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Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition
The lovely sounds of sonatas, cantatas, and melodies have resonated through the halls of the Laudamus Auditorium every spring for two decades now as Canadian Mennonite University's School of Music celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition.
Founded in 2006 by Peter Janzen of Deep River, ON, in memory of his wife, Verna Mae, who died of cancer in 1989, the competition acts as a way for Peter to support the music landscape in which Verna was deeply embedded.
"This competition is a small way that my mom and dad could give back to CMU and Winnipeg," CJ Janzen, child of Peter and Verna, says. "Throughout her 13-year battle with cancer, music was her balm, her joy, and comfort."
Throughout its 20 years, the competition has evolved from a strictly vocalists' recital to including other classical instruments like piano and cello and now invites performers from various backgrounds.
"For a school our size, it's unique to have a competition like this. I do think it's been a pretty big asset," Dr. Matthew Pauls, Assistant Professor of Music and competition administrator, says.
Pauls says the competition has been a great way to motivate performers, "to light a fire under students and get into the practice room and really work on their craft."
Beyond the prize money, which can range from $700 for first place and $300 for third, the feedback students receive following each round of the competition is extremely valuable to the students.
Pauls says assessments specific to a student's performance from adjudicators and CMU faculty are hugely beneficial. "Especially moving towards the end of the year where they can apply that feedback into their final exam."
Rowan Woodmass, the first-ever competition winner, says the environment among music students during that time was collaborative and supportive. "The competition offered us a chance to perform at our best and feel that desire to win while cheering on our friends," they say.
Rowan Woodmass, winner of the inaugural Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition in 2005, has gone on to a professional music career.
To Woodmass, winning the competition gave them the confidence to pursue music professionally, including in the choirs of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul. They are also an award-winning performer at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.
Although the program was "demanding," Woodmass says studying music at CMU gave them an edge. "I took advantage of every opportunity to perfect new repertoire and continue to expand the expressive capacity of my voice."
This year's Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition takes place March 20 at 7:00 PM in CMU's Laudamus Auditorium (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). Finalists for 2025 are Jacob Kenny, Julia Norris, Allison Ong, Shanley Vogan, and Stefanie Zacharias.
Each performer is allotted 15 minutes in the final round and is judged by a panel of adjudicators.
"Performance requires us to draw on a deep well of experience that only comes through open, curious interactions with many different kinds of people," Woodmass advises burgeoning performers.
Likewise, they say that curiosity is reflected in the risk and vulnerability inherent to performance.
"Curiosity about how we might apply our many skills to other domains, such as academia, tech, administration, parenting, community organizing, and more, can help us find more meaning, excitement, and even stability than staying in our comfort zone on stage."
According to Pauls, CMU alumni who have built careers in music owe much to this competition. Whether they become a performer or go on to educate the next generation of musicians, so much of it loops back to the Verna Mae Janzen Music Competition.
"The support from Peter Janzen has been so generous and continuous," says Pauls. "And it has the legs to keep going."
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