Dear friends of the CMIM,

On this International Women’s Day, we are delighted to announce the imposed Canadian work for the Violin 2023 edition, by Canadian-American composer Luna Pearl Woolf.

“L’inconnu.e bouleversant.e” (loosely translated as “An Astonishing Stranger”) is a new work for solo violin. The twelve competitors who advance following the first round will perform the new work during the semi-final, taking place on April 29 and 30, at 2pm at 7:30pm each day, at Salle Bourgie.

“L’inconnu.e bouleversant.e” is inspired by Woolf’s earlier work “Mélange à trois”, composed for violin, cello, and percussion, which was first presented at a composer-portrait evening at Salle Bourgie in 2016. In the original trio, the violin represents an enticing stranger, encountered at a moment of crisis in the relationship of a couple, embodied by the cello and percussion.

“The music of “L’inconnu.e bouleversante” touches on the enticing stranger’s entrance, the conflict between the rivals, and ultimately the love that develops between them,” says Woolf. “As a solo work, the piece incorporates musical elements from all three characters and emerges as its own statement of flamboyant virtuosity, fiery passion, and intense intimacy.”

ABOUT LUNA PEARL WOOLF

Based in Montreal, Luna Pearl Woolf’s music has been praised as “brilliant, wrenching … profoundly moving” (Opera Going Toronto) and for its “psychological nuances and emotional depth” (The New York Times). Her album on the PENTATONE Oxingale Series, Luna Pearl Woolf: Fire and Flood, was nominated for a 2021 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Compendium.

At the end of the competition, the jury will award the André Bachand Award, accompanied by a $2,500 scholarship offered by Claudette Hould, for the best performance of the imposed Canadian work, “L’inconnu.e bouleversant.e.”

Luna Pearl Woolf will present her work and her compositional approach during a pre-concert talk, hosted by Kelly Rice and taking place on Saturday, April 29 at 1:15pm.  

Press release original posted on concoursmontreal.ca.