Graham Sommer Competition Postponed to 2021

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, July 31, 2020 - In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the health and well-being of the composers, musicians, jury, and audience in mind, the 2020 edition of the Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers (GSC) has been postponed until September 2021.   

Dr. Graham Sommer’s intention for this competition was to create works with the potential to connect with the concert-going public, and we are confident that this decision supports his vision.  

Our aim in postponing is to give finalists additional composition time; allow activities to resume to a “new” normal; permit in-person rehearsals for the musical ensemble; enable travel to and from Montreal for our finalists and jury members; and to welcome a live audience at the Final Concert and Prize Gala.  

Considering the current state of the arts community, the donor’s family, the Schulich School of Music, and the GSC Advisory Committee wanted to acknowledge the work done by finalists Alec Hall, Laurence Jobidon, Michael Kim-Sheng, Jared Miller, and Matthew Ricketts and the GSC’s commitment to them. In this spirit, following the new submission deadline and upon delivery of the final composition, the GSC will award $3,000 CA to each finalist. This is a portion of the monetary prize offered to each of the finalists for participation in the GSC, normally presented at the Concert and Prize Gala. 
 
The main source of income for many artists rely on performances and commissioned works, and some (if not all) of these contracts may have been cancelled and postponed due to COVID. Though Amy Hillis (violin), Chloé Dominguez (cello), and Meagan Milatz (piano) will join us for the GSC in 2021, they will also appear in the 2020-2021 concert season at the Schulich School of Music. We are grateful to the musicians and the School for keeping the spirit of the competition alive until we meet again for the finals in 2021.  

Please stay connected to the competition via our website and Facebook Page, where you can join us on the journey to Pollack Hall in Montreal on September 26, 2021 at 2:00 PM for the Concert and Prize Gala.