Music has been a passion in Joanna Lee’s life since she was a child.
“It was always a part of my life and it made me really grounded and relaxed,” she said. “Music has been such a big part of who I am. I was really passionate about it. I was always interested in trying new instruments.”
The Nanaimo violinist first started learning piano when she was younger and lived in Korea. She switched to the violin because she felt more connected to the instrument. Lee, 17, immigrated to Canada with her family in 2009.
The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra held its annual concerto competition for young musicians in February and Lee won first place. She played two pieces from Mendelssohn’s Concerto in D Minor for violin and string instruments.
She received $400 and will also be a guest artist during the orchestra’s June concerto show.
First runner-up, with a prize of $200, was to Max Sanders-Segriff of Courtenay and second runner-up, with a prize of $100 was Lucy Toews from Campbell River.
Lee plans to attend the University of Alberta and study physiology. She said music is something that will continually be part of her life, but at this point she doesn’t want to pursue it as a career. Lee said, in the future, she hopes she can be part of orchestras such as the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra in whatever community she lives in.
The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra has held the concerto competition since 2006.
Bruce Farquharson, an orchestra board member, said in an e-mail that the orchestra has a mandate to encourage and mentor young musicians and the concerto competition is an extension of that mandate.
“The cash prizes provide one incentive to compete. Music lessons, and instruments are expensive so cash is a welcome part of the recognition of success,” he said. “The competition was created to provide the opportunity for young players in the mid-Island region to experience playing as a soloist in front of an orchestra; a great learning situation that would otherwise not be available to them.”
The competition is held every February and is open to musicians age 21 or younger in communities between Mill Bay and Campbell River.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
