News Releases - 2012
Exceptional young musicians loaned instruments worth over $35 million
Ottawa, September 26, 2012 – Eighteen classical musicians are excited to have the opportunity to play an instrument from the Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank for the next three years.
Since last Sunday, 28 finalists have been auditioning at The Royal Conservatory in Toronto for a 3-year loan of one of 17 fine-stringed instruments and one cello bow created between 1689 and 1929. The winner’s placement in the competition determined the order in which they chose their instrument—the most coveted being the Stradivari violins and cello along with the Guarneri del Gesù, valued in the millions.
Download photos of winners, and biographical notes and instrument descriptions in the eletronic press kit.
“These artists will travel the globe bringing to life the Instrument Bank’s violins and cellos for countless audience members,” said Canada Council Director and CEO Robert Sirman. “Over the next three years, they will develop a very personal relationship with their instrument while sharing with the world their love of music, their passion for performance and their exceptional talents.”
The 2012 recipients of the instruments are:
Cellists
- Arnold Choi: ca. 1696 Bonjour Stradivari, valued at $11 million
- Ariel Barnes: 1730 Newland Joannes Franciscus Celoniatus, valued at $750,000
- Se-Doo Park: 1824 McConnell Nicolaus Gagliano, valued at $500,000
- Rachel Desoer: 1929 Carlo Giuseppe Oddone, valued at $200,000
- Karen Ouzounian : ca. 1830 Shaw Adam cello bow, valued at $50,000
Violinists
- Timothy Chooi: 1729 Guarneri del Gesù, valued at $5 million
- Nikki Chooi: ca. 1700 Taft Stradivari, valued at $5 million
- Iryna Krechkovsky: 1689 Baumgartner Stradivari, valued at $5 million
- Emily Westell: 1717 Windsor-Weinstein Stradivari, valued at $5 million
- Jonathan Chan: 1715 Dominicus Montagnana, valued at $900,000
- Véronique Mathieu: 1820 Joannes Franciscus Pressenda, valued at $380,000
- Matilda Kaul: 1747 Palmason Januarius Gagliano, valued at $350,000
- Emmanuel Vukovich: 1768 Miller Januarius Gagliano, valued at $350,000
- Boson Mo: 1871 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, valued at $250,000
- Jing Wang: ca. 1700 Bell Giovanni Tononi, valued at $250,000
- Kerry DuWors: 1902 Enrico Rocca, valued at $225,000
- Carissa Klopoushak: 1869 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume and Vuillaume model bow, total value of $212,000
- Andréa Tyniec: 1900 Stefano Scarampella, valued at $160,000
Peer assessment committee
The Canada Council received 51 applications – which included recordings of the candidates playing. From these, a peer assessment committee, selected finalists who were invited to The Royal Conservatory in Toronto for auditions and interviews. The committee members were Annalee Patipatanakoon, violinist and member of the Gryphon Trio (Toronto), Johanne Perron, cellist (Montreal) and Cenek J. Vrba, violinist and Concertmaster Emeritus of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (Calgary).
Musical Instrument Bank
Created in 1985, the Musical Instrument Bank acquires through donations and loans fine-stringed instruments to be loaned to gifted young Canadian musicians to help further their international solo or chamber music careers. Luthier Ric Heinl and his team at Geo. Heinl & Co. Limited are responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the instruments.
General information
In addition to its principal role of promoting and fostering the arts, the Canada Council for the Arts administers and awards many prizes and fellowships in the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural and health sciences, engineering, and arts management. These prizes and fellowships recognize the achievements of outstanding Canadian artists, scholars, and administrators. The Canada Council is committed to raising public awareness and celebrating these exceptional people and organizations on both a national and an international level.
Holmes Creative Communications
Andrea McLoughlin
416-628-5609
amcloughlin@hccink.com