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Violinist wins the 19th annual Verna Mae Janzen Competition
Will Harder, 2024 Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition winner
The 19th annual Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) reached a rousing crescendo this year, as the night's final performer, William Harder, was awarded first place.
The Winnipeg violinist says, "It is really rewarding to have some very tangible recognition for all of the work that gets put into practicing music."
Harder is in his third year of studies at CMU, working towards a Bachelor of Music focusing on music performance. This was his second time performing in the Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition. Last year, he came in second place.
Harder has been playing the violin since the age of four, played in the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra for three years, and held the position of Assistant Concertmaster. He has also been playing in the Winnipeg Music Festival for many years and has played in numerous trophy classes, including the Aikins Memorial Trophy. In 2023, Harder was the recipient of the Victor Feldbrill Trophy, awarded for the most outstanding Solo String performance during the Winnipeg Music Festival.
The violinist performed three selections throughout the evening: "Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor Allegro" by Johann Sebastian Bach, "Oblivion" by Astor Piazzolla, and "Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major Allegro molto" by Gabriel Fauré.
2024 Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition winners:
Vina Dimayuga, Ava Campbell-Enns, William Harder
Winning the Verna Mae Music Competition awards the musician the right to perform a solo with the Mennonite Community Orchestra (MCO). "I have played with the [MCO] as a member for three years," says Harder. "Playing a solo piece with an orchestra is such a rare and valuable experience."
The first-place award also includes a $700 prize. Soprano Ava Campbell-Enns finished second and received $500. Third place was vocalist Vina Dimayuga, who received the $300 prize.
Matthew Pauls, Associate Professor of Music at CMU, hosted the events and said, "One of the great things about the Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition is that it gives students a concrete goal to work towards."
"There's nothing that motivates [the students] more than the knowledge that they've got an important performance coming up, and it's always great to see them rise to the challenge and showcase the skills they're learning in their lessons."
The finalists of 2024 Verna Mae JanzenMusic Competition
Adjudicators for the event were Lizzy Hoyt, esteemed mezzo-soprano who has performed with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Manitoba Opera and won "Traditional Singer of the Year" at the 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards; and Andrea Bell, conductor of the Winnipeg Mennonite Community Orchestra, the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Director of the String Orchestra Program at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate.
Among other things, the jurors looked for accuracy, attention to detail, and unique interpretation of the material. Before announcing the winners, Hoyt said the jurors considered "the variety of [the performer's] selection, which gave us a chance to see all the facets of their artistry."
This music competition is made possible through the generous support of Peter Janzen, husband of the late Verna Mae Janzen. As a performer and music educator, Verna's legacy of supporting the musical community around her lives on through the annual competition held in CMU's Laudamus Auditorium.
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