NEWS

The Festival launches the sixth edition of the Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition

The Festival launches the sixth edition of the Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition

Young baroque musicians are invited to submit their application

Lamèque, N. B., Thursday, November 28, 2024: The Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival is proud to launch the sixth edition of the Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition. Young baroque musicians are now invited to submit their application. Three finalists will be selected to perform in two concerts presented during the 2025 edition of the Festival, which will be held from July 24 to 26.

The Competition is back after a two-year hiatus. According to the Festival artistic director, recorder player Vincent Lauzer, "this competition is designed to support emerging musicians in the field of baroque music. Unique in Canada, it allows musicians to develop their career and offers them valuable exposure on the North American baroque music stage."

This competition is open to instrumentalists aged between 18 and 30 and singers aged between 18 and 35 on March 3, 2025.  Singers and instrumentalists playing on period instruments and performing according to the historically informed practice are welcome to apply. The competition rules and application form can be found of the Festival website at www.festivalbaroque.com.  The deadline for applications is March 3, 2025.

Winners of the competition will share $10,000 in prizes. The prizes offered have been increased since the last edition, in 2022. According to the Festival team, these more generous prizes are an opportunity to attract international musicians to submit their applications and represent an interesting opportunity for artists at the start of their careers. The winner of the first prize will be awarded $4,000 and will be invited to perform in the 2026 season of the Festival. 

The competition is named after the founder of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival, harpsichordist and organist Mathieu Duguay.