On July 17th, the jury for the Peter-Mendell Prize selected the finalists for the 19th edition of this prestigious competition.
The performances of cellist Evelyne Méthot and violinists Justin Saulnier and Joey Machin were noted for their impeccable technique, emotionally rich interpretations, and artistic audacity, propelling them among the finalists.The performer who stands out the most will win the Peter-Mendell Prize, accompanied by a $5,000 scholarship.
This edition is doubly festive, celebrating both the 75th anniversary of Jeunesses Musicales Canada and the 40th anniversary of our Foundation. We will take this opportunity to make a major announcement regarding the 20th edition of the Peter-Mendell Prize scheduled for 2025, highlighting exceptional talents and reaffirming our commitment to young Canadian musicians.
The 2024 Peter-Mendell Prize Finalists
Joey Machin, Violin
Joey Machin is a violinist and violist from Toronto, Canada. He is passionate about chamber music and currently plays in the Horatio Quartet under the mentorship of André Roy. This summer, he was invited to the Yellow Barn YAP, and his quartet was invited to participate in MISQA 2024. Joey has participated in solo or quartet masterclasses with Vadim Gluzman, Rachel Barton Pine, Vilmos Szabadi, Paul Watkins, David Finckel, Marc Coppey, the Dover Quartet, and the Calidore Quartet. In addition to recording his own compositions with the Bedford Trio and the Continuum Ensemble, he has premiered and recorded several works by young composers with his string quartet. Joey studied violin in Toronto with Ivan Ivanovich and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in violin performance at McGill University under the tutelage of Violaine Melançon.
Evelyne Méthot, Cello
A finalist in the Prix d’Europe 2024 Competition and recipient of the Monique-Barry Prestige Scholarship from the Conservatoire Foundation, Evelyne obtained her master’s degree with distinction last April from Carole Sirois. She will continue her studies at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music in the fall of 2024, in Brian Manker’s class. A participant in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Mentorship Program in Ottawa, Evelyne has accumulated professional orchestral experience, joining the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville as a supernumerary. A versatile musician, she was invited to perform at the Montreal Chamber Music Festival and at the Place des Arts Foundation’s Grand Première of Future Stars benefit concert in 2023, then joined an ensemble of up-and-coming musicians for an OSM Virée classique concert in August 2024. Evelyne plays with an Italian cello, ca. 1820, bearing the label “Carlo Tononi Bolognese Fece la Venezia l’A 17.” and a Victor Fétique bow ca. 1930, kindly provided by Canimex Inc. of Drummondville, Quebec.
Justin Saulnier, violin
Justin Sauliner is a 19-year-old Franco-Ontarian violinist. He made his debut as a soloist with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra at the age of 12. Justin is the recipient of several awards, including first prize in the Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition and the OCNA Scholarship Competition, second prize in the OSM Competition, the grand prize in the OMNI Competition of the Metropolitan Orchestra, and the provincial competition of the OMFA. He has held the position of concertmaster in the Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the McGill Symphony Orchestra, and the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra, among others. Justin is the recipient of a full scholarship at McGill University, where he is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in performance under the tutelage of Andrew Wan. He plays on a Ruggeri violin from Cremona, 1680, and a Louis Gillet bow, generously provided by Canimex.
The Peter-Mendell Prize
The Peter Mendell Award was established in 2005 in honor of Peter Mendell, a lawyer with Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, music lover and amateur cellist. For 19 years now, this prize has been awarded to a Quebec string player still at school for excellence in playing.
The Peter-Mendell Prize Jury
This year, the jury is composed of Peter Mendell, the prize founder. It also includes Véronique Desjardins, Executive Director of the JM Canada Foundation, and Cameron Crozman, cellist and former JMC Canada artist. Cameron was the CBC Music Classical Revelation for 2019-2020 and received the Virginia Parker Prize in 2021. Janelle Fung, a former JMC Canada artist and professor of piano and chamber music at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, is also part of the jury.
