THE SCOOP | Composer Kevin Lau Wins Lynch-Staunton Award

Jennifer Liu

7 years ago

Composer Kevin Lau amongst winners of 2017 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award.

The Canada Council for the Arts has named Toronto composer Kevin Lau winner of the 2017 Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award in the Music category. The annual prize recognises “outstanding artistic achievement by Canadian mid-career artists” across seven artistic categories.

Lau was the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s RBC Affiliate Composer from 2012-2015, and his music has been performed by major ensembles across Canada. He holds a DMA in Composition from the University of Toronto, and he has received commissions from ensembles throughout the Golden Horseshoe such as the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, Cecilia String Quartet, and Hannaford Street Silver Band. Recent projects include collaborations with the National Ballet of Canada, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Afiara Quartet and DJ Skratch Bastid.

“Thank you so much to the Canada Council for this honour, and for facilitating the many opportunities that make such achievements possible!!,” Lau wrote on his Facebook page. “Being able to take part in Canada’s rich artistic life (alongside a plethora of so many incredible artists) is a privilege that I have the utmost gratitude for.”

Lau receives $15,000 for the win, as do winners of the other disciplines:

Inter-Arts: Bruno Bouchard (Quebec)

Writing and Publishing: Yara El-Ghadban (Quebec)

Dance: Vladimir ”7Starr” Laurore (Quebec)

Visual Arts: Kevin Schmidt (British Columbia)

Media Arts: Amanda Strong (British Columbia)

Theatre: Marcus Youssef (British Columbia)

For more CLASSICAL MUSIC NEWS, visit HERE.

Jennifer Liu

Jennifer holds a master's degree in piano performance and is pursuing her degree in journalism at Carleton University. Previously, she lived for classical music in Toronto and Montreal.