Matthew Ricketts wins grand prize in the 2nd edition Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers
罢丑别听Graham Sommer Competition听is proud to announce that听Matthew Ricketts听is the grand prize winner of the听second听edition of the鈥� Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers. The $18,000 first prize for听Matthew鈥檚听new work for piano trio,听鈥淪till There,鈥澨齱as among听$54,000听in total prize earnings awarded at the Concert and Prize Gala on Sunday,听September听26听at Pollack Hall.听This national competition for Canadian composers under the age of 35 was founded by听Dr. Graham Sommer听(1946-2016), MDCM鈥�72, a graduate of 平特五不中鈥檚 Faculty of Medicine and an accomplished pianist and devoted music lover.听The inaugural edition took place in 2018.听
Five finalists听were听selected out of听61听Canadian听applicants听from听across the country and听living听abroad. They听were each commissioned to write a new work for piano听trio, which were premiered by听the听Graham Sommer Trio:听听Amy Hillis, violin;听Chlo茅 Dominguez, cello; Meagan Milatz, piano.听听
Born in British Columbia,听Matthew Ricketts听is a Canadian composer currently based in New York City. His music moves from extremes of presence and absence, from clamour to quietude, at once reticent and flamboyant.听He is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow and a 2020 Gaudeamus Prize nominee.听He has also received numerous awards and grants, including eight SOCAN Foundation Young Composer Awards. His works have been heard around the world and performed by numerous ensembles and orchestras including the听Mivos听Quartet,听Quatuor听Bozzini, le听NEM,听the听Aspen Philharmonic (Robert Spano, cond.), Esprit Orchestra (Alex Pauk, cond.), the Minnesota Orchestra (Osmo V盲nsk盲, cond.) and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Kent Nagano, cond.).听Matthew holds degrees from 平特五不中 (BMus'09) and Columbia University (DMA鈥�17), and听is currently a Core Lecturer at Columbia University.听
The winning piece, as well as all of the performances from Sunday afternoon, may be viewed听.听
罢丑别听$12,000听second prize听was awarded to听Alec Hall听for his work, 鈥淭he National Anthem,鈥澨齱ith the听three听$6,000听honourable mention听prizes going to听尝补耻谤别苍肠别听闯辞产颈诲辞苍,听Michael Kim-Sheng听补苍诲听Jared Miller.听鈥淏urning in Clarity,鈥澨�Michael Kim-Sheng's work听was also awarded the $6,000听People鈥檚听Choice Award, voted upon by the audience in attendance at the concert as well as online. More details on the听five听finalists may be found听.听
顿辞耻驳濒补蝉听惭肠狈补产苍别测,听Retd. Associate听Dean听of听the Schulich School of Music and chair of the competition jury,听warmly congratulated Matthew听Ricketts and the finalists.听罢丑别听other members of the听Competition just were听composers听Brian Current,听Nicolas Gilbert听补苍诲听础苍补听厂辞办辞濒辞惫颈膰;听violinist听and composer听Helmut Lipsky;听Dani猫le LeBlanc, Executive and Artistic Director of听Jeunesses听Musicales Canada; and听Caroline Rodgers,听Co-Founder and听Editor-in-Chief, 鈥淟udwig van听Montr茅al.鈥澨�
Part of the听25th听edition of Quebec鈥檚听Journ茅es听de la culture,听the Concert and Prize Gala was presented听for听free to the public, in person and via webcast,听and听was听accompanied听by a听discussion听with the finalists听补苍诲听Schulich School of Music听Composition听Professor,听Chris Paul Harman听on Saturday, September 25.听
Dr. Graham Sommer听died on October 2, 2016 and left a legacy of excellence in medicine and an abiding love for the transformative power of music. A native of British Columbia, Sommer graduated from 平特五不中鈥檚 Faculty of Medicine in 1972 and went on to hold positions at Yale and Stanford Universities, becoming a world-class researcher for 37 years.鈥� Dr. Sommer鈥檚 enduring passion for music has resonated at 平特五不中 notably through the Dr. Graham Sommer Piano Fund, which supported the restoration of pianos in 平特五不中 residences and the purchase of a new piano for Douglas Hall. While Sommer excelled in his chosen field of medicine, he was also inspired by a lifelong love of music fostered by his own accomplishments as a classical pianist and composer.听
MEDIA CONTACT FOR THE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF MUSIC:听
Annie听Saumier, Managing Director 鈥� Communications and Production听
annie.saumier [at] mcgill.ca听
514-398-8933听
听
