Dedicated to BC Legacy Composer Barbara Pentland, CMC BC’s unique Pentland Awards seek to recognize extraordinary contributions to Canadian music, excellence in composition, and outstanding performances of Canadian music in the Province of BC through four distinct awards.
On Wednesday March 22, 2017, Langley Community Music School held its annual Young Composers Competition, adjudicated by Rodney Sharman, Jeremy Berkman, and Ian Hampton, culminating in a final performance by LCMS’ Rose Gellert String Quartet.
Brooklyn Wood won the Junior category for her string quartet Into the Storm, and Ella Yu won the senior category with String Quartet Op. 3 No. 7, 4-Dimensional Planet. CMC BC was pleased to present both winners with Pentland Awards of Excellence for an Outstanding Composition along with scholarships of $100 and $50 respectively.
Sharman King presenting award to VYSO Music Director Roger Cole
On May 14, Regional Advisory Council member Sharman King presented a Pentland Award of Excellence to the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra at their 80th Anniversary Concert celebrating Canada 150 with a program of all-Canadian works at the Chan Centre.
Last August, BC Librarian Stefan Hintersteininger participated in Orchestra North Summer Program in Smithers, BC. Their Creating Composers workshops were led by Rodney Sharman and facilitated by Turning Point Ensemble. The Canadian Music Centre in BC was happy to be a co-sponsor of those workshops with Turning Point and Orchestra North, and presented Pentland Awards for Outstanding Composition to Kaia Andal for Four Corners In the Senior Category, and to Luke Chen for A Child’s Song, In the Junior Category. (For Stefan’s article about his adventures at Orchestra North, click here.)
On Friday, September 22, I had the privilege of presenting the Vancouver Chamber Choir and Jon Washburn with a Pentland Award of Excellence for their extraordinary contribution to Canadian music. Under Washburn’s leadership, the Vancouver Chamber Choir has commissioned 334 new choral works by 145 composers and arrangers, most of whom are Canadian, with 212 of the 334 works written by composers from BC. Jon Washburn was also one of the founders of the Canadian Music Centre in BC, and part of CMC BC’s very first Regional Council.
On Sunday, October 8, I attended the new Vancouver International Music Competition Gala Awards Ceremony in order to present Pentland Awards of Excellence for Outstanding Performance of a Canadian Work to eleven outstanding young artists, including:
- Overall Outstanding Performance of a Canadian composition, Voice Category: Amy Moodie, along with a $150 Scholarship.
- Overall Outstanding Performance of a Canadian composition, Strings Category: Rafael Brisebois, along with a $100 Scholarship.
Sean Bickerton presenting Award of Excellence to Rafael Brisebois
- Voice Junior Talent : Meiling Ji
- Voice Young Artists: Stanford Guo
- Voice Artists: Amy Moodie
- Strings Junior Talent : Davin Mar
- Strings Young Artists: Robert Choi
- Strings Artists: Jacob Clewell
- Piano Junior Talent : Paul Wang
- Piano Young Artists: Annie Cao
- Piano Artists: Nicole Linaksita
The Canadian Music Centre is grateful to the Vancouver International Music Competition for placing Canadian music at the heart of the competition! Overall, jury members (I served on the string jury with Andrew Dawes) heard 33 Canadian works over the competition weekend performed by young musicians from all over the world!
BC Director Sean Bickerton presenting Awards of Excellence for Outstanding Performances of Canadian works
On Sunday, October 15th, Christopher Reiche, CMC BC’s Victoria Engagement Leader, presented Aventa Ensemble in Victoria with an Award of Excellence for their extraordinary contribution to Canadian music.
Christopher Reiche-Boucher presenting Aventa Ensemble with Award of Excellence in Victoria (shaking hands here with Mark McGregor)
And last Wednesday, October 18, Stefan Hintersteininger and I were extremely pleased to present composer Jordan Nobles with a Barbara Pentland Award of Excellence for his extraordinary contribution to Canadian Music as a co-founder of Redshift Music Society and the Redshift Music Label; for his body of work as an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre; and for winning three of the most prestigious awards in Canada for composition, all in one year – the 2017 JUNO award for Classical Composition of the Year; SOCAN’s Jan V. Matecjek Award for Overall Success in New Music; and the 2017 Western Canadian Music Award.
Jordan Nobles speaking after receiving Award of Excellence in Murray Adaskin Salon
Awards of Excellence recognize individuals and organizations throughout the Province of BC that have made an extraordinary contribution to Canadian music.
The annual Lifetime Achievement Award seeks to recognize extraordinary contributions to Canadian music by an individual over a lifetime of service and/or through a body of work.
Outstanding Performance Awards are presented for the best performance of a Canadian work at respected competitions sponsored by established music organizations within the province of BC, such as the new Vancouver International Music Competition, BC Registered Music Teachers Association annual piano competitoin, Kathaumixw International Choral Festival, or Kiwanis Festival.
Outstanding Composition Awards are presented to winners of affiliated composition competitions sponsored by recognized music institutions in the province of BC such as the Langley Community Music School Composition Competition.
For more information about Barbara Pentland click here.