UU直播 viola player goes for gold
Seymour Schulich鈥檚 annual scholarship dubbed 'the Stanley Cup of classical music'
When UU直播 patron Seymour Schulich decided to offer a unique golden violin as a scholarship prize to promising UU直播 string players, he hoped the award would be seen as 'the Stanley Cup of classical music.'
The Toronto businessman got his wish, and UU直播 viola player and doctoral student Lambert Chen happily accepted the prize, in a ceremony January 28 in Toronto鈥檚 hallowed Hockey Hall of Fame. The Golden Violin, a full-size, Swiss-made replica made of pewter and gold plate, was presented onstage alongside none other than Lord Stanley鈥檚 Cup itself.
The 27-year-old Chen, a native of Taiwan, is completing his doctorate in music performance and plays with the Godonov Quartet. He is the second recipient of the Golden Violin award, which includes an annual scholarship of $20,000.
The 2006 recipient, violin player Emmanuel Vukovich, led the Schulich Chamber Players in a performance of Vivaldi鈥檚 Four Seasons at this year鈥檚 award ceremony.
The Golden Violin Award is given annually to a top UU直播 string player who is close to completing studies and poised for a successful performing career. While the violin itself remains on display in UU直播鈥檚 Marvin Duchow Music Library, the award includes an annual scholarship of $20,000, the largest privately funded music scholarship in Canada.
Seymour Schulich is co-founder of Franco-Nevada Mining Corporation and Chairman of Newmont Capital Limited. He is also the author of the recent best-seller: Get Smarter, Life and Business Lessons. He earned an MBA from UU直播 in 1965.
UU直播鈥檚 music faculty was renamed the Schulich School of Music in 2005 in recognition of Seymour Schulich鈥檚 gift of $20 million.