2020-2021 Wirth Vocal Prize Winner Announced
Congratulations听to听soprano Emily Richter, winner of the听2020-2021 Wirth听Vocal听Prize!听
On Sunday, May 16,听three finalists听filled Pollack Hall听with songs听and arias spanning three centuries of music.听Soprano听Jacqueline Woodley听with pianist听with听Jennifer Szeto听and lutenist听Sylvain Bergeron, tenor听Wesley Harrison听with pianist听Esther Gonthier听and soprano听Emily Richter听with pianist听Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe听lit up the stage听with their talent and skill.听听
A student of听Dominique Labelle,听Emily鈥檚 award-winning听programme听included听m茅lodies听by Henri听Duparc听and lieder by Richard Strauss as well as Donna Elivira's aria听鈥淢i听tradi听quell鈥檃lma听ingrata鈥澨齠rom Act II of Mozart鈥檚 opera,听Don Giovanni听and听Gustave Charpentier鈥檚 sublime听鈥淒epuis听le jour鈥澨齠rom听his opera,听Louise.听Emily shared that though it鈥檚 hard to pick a听favourite听piece in her program,听she听really enjoyed听how the Strauss and听Duparc听both contrasted听and complemented听one another.听She went on to share, 鈥淭his year in Song Interpretation I've been focusing on听Duparc. I think it's really taught me how to trust the music I'm singing and expand into phrases instead of trying to always听鈥榤ake music happen.鈥櫶齀'm learning to receive more from the music I make. It's so tempting to try to听鈥榤ake moments鈥櫶齜ut sometimes the most beautiful musical moment is when you trust the music to tell you how to phrase.鈥澨�
For the final, each singer听performed听a听twenty-five-minute听programme,听which included at least one aria, and听showcased a听minimum of听three languages, as听outlined in the competition听requirements.听The jury for the final round听was听comprised of celebrated Canadian soprano听Karina Gauvin, Music Director of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus of听l鈥橭rchestre听symphonique听de听Longueuil听Marc David, and violinist and head music librarian at the Marvin Duchow Music Library,听Houman Behzadi听and听was chaired by听Prof. Douglas听McNabney,听Associate Dean听of听Academic and Student Affairs听at the Schulich School of Music.听
The winner of this year鈥檚 Wirth Vocal Prize听received听a generous scholarship, valued at $25,000, as well as a smaller likeness of the Wirth Vocal Prize logo听鈥� a small crown 鈥斕齣n the form of a 14-karat gold lapel pin.听In addition, the winner will perform in the upcoming Schulich concert season听and听receives听6 hours of career coaching sessions with Marie-Catherine听Lapointe of听Boulevart听Artists鈥� Management in Montreal.听Runners-up in the final were awarded a $1,000 cash prize.听
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About the Wirth Vocal Prize听
The Wirth Vocal Prize in vocal performance was established in 2015 through the extraordinary generosity of Elizabeth Wirth to the Schulich School of Music of 苹果淫院, along with new Student Excellence Awards, and an innovative Student Initiatives Fund. Awarded yearly since its inception, the Wirth Vocal Prize recognizes a voice student who demonstrates exceptional talent and significant promise for an international career.听听
