William Boan wins Shurniak Competition

William Boan's performance on the U of S Amati Violin won first prize in the 2015 Shurniak Concerto Competition on Feb. 21. Photo credit: Stephen Nicholson

Department of Music student William Boan, a violin student of Robert Klose, took first place in the 2015 Shurniak Concerto Competition in Saskatoon on Feb. 21.

The Shurniak Concerto Competition is administered by the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association and is open to non-professional musicians between 14 and 30 years old. The competition is held every two years; it was hosted this year in Quance Theatre in the Department of Music.

An accomplished musician who became assistant concertmaster of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra at the age of 17, Boan won the competition with a performance of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 7. He was accompanied by Bonnie Nicholson.

For his first-place finish in the Shurniak Competition, Boan receives $2,000 and the chance to be a featured soloist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra in an upcoming season.

Boan, who has been a guest artist with the University of Saskatchewan Amati Quartet, was granted special permission to perform on the university’s Amati Violin in the competition.

Saskatoon pianists Godwin Friesen and Sophie McBean placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2015 Shurniak Concerto Competition. Thirteen musicians participated.