Remembering the Legacy of Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt Gramatté : Cellist Julien Siino Wins the 44th E-GRE Competition
Written by Chris Wolf Thursday, Nov 18 2021, 8:55 AM
Every year since 1976 at Brandon University the E-Gre competition for voice, strings and piano takes place. Named for long time Winnipegger, and Canadian composition tour-de-force Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt Gramatte. The competition rotates from year to year, with one year being for piano competitors, the next year being for strings. The aim of the competition is to promote new music not only from around the world but specifically new music written for Canadian Composers. The competition fulfills Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt Gramatte lifelong dream of creating a means by which the music of contemporary composers could make its presence felt by young musicians at the threshold of their careers. This year’s winner is cellist Julien Siinio with Edward Liddall at the piano. Julien is a former graduate of the Quebec Conservatory of music, and has gone on to further his studies in Holland and Paris. He is currently the Artist in residence at the Academy of the Paris National Opera and the Academy Musicale Phillippe Jaroussky… Edward Liddall is a multi-award winning English Pianist who has performed at Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. He is currently a pianist with the Paris Opera Academy. This Sunday at 2:00pm, Julien and Edward perform a live stream solo recital presented by the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg. This concert is part of Julien and Edward’s cross country tour that they received as part of their prize for winning the E-Gre Competition. The concert on Sunday will consist of Sophie Carmen Eckhardt Gramatte’s Duo Concertante for Cello and Piano, it will also consist of music by Benjamin Britten, Witold Lutoslawski, and a new work for solo cello by the Canadian indigenous composer Ian Cusson that was written specifically for the six finalists in the E-Gre competition. Cusson’s piece “La Pieta” is inspired by a painting of the same name by Canadian artist Kent Monkman, and portrays some of the raw emotion depicted in Monkman’s painting. This online concert on Sunday, November 21st, is going to be a real showcase of modern works for cello. Julien Siino is a phenomenal cellist, and his duo partner Edward Liddall is a truly amazing collaborative pianist. These contemporary works are indeed in good hands!
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