Student to perform with KW Symphony
Mason Pomeroy is the winner of the 2015 Ken Murray Concerto Competition Award of Distinction
Wilfrid Laurier University student Mason Pomeroy will have the opportunity to perform Frank Martin’s Ballade for Flute and Orchestra with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
Pomeroy, a fourth-year flutist, won the Ken Murray Concerto Competition Award of Distinction 2015, one of the university’s most prestigious awards given out to Laurier music students.
Students who want to apply for the competition must submit a written application and a recorded submission. A committee then screens the applicants and decides who will go on to become a semifinalist, who then performs live in front of the committee.
Three finalists are left to compete in front of a public audience. A committee made up of members from the K-W Symphony then decides who gets to perform with the orchestra.
The competition takes place annually with winners announced in January. Pomeroy was announced as the winner of the competition in 2015.
While the faculty of music gives students the opportunity to receive scholarships, the Ken Murray competition is based exclusively on an individual’s performance abilities.
“The event this January that just went by a month and a half ago is for the person to perform with the orchestra next year, so it’s decided over a year in advance,” said Glen Carruthers, Laurier’s dean of music.
Pomeroy will be performing on March 10 at the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts in Kitchener-Waterloo. Daniel Bartholomew Poyser will be conducting the event.
Along with the performance, Pomeroy will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
“The cash reward is important, but in a way for a young music student even more important is the opportunity to play publically with a professional orchestra,” said Carruthers.
While Pomeroy now has the opportunity to perform with the orchestra, Carruthers stressed the importance of cooperation between the university and the KWS. According to Carruthers, while their relationship with the Symphony is good for orchestra, it’s also beneficial to young talent.
“It gives them an opportunity to perform in front and with the symphony before a pretty diverse audience, concerts in the building it’s very often students and we know who the audience is but the K-W Symphony audience is completely different so it’s good for students to have an exposure to that different audience as well.”
Pomeroy could not be reached for comment.
