Gene Hotta, viola
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
Los Angeles, CA
What is an essential part of making music for you?
An essential part of making music for me is enjoying the process of preparation. I think that if you get creative in the practice room and enjoy yourself, it will transfer to on stage when performing and will result in an artistic performance.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
At the climax of a major symphony
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
If I could meet any of the composers on my program, it would be Johann Sebastian Bach. I just love the use of harmonic progressions in the music he writes, and I would like to know how he thinks and composes his works.
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
Being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award would allow me to be able to perform again in the coming semester and share viola repertoire that are both famous and less known. I think that solo viola recitals are always interesting with something new to share.
What鈥檚 next for you?
I am currently auditioning for orchestras and looking for jobs. My dream is to have a professional orchestra career as a violist, so I am taking action to make that happen.
JuEun Lee, violin
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
I'm originally from Seoul, South Korea. I've lived in many different cities, so I haven't found a place to call home yet. I hope to call Montreal home very soon!
What is an essential part of making music for you?
I think making great music requires a genuine love for music and and an open attitude to being inspired by the musicians around you.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
The feeling of satisfaction that comes after performing a beautiful piece of music to the best of my ability.
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would like to meet both Bartok and Janacek. I want to ask what specific sounds they heard that inspired them to create the very unique colours of sound in the pieces I am playing. I also want to ask if there were any obstacles or limitations that they encountered when transcribing folk melodies into western music notation.
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
It will help me in many ways to pursue the career that I have dreamt of for a long time. I have always wanted to try competing at big competitions. Preparing for Golden Violin has given me a sense of what it feels like to prepare for international competitions while still being in the supportive environment of 平特五不中, so I think the whole process will be good preparation for achieving my goals outside of school.
What鈥檚 next for you?
I'm planning to continue my graduate studies at 平特五不中 while establishing my performance career. I hope to find more performance opportunities to grow as a musician and experience many different perspectives; for example, by competing at international violin competitions, or performing in ensembles for many different communities.
Solina Lee, cello
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
I grew up in Calgary, Alberta, but my parents now reside in Edmonton!
What is an essential part of making music for you?
These days it's been important for me to remind myself to enjoy the process! Sometimes practising can be frustrating, but I don't want to feel so stressed about my practise that it makes me miserable at the end of the day. Performing is just a small part of the "making music" experience! It's essential for me now to enjoy every part of the process.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
My favourite moment in a concert is when I see the performers on stage engaging with the music and I'm really able to hear what they're trying to convey through the music. It's also my favourite moment when I'm performing on stage!
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would want to meet Shostakovich, probably hear about his life under the Stalin regime. But, would love to hear anecdotes about his friendship with Rostropovich.
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
It would definitely take off some of the financial burdens that comes with studying music!
What鈥檚 next for you?
Immediately after Golden Violin, I'm going home for Christmas! Looking forward to take some time to catch up with family and friends back home, and prepare for whatever's in store next year!
Jeanel Liang, violin
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
I grew up in Calgary, Alberta!
What is an essential part of making music for you?
Vulnerability! I believe that music as an art form should be a representation of the human experience. Whether it may involve tapping into our own emotions, or searching for what factors may have inspired the composer in writing the piece (or any other inspiration, really), music should produce a window into the human psyche that transcends beyond language.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
I love the moments in concerts when every person in the room is connected through the music, understanding one another without the need to speak. The energy can be so palpable and unified among perfect strangers. This is such a beautiful thing!
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would love to meet Brahms and ask him what inspired his incredibly complex writing!
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
My colleagues in the 平特五不中 community have continuously inspired me over the past two years, and my musical experiences in Montreal have pushed me to find my voice as a musician. To participate in this competition at all is already an incredible privilege, and I hope that sharing my music can also inspire and be a way to connect with others in the community of 平特五不中 and Montreal. The tremendous honour of being named the winner of the Golden Award would provide a significant support in funding future projects, concerts, competitions, and allow me to invest in a finer instrument and bow.
What鈥檚 next for you?
I am very much looking forward to creating concert series and participate in competitions with my string quartet. In the meantime, I plan to visit all the Christmas markets in Montreal!
Fr茅d茅ric Pouliot, violin
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
Qu茅bec, QC
What is an essential part of making music for you?
Sharing a composer's ideas to a broad audience is what I think the most essential part of music making, aside with communicating a wide range of emotions through art. I also believe that one should always try to grow up from making music by keeping himself open to different and varied artistic styles and forms.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
I really enjoy sharing music with people on stage, but I also love a nice get-together with friends and good food afterwards!
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would definitely share a good meal with Ana Sokolovi膰 and Bart贸k! Both of their idiomatic musical styles are really appealing to me because of their folk roots. I am myself a great fan of folk and traditional music and I would be curious to know what impact it had on their lives and how they got first introduced to it.
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
Winning the Golden Violin Award would mean a lot to me as it would illustrate many years of hard work, but most importantly the support from my family, friends and teachers who have been amazingly helpful in my artistic development. It would also allow myself to broaden connections throughout the artistic community around me for the years to come.
What鈥檚 next for you?
I am looking forward to play with Les Violons du Roy as a guest soloist next March and participate in their new "脡mergence" program. I would also like to attend music festivals in Europe again this summer! Discovering new places and different musical communities definitely helped me develop myself as a more open-minded artist, and I believe those festivals and opportunities have been a big part of my musical and personal development.
Kiarra Saito-Beckman, violin
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
I grew up in the small city of Bend, Oregon but now consider my home to be Cleveland, Ohio.
What is an essential part of making music for you?
I believe it鈥檚 important to be not too serious about playing, and to have ceaseless curiosity.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
I love the moment right after I finish performing, and before the applause begins. There is a magical moment of electric silence that occurs after the last note is played and before I am brought back to reality.
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would love to meet Schubert and attend one of his Schubertiads!
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
Being the winner of the Golden Violin Award would enable me be a bolder musician, through travel. I have a deep desire to travel the world and experience music abroad, and the funds from the award would assist greatly in paying for tuition and application costs towards international festivals and competitions.
What鈥檚 next for you?
I鈥檓 looking forward to being with family for the Christmas holiday and then diving into some new repertoire next semester!
Dabin Zoey Yang, violin
Where are you from, or where do you call home?
I am currently living in Toronto, Ontario, but I'm from South Korea.
What is an essential part of making music for you?
Having fun! I know this is a typical answer, but I really think it would not be music if everything is so perfect but you are not having fun. It is hard to just have fun and not think about other things I worked on, but music exists to share emotions and thoughts with others so I try my best to have fun.
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What is your favourite moment in a concert?
I get goosebumps when I play my favourite part in the piece. For instance, the very beginning of the Brahms Violin Sonata No.1.
If you could meet any of the composers on your program, who would it be? What would you want to know?
I would love to meet Isang Yun. Learning Das V枚gelchen, it was quite challenging for me to make the sound of different kinds of birds, and I want to experiment with the sounds with him.
What would being named the winner of the Golden Violin Award enable you to do?
It will be like an energy boost for me! Also could be a title for a new chapter in my life.
What鈥檚 next for you?
The next step for me is to really get connected with the composers of the works, and understand the true sound and style they created. Also learning how to project more variety of the sounds.
