Archive Article - Winter 2000-01

Index

CELLIST DENISE DJOKIC & VIOLINIST JASPER WOOD AWARDED PRECIOUS INSTRUMENTS

TORONTO: The Canada Council for the Arts announced that Halifax cellist Denise Djokic and Toronto violinist Jasper Wood are the winners of a national competition for the loan of a $4 million US Stradivari cello and a $250,000 U.S. Pressenda violin from the Canada Council's Musical Instrument Bank. The winners were announced on September 13th by Jean-Louis Roux, Chairman of the Canada Council, at a news conference and reception held at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

The winners were selected in a national competition by a jury consisting of Desmond Hoebig, principal cellist of the Houston Symphony and an Associate Professor at Rice University, Shepherd School of Music; Jeanne Lamon, a renowned baroque violinist and Music Director of Tafelmusik in Toronto; and violist Douglas McNabney, currently Associate Professor of Viola and Chamber
Music at McGill University in Montreal.

The Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank acquires through donations and loans quality instruments to be used by established or gifted young Canadian musicians to help further their international solo or chamber music careers. The 1696 Bonjour Stradivari cello - Awarded to Denise Djokic for a two-year
loan. The Bonjour Stradavari cello, made by Antonio Stradivari ca. 1696, is named after an amateur 19th century Parisian cellist, Abel Bonjour, who owned it until his death sometime after 1885. More recently, it was owned by Martin Lovett of the celebrated Amadeus Quartet. The cello is valued at and estimated $4 million (US). Ms. Djokic had also won the two-year loan of the Gagliano cello in an Instrument Bank competition in July 1999. In awarding the Bonjour Stradivari cello to Denise Djokic, the jury said, "Denise Djokic is a charismatic, confident and poised young musician, who is just at the
right stage in her career to take full advantage of the opportunity for
artistic growth that the loan of the Bonjour Stradivari Cello represents. The powerful combination of her exceptional musicality, intensity of focus and career potential makes her a most deserving recipient of this award."

The 1820 Pressenda violin - Awarded to Jasper Wood for a two-year loan The Pressenda violin was made by 19th century violinmaker Giovanni Francesco Pressenda of Turin, Italy, and is considered an important example of his early work. The instrument was for many years owned by Remo Bolignini, a pupil of Ysaye. It is valued at an estimated $250,000 (US). In awarding the violin to Jasper Wood, the jury said: "Jasper Wood is a talented, ambitious, young violinist with a promising career ahead of him. The loan of the Pressenda violin should provide a strong boost to his future artistic endeavours."    For further information on the Canada Council Presentation visit:
http://www.canadacouncil.ca/news/pressreleases/co0027-e.asp

For further information on Denise Djokic and Jasper Wood, contact: Richard Paul at 416-595-9555
or richard@greatconcerts.com  or www.greatconcerts.com  or visit
www.jasperwood.net  (for Jasper Wood)

Story by: Richard Paul, Richard Paul Concert Artists