Press release
For immediate distribution
SCOTT MACISAAC, PIANO
Grand Prize Winner of the 2015 OSM Manulife Competition
Maison symphonique de Montréal
From left to right : Pierre A. Goulet, president of the 2015 OSM Manulife Competition, Kent Nagano, musical director of the OSM
and member of the grand jury, Scott MacIsaac, Grand prize winner, Ilona Schmiel, member of the grand jury and Zarin Mehta,
president of the jury. Photo : Koralie Woodward
Montréal, November 21, 2015 – The 2015 edition of the OSM Manulife Competition, under the
presidency of Pierre A. Goulet, wound up today with the declaration of the winner, Scott
MacIsaac (Piano A, 23 years old, Alberta), following an exciting finale at Maison symphonique
before an audience. In addition to winning awards totaling over $17,500, two scholarship grants
and a number of concert engagements, will have the opportunity to share the stage with the
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal on February 10, 2016, at a concert conducted by Jacques
Lacombe.
The 22 semi-finalists for 2015 offered the judges and audiences outstanding performances in their
efforts to win one of the numerous awards and grants, whose total value amounted to more than
$100,000 at this edition of Canada’s most prestigious national performance competition.
The 2015 OSM Manulife Grand Prize Winner
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An ever expanding audience
The public turned out in large numbers to attend the impressive performances, both at the semifinals in Tanna Schulich Hall at McGill University and at the finals, which took place at Maison
symphonique thanks to a generous donation made to the OSM by Mrs. Barbara Bronfman and her
family. For those who could not attend, notably the families and friends of candidates across the
country, the finals could be followed live on the OSM website, and for the very first time the
semi-finals as well. The award ceremony, also streamed live at osm.ca, Ici Musique and CBC
Music, was hosted by ICI Musique’s Françoise Davoine at Maison symphonique.
Stingray Rising Stars Award: Public’s Choice: Scott MacIsaac
The public was invited to make the acquaintance of the semi-finalists on the OSM’s Facebook
page and website and to vote online or in the hall for the candidate of their choice at the grand
finale. This year it was Scott MacIsaac who proved most popular with the audience.
THE RESULTS
OSM Manulife Grand Prize
This prize is awarded to the finalist, all categories taken together, who most distinguished him-or
herself in the course of the Competition. The winner of the 2015 OSM Manulife Grand Prize,
Scott MacIsaac, earns the following:
•
A $10,000 grant courtesy of Manulife
•
A concert with the OSM under the direction of conductor Jacques Lacombe on
February 10, 2016, at Maison symphonique
•
Orford Arts Centre Prize: a recital at the Orford Arts Centre, presented at some point
in 2016
•
National Arts Centre Award: a performance opportunity at the National Arts Centre
as part of the 2016-17 season. Full tuition for piano in the Young Artists Program
(senior level), in 2016
•
ICI musique Prize: a professional recording at one of the Radio-Canada studios and
broadcast of this recording by the winner on ICI musique
•
Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Prize: a concert in St. John’s, Newfoundland, as
part of the NSO’s 2016-2017 season
•
Northern Arts and Cultural Centre Award: a recital in Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories, as part of the NACC’s 2016-2017 season
•
YOA Orchestra of the Americas Award: a concert tour in the Nordic and Baltic
countries in the summer of 2016; this prize is presented by Mrs. Ariane Riou.
•
A recital as part of the OSM Classical Spree in 2016
Prix Michèle-Paré: a $5,000 grant in support of the development of a professional career in
music.
The winner is: Scott MacIsaac, Piano A, 23 years old, Alberta
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In the piano category Class A (18 to 25 years old):
 First prize: $10,000 grant offered by Manulife
The winner is: Scott MacIsaac, 23 years old, Alberta
 Second prize: $5,000 grant offered by the Marjorie and Gerald Bronfman Foundation
The winner is: Justin Joon Kee Min, 23 years old, Ontario
 Third prize: $2,500 V. E. Lambert grant offered by the succession Lambert-FortierGagnon estate
The winner is: Jeanne Amièle, 25 years old, Quebec
 For the best performance of the Canadian work: $2,500 grant offered by the OSM
Volunteer Association
The winner is: Carter Johnson, 19 years old, British Columbia, Volées. Carillons
d’oiseaux, by Michel Gonneville
In the Piano category Class B (under 17 years old):
 First prize: $10,000 grant offered by Manulife
The winner is: no first prize was attributed by the jury in this category
 Second prize (ex aequo):
o $ 5,000 grant offered by Manulife
The winner is: Éric Xi Xin Liang, 16 years old, British Columbia
o $5,000 grant offered by the Fondation Paul A. Fournier
The winner is: Vincent Vu, 16 years old, Quebec
 Third prize: $2,500 grant offered by the Fonds Les Amis de l’Art (Aline Hector-Perrier
scholarship) and Mr. Réjean Breton and Mrs. Louise-Marie Dion
The winner is: Kevin Chen, 10 years old, Alberta
 For the best performance of the Canadian work: $2,500 grant offered by the OSM
Musicians Association
The winner is: Mariya Orlenko, 16 years old, British Columbia, « Beauty »,
excerpt from Finnegans Quarks Revival, by Paul Frehner
In the Percussion category:
Note : in this category, the jury awarded only one prize.
 Second prize: $5,000 V. E. Lambert grant offered by the Lambert-Fortier-Gagnon estate
The winner is: Alexandre Lavoie, 23 years old, Quebec
The jury also decided to award a special prize, worth $2,000, to:
Olivier Tremblay-Noël for a study project.

For the best performance of the Canadian work: $2,500 grant offered by Ms. Juliana
Pleines
The winner is: Alexandre Lavoie, 23 years old, Invocation, by Nicolas Gilbert,
work commissioned for the 2015 OSM Manulife Competition
Stingray Rising Stars Award: Public’s Choice
 $2,500 grant offered to the finalist who received the most votes live on the Web and at
Maison symphonique during the finals on November 21, 2015
The winner is: Scott MacIsaac, Piano A, 23 years old, Alberta
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The complementary prizes:
 NEW: Schulich School of Music Prize: one scholarship covering complete tuition for a
program of performance at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music (offered to firstprize winners in the Piano A and Percussion categories)
The winners is: Scott MacIsaac, Piano A, 23 years old, Alberta
 Banff Centre Award: scholarships covering tuition and accommodation for a three-week
session in the Music and Sound Department of the Banff Center in in 2016
The winners are:
 Scott MacIsaac, Piano A, 23 years old, Alberta
 Jeanne Amièle, Piano A, 25 years old, Quebec
 Alexandre Lavoie, Percussion, 23 years old, Quebec
 Orford Arts Centre Award: scholarships covering tuition and accommodations for a two
week music session at the Orford Arts Center, in 2016
The winners are:
 Éric Xi Xin Liang, Piano B, 16 years old, British Columbia
 Kevin Chen, Piano B, 10 years old, Alberta
 Mariya Orlenko, Piano B, 16 years old, British Columbia
 Domaine Forget Award: Three scholarships covering tuition and accommodations for a
two-week music session at Domaine Forget in 2016
The winners are:
 Olivier Tremblay-Noël, Percussions, 21 years old, Quebec
 Daniel Morphy, Percussion, 30 years old, Ontario
 Justin Joon Ki Min, Piano A, 23 years old, Ontario
 Paul Merkelo scholarship: a $2,500 scholarship, open to all participants and awarded by a
jury chaired by Paul Merkelo, principal trumpet of the OSM
The winner is: Vincent Vu, Piano B, 16 years old, Quebec
THE 2015 EDITION OF THE COMPETITION
An international jury of broad scope
The jury for this edition was presided over by Mr. Zarin Mehta, co-executive director of the
Green Music Center at Sonoma State University; president and executive director of the New
York Philharmonic (2000-2012); and general manager of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
(1981-1990).
Maestro Kent Nagano, music director of the OSM, was once again a member of the grand jury,
along with Ms. Ilona Schmiel, intendant of the Zürich Tonhalle-Gesellschaft. Judges in the Piano
category were pianists Mr. Benedetto Lupo and Mr. André Laplante, while the jury in the
Percussion category consisted of Ms. Rumi Ogawa, percussionist, member of the Ensemble
Modern in Frankfurt, and Mr. Eric Sammut, soloist with the Orchestre de Paris, composer,
marimbist and teacher at the Paris and Glasgow conservatories as well as at London’s Royal
Academy of Music.
During this lastweek, candidates had the opportunity of participating in mentoring activities with
OSM musicians and prominent guests, as well as taking part in masterclasses offered by
members of the jury. Participants could thus receive advice from Eric Sammut and Rumi
Ogawa, judges in the Percussion category, in Tanna Schulich Hall at McGill University’s
Schulich School of Music; from pianist Louise Bessette at the Conservatoire de musique de
Montréal concert hall; and from Benedetto Lupo, judge in the Piano category, in Salle ClaudeChampagne at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music.
Reminder: concert at Bourgie Hall
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On Sunday, November 22 at 2:00 p.m., a chamber-music concert is being presented in Bourgie
Hall at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts by OSM musicians, members of the international jury
and two winners from the 2015 edition. Tickets for this concert (a paid activity) can be acquired
through the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts ticket counter at 514 285-2000, extension 4.
Manulife – Presenting Sponsor
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group providing
forward-thinking solutions to help people with their big financial decisions. Manulife is
committed to the health and vitality of the communities where it operates. That is why it supports
programs, such as the OSM Manulife Competition, which help youth reach their full potential.
“Our support of this competition reaffirms our commitment to excellence, and the
vitality of the communities where we live and work,” said Charles Guay, Executive
Vice President and General Manager, Institutional Markets, Manulife Canada and
President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Québec. “We are proud to be a part of
the OSM Manulife Competition and to help – and witness – young talents take flight.”
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
and be part of the conversation with hashtag
#OSMConcours!
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The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal wishes to thank Conseil des arts et des lettres du
Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal
and the City of Montreal for their generous support.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is presented by Hydro-Québec.
The OSM Manulife Competition is presented by
Manulife in association with Stingray Music
Information: Isabelle Brien, Head of Media Relations
T. 514 840-7414 | C. 514 293-1683 | [email protected]
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