The 16th edition of the Peter Mendell Award is open, offering $6,000 in prizes

The Peter Mendell Award rewards excellence in a full-time string student

Montreal, February 11^th, 2020 — The Jeunesses Musicales Canada Foundation is pleased to announce the opening of applications for the sixteenth edition of the Peter Mendell Award. The award includes a $5,000 scholarship and rewards a full-time string student (violin, viola, cello or double-bass) registered in a classical music performance program at a Québec university, or completing their 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th cycle at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. Two finalists will also receive $500 scholarships, offered by Jeunesses Musicales Canada.

Candidates must be 25 years or under on May 15, 2020. Applications must be must be submitted online by May 15, 2020, on the JM Canada Foundation website, and should include a reference letter from the candidate’s instrument teacher as well as an audio recording. Only solo recordings or recordings with piano accompaniment will be considered. Three candidates will be invited to play in finals held before an audience on October 3, 2020, which will conclude with the presentation of the Peter Mendell Prize and its various scholarships.

About the Peter Mendell Award

Established in 2005, this annual award bears the name of its founder, Peter Mendell, an influential lawyer at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg and a true music lover who is an enthusiastic cellist in his spare time. He established the Award in association with the JM Canada Foundation to foster the development of musical excellence.

Previous Award Winners

2019: Lynette Israilian, violin, Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal
2018: Teresa Wang, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2017: Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy, cello, Faculté de musique de l’Université de Montréal
2016: Joshua Morris, cello, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2015: Elizabeth Skinner, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2014: Marianne di Tomaso, violin, Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal 
2013: Joshua Peters, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2012: Christopher Whitley, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2011: Julie Hereish, cello, Université de Montréal’s Music Faculty
2010: Bénédicte Lauzière, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2009: Ewald Cheung, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2008: Marie-Ève Poupart, violin, Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal 
2007: Alexander Read, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2006: Jeffrey Dyrda, violin, Schulich School of Music of McGill University
2005: Christian J. Elliott, cello, Schulich School of Music of McGill University

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