HUGO LAPORTE, VOICE Grand Prize winner of the OSM Standard

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HUGO LAPORTE, VOICE
Grand Prize winner of the OSM Standard Life Competition’s 75th anniversary
crowned at Maison symphonique de Montréal
Montreal, Saturday, November 22, 2014 – The OSM Standard Life Competition wound up today with the
crowning of the winner, HUGO LAPORTE (VOICE), at the conclusion of a thrilling grand finale before
close to 1000 people at Maison symphonique de Montréal. In addition to earning prizes and grants totaling
over $20,000 and a number of concert engagements, Hugo Laporte will have the chance to perform with the
OSM under the direction of conductor Sir Roger Norrington, on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the most prestigious national performance competition in Canada
showcased 24 outstanding candidates who vied for over $100,000 in prizes and grants. Enthusiastic
audiences came out to warmly applaud the dazzling performances of these candidates, whose talent was
already fully on display, during the semi-finals in Tanna Schulich Hall at McGill University’s Schulich School
of Music and the finals which were held for the third consecutive year at Maison symphonique de
Montréal thanks to a generous donation made to the OSM by Mrs. Barbara Bronfman and family.
An illustrious jury, with Jesse Rosen and Kent Nagano
The 75th anniversary of the OSM Standard Life Competition was highlighted by the presence of an illustrious
international jury, chaired by Jesse Rosen, president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. The
grand jury, who selected the winner of the Grand Prize for this edition, was made up of Kent Nagano, music
director of the OSM, and Welz Kauffman, president and CEO of the Ravinia Festival. The jury in the “Voice”
category consisted of soprano Miah Persson, tenor Michael Schade and Georges Delnon, intendant of the
Hamburg Opera; the jury in the “Woodwinds” category, consisted of Vincent Lucas, principal flute with the
Orchestre de Paris, clarinetist Yehuda Gilad, teacher at the USC Thornton School of Music, and oboist Louise
Pellerin, teacher at the Zurich University of Arts; and for the “Brass” category, trumpeter Jens Lindemann,
soloist and teacher at UCLA, Johannes Dengler, principal horn with the Bayerische Staatsorchester, and
trombonist Ian Bousfield, soloist and former principal with the Vienna Philharmonic and the London
Symphony Orchestra.
AN UNFORGETTABLE WEEK FOR THE CANDIDATES
Beyond the prizes and grants totaling more than $100,000, candidates had the opportunity of being coached by
mentors of the Competition, these being musicians from the OSM, as well as participating in masterclasses
offered by members of the jury.
Nine masterclasses with jury members at educational institutions
Faithful to tradition, the Competition again this year presented masterclasses offered by members of its
prestigious international jury. Soprano Miah Persson, flutist Vincent Lucas and trumpet soloist Jens
Lindemann dispensed their advice to some of the semi-finalists. Additionally, the Competition collaborated
with institutions of higher musical learning so that classes could be presented at the Conservatoire de musique
de Montréal by oboist Louise Pellerin and horn player Johannes Dengler; at the Université de Montréal
Faculty of Music by clarinetist Yehuda Gilad and tenor Michael Schade; and at McGill University’s Schulich
School of Music by trombonist Ian Bousfield.
Results of the OSM Standard Life Competition 2014
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Mentoring offered by OSM musicians
Musicians from the OSM and competitors met for a roundtable discussion dealing with the calling of a
professional musician as well as a session on reading chamber music. A highly relevant and very touching
interlude in the Competition, in which everyone seemed to find considerable enjoyment. A much appreciated
and a distinctive component of the OSM Standard Life Competition, mentoring was developed to enable
competitors to benefit from the professional expertise of OSM musicians. This year, seven of these agreed to
serve as mentors.
An even more interactive and accessible edition
Once again this year, Competition activities were open to all and completely free. The public therefore had the
opportunity to attend the semi-finals at Tanna Schulich Hall at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music,
and the grand finale at Maison symphonique, in addition to the masterclasses offered by jury members in each
category. The finale was also carried live on the OSM website, so that the public could follow this round from
home.
Moreover, for the first time, the public was invited to vote, in the hall and on the Web, for the finalist they
thought most deserving of the Stingray Music Audience Award, Lara Deutsch.
THE RESULTS
OSM Standard Life Grand Prize
This prize is awarded to the finalist, all categories taken together, who most distinguished himself in the course
of the Competition. The winner of the OSM Standard Life Grand Prize is HUGO LAPORTE (Université
Laval, Québec).
The winner of the OSM Standard Life Grand Prize, Hugo Laporte, earns the following prizes:
 A $10,000 grant courtesy of Standard Life
 A concert with the OSM, under the direction of Sir Roger Norrington, on April 14, 2015, at Maison
symphonique de Montréal
 Prix Michèle-Paré, a $5,000 scholarship in support of the development of a professional career in music
 Orford Arts Centre Prize: a recital at the Orford Arts Centre, presented at some point in 2015
 National Arts Centre Award: a concert at the National Arts Centre presented during the 2015-2016
season
 Prix ICI musique: a professional audio recording at one of the Radio-Canada studios and broadcast of a
recital, in its entirety or partially, by the winner on ICI musique
 Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Prize: a concert in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as part of the NSO’s
2015-2016 season
 Northern Arts and Cultural Centre Award: a recital in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as part of the
NACC’s 2015-2016 season
 YOA Orchestra of the Americas Award: a concert tour in North America in the summer of 2015. This
prize is generously offered by Ms. Ariane Riou
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In the WOODWIND category
First prize: a $10,000 grant offered by Standard Life
The winner is Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON (McGill University)
Second prize: a $5,000 grant offered by the Marjorie and Gerald Bronfman Foundation
The winner is Julia Harguindey, bassoon, 25 years old, QC (Curtis Institute of Music)
Third prize: a $2,500 V. E. Lambert grant offered by the Lambert-Fortier-Gagnon estate
The winner is François Laurin-Burgess, clarinet, 24 years old, QC (Glenn Gould School of the Royal
Conservatory)
Results of the OSM Standard Life Competition 2014
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In the BRASS category
First prize: no first prize was attributed by the jury in this category
Second prize: a $5,000 grant offered by Standard Life
The winner is Jarrett McCourt, tuba, 23 years old, ON (University of Michigan)
Third prizes (ex aequo):
o $2,500 grant offered by la Fondation Paul A. Fournier
The winner is Mikolaj Debowski, trombone, 24 years old, ON (Glenn Gould School of Music)
o $2,500 Aline-Hector-Perrier scholarship offered by the Fonds Les Amis de l’Art and Friends of
the OSM
The winner is Scott Reynolds, trumpet, 25 years old, ON (Staatliche Hochschule für Musik
Trossingen)
In the VOICE category
First prize: a $10,000 grant offered by Standard Life
The winner is Hugo Laporte, baritone, 23 years old, QC (Université Laval)
Second prize: $5,000 V. E. Lambert grant, offered by the Lambert-Fortier-Gagnon estate
The winner is Claire de Sévigné, soprano, 27 years old, QC (Canadian Opera Company)
Third prize: a $2,500 grant, offered by Mrs. Barbara Bronfman
The winner is Florie Valiquette, soprano, 28 years old, QC (Université de Montréal)
PRIZE FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CANADIAN WORK:
$2,500 grant offered by the OSM Volunteer Association, Woodwinds category
The winner is Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON (McGill University)
I conversed with you in a dream by Jocelyn Morlock
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$2,500 grant offered by the OSM Musicians Association, Brass category
The winner is Mikolaj Debowski, trombone, 24 years old, ON (Glenn Gould School of Music)
Fantasy (trombone and piano) by Élizabeth Raum
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$2,500 grant offered by Ms Juliana Pleines, Voice category
The winner is Olivier Gagnon, baritone, 24 years old, QC (Guildhall School Trust)
Six Songs to Poems by e. e. cummings, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, by John Beckwith
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OTHER PRIZES:
Stingray Music Audience Award: $2,500 grant offered to the finalist who received the most votes live
on the Web and at Maison symphonique during the finals
The winner is Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON
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Special 75th-anniversary award: four $1,000 grants offered by the OSM Volunteer Association to the
candidates who distinguished themselves during training activities
The winners are:
- Ron Cohen Mann, oboe, 23 years old, BC
- Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON
- Carson King-Fournier, trombone, 23 years old, MB
- Jarrett McCourt, tuba, 23 years old, ON
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Banff Centre Award: grants covering tuition and lodging for an advanced-training stay at the Banff
Centre in 2015
The winners are:
- François Laurin-Burgess, clarinet, 24 years old, QC
- Hugo Laporte, baritone, 23 years old, QC
- Claire de Sévigné, soprano, 27 years old, QC
Results of the OSM Standard Life Competition 2014
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Orford Arts Centre Award: grants covering tuition and lodging for two weeks of advanced training at
the Orford Arts Centre in 2015
The winners are
- Ron Cohen Mann, oboe, 23 years old, BC
- Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON
- Julia Harguindey, bassoon, 25 years old, QC
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Domaine Forget Award: grants covering tuition and lodging for an advanced-training stay at Domaine
Forget in 2015
The winners are
- Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON
- Mikolaj Debowski, trombone, 24 years old, ON
- Brian Mangrum, horn, 19 years old, QC
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Paul Merkelo scholarship: a $2,500 grant, the recipient of which is selected by a jury chaired by Paul
Merkelo, OSM principal trumpet
The winner is
- Lara Deutsch, flute, 23 years old, ON
STANDARD LIFE – PARTNER SINCE 1992
The 2014 edition of the Competition marks the 22nd year in the fruitful collaboration between the OSM and
Standard Life in the framework of this major event. “We’re proud to be backing these young musicians on their
path to excellence, we also are pleased to see that the competition is ever more interactive and accessible to the
public, allowing as many people as possible the opportunity of discovering these exceptionally talented young
performers and the beauty of the music they perform.” stated Ann-Marie Gagné, Associate Vice-President,
External Communications and Public Affairs at Standard Life.
The organ at the OSM Standard Life Competition!
It’s a date for the next edition of the OSM Standard Life Competition, which will be devoted to piano and
percussion. The OSM takes advantage of the opportunity to announce that in the wake of the inauguration of the
Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique, the Competition will from now on be incorporating the organ! The first edition
including that instrument will take place in 2016.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal congratulates all the prize-winners and thanks the partners who made
the holding of this competition possible. Sponsored for 22 years by Standard Life, the OSM Standard Life
Competition is one of the most renowned performance competitions in the country, offering more than
$100,000 in prizes and grants.
-30The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal wishes to thank Loto-Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts
and the Conseil des arts de Montréal for their generous support.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is presented by Hydro-Québec.
The OSM Standard Life Competition is presented by
Standard Life in association with Stingray Music.
Information: Isabelle Brien, Head of Media Relations
T. 514 840-7414 | C. 514 293-1683 | [email protected]
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Results of the OSM Standard Life Competition 2014
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