After four vibrant performances by the finalist ensembles, the Horatio Quartet has won the grand prize in the Schulich School of Music’s annual chamber music competition. The musicians win a residency at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and a performance at the Canadian Centre for Architecture as part of Schulich@Bon-Pasteur series.
The finals took place at Tanna Schulich Hall and were broadcast live. The jury for this stage was made up of Catherine Cosbey, Sara Laimon, Jacqueline Leclair and David Stewart.
The Trio At Work ensemble, comprising violinist Abigail Sunde, cellist Conrad Sobieraj and pianist Jisu Yeum, opened the evening with the Allegro from Mozart’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 3. Their light-hearted interpretation transported us into Mozart’s elegance and clarity. In Mendelssohn’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 1, which followed, a certain rigidity was felt at times, occasionally depriving the interpretation of vulnerability, but the climaxes were musically well controlled. Clean articulations and just nuances demonstrated their great technical mastery.
The second ensemble to perform, the Lyra Quartet, featured Lucy Nemeth and Jessica Tovey on violins, Hudson Maness on viola, and Ellamay Mantie on cello. From the very first bars of the Allegro from Haydn’s String Quartet No. 2 in F major, Op. 77, their cohesion was evident. The semi-circular placement typical of string quartets certainly favors fluid visual and gestural communication. Still, despite this advantage, each movement seemed naturally amplified by the other, giving us the impression that they were both breathing from the same breath. Their performance culminated in Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3 in F major, Op. 73. By turns carrying innocence and gravity, they exploited the full dynamic potential of this work. Their impeccable phrasing and accuracy of both intonation and emotion offered a moment of rare intensity, both rigorous and profoundly human.
After the intermission, the Horatio Quartet, comprising violinists Justin Saulnier and Joey Machin, violist Alex Beggs and cellist Gabriel Vincent, performed Haydn’s String Quartet in D major No. 4, Op. 20. Their exemplary precision and solidity were evident from the very first lines. The first violin, carried by Justin Saulnier, brilliantly sustained its predominant role throughout the work, infusing the ensemble with constant vitality. Their performance continued with the first movement of Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10, where they demonstrated sensitivity and expressive contrasts.
The evening concluded with the Alexa Trio, made up of violinist Joseph Tsao, cellist Alexander Lewis and pianist Chris Peng. Their performance began with the first movement of Beethoven’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 1 in D major, Op. 70, where the piano evoked a softness in the ensemble. They then performed Smetana’s Trio for violin, cello and piano in G minor, Op.15, which opens with a poignant violin solo, followed by the piano’s entrance, bringing depth and nuance. The work is remarkably well-balanced, giving each player an individual voice to let his or her instrument and musicality shine. Their interpretation was breathtaking, exalting the work’s intense, vibrant emotions.
