11th Annual VCM Chamber Competition

Entry for this competition is at The Victoria Conservatory of Music entrance at 900 Johnson Street. Admission by donation. 

The VCM Chamber Competition is designed to inspire young chamber groups to push the limits of their abilities as teams and discover the joys of making magnificent music together with friends in a richly challenging experience. Competing for prizes, groups will be split into Junior and Senior Categories.

Competition Programme

Junior Collegium – 6:00pm

Senior Collegium – Approximately 7:15pm

Judges

Matthew White – CEO of the Victoria Symphony

Matthew White spent his early career as an international vocal soloist; a countertenor performing with opera companies and symphonies around the world. He then became an administrator and driver of classical music in the Lower Mainland providing strategic oversight and direction as the Executive and Artistic Director of the Early Music Vancouver (EMV). Since 2012, Matthew has played a central part in more than doubling EMV’s budget and administrative capacity as well as in dramatically growing EMV’s audience. EMV now offers one of the most ambitious programs of its type in North America, presenting and producing between 40-50 concerts per year featuring internationally renowned local, regional and guest artists. Other highlights of his administrative career include establishing the Vancouver Bach Festival and the Pacific Baroque Series in Victoria.

Alexandra Pohran-Dawkins – Oboeist and Professor Emeritus at UVic

Oboist Alexandra Pohran Dawkins has a wealth of experience as a teacher, recording artist and performer in both classical music and in the field of contemporary performance practice.

She held the position of Principal Oboe in the National Ballet Company Orchestra for 10 years, a role she also performed with the Esprit Orchestra, a contemporary music ensemble in Toronto. She was a member of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and performed with the Toronto Symphony, Toronto New Music Concerts, Vancouver New Music and in a number of chamber music series, several of which she produced and which were broadcast on CBC.

She is Professor Emerita at the University of Victoria where in addition to teaching oboe and chamber music, she was Head of the wind chamber music program for 30 years and the Co-ordinator of the Faculty Chamber Music Series. Her experiences in contemporary music as well as a residency at the Banff School of Fine Arts prompted her to develop a course in Improvisational Techniques at UVIC, designed to activate the imagination of musicians and to develop skills in listening and responding to musical information. The course has resulted in a series of workshops ‘Plays Well with Others’, offered to community ensembles and in school programs.

Ms. Pohran Dawkins has recorded two CDs with pianists Jane Hayes: The French Oboe and Schumann Romances, which can be heard on Spotify.

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What is the Young Artists Collegium Program?

Founded in 2006, the Collegium is an enriched program for talented young classical musicians – singers, pianists and other instrumentalists – brought together with outstanding teachers to create a lively, collaborative educational experience devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence.

Learn more about Collegium.