roy along with invited guests Marianne Dugal, 2nd associate and concertmaster of the OSM as well as violin professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montreal and Anne Robert, founding member of Trio Hochelaga and violin professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and the Faculty of Music at the Université de Montréal. The jury is chaired by Dr. Douglas McNabney, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at the Schulich School of Music. 

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. 
 
The Golden Violin Award was established in 2006 by businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, a year after he donated $20 million to McGill’s Schulich School of Music. Made of pewter and gold plate, the Golden Violin remains on permanent display in McGill’s Marvin Duchow Music Library. 

 

The Final Round will be webcast from Pollack Hall on Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. 

 
 
 

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