Dal student wins young composer contest

Science student Matthew Lee has won a national composition contest. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

At the height of summer, thoughts of the baby Jesus and animals in the stable kept running through Matthew Lee’s head.

A good thing, as it turns out. The 19-year-old Dalhousie student has won the $1,000 first prize in the inaugural national Young Composer’s Choral Competition. His winning composition is based on a traditional Latin responsorial chant, O Magnum Mysterium.

“I picked the text first and just kept thinking about when I was writing the music,” says Mr. Lee, a second-year science student majoring in microbiology and biochemistry.

His winning entry will premiere Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 2267 Brunswick St., Halifax, by the Halifax Camerata Singers, conducted by Jeff Joudrey.

“It’s really cool. It’s what composers aim for, to have their pieces performed,” he says.
Although his double major keeps him busy, Mr. Lee is taking a composition class as an elective. In addition to writing choral and instrumental music, he enjoys singing with choirs, including Dalhousie's Coro Collegium, Nova Voce Men’s Choir, the Scotia Festival of Music Mahler chorus, and early music ensemble Lingua Dulcis.

“I had a really good music teacher in high school, Mrs. Broomhead, and she got me excited about music when I thought I might be through with it. By that time, I had stopped taking (piano) lessons,” he explains. “But then I just had a wonderful time and learned so much.”

The competition jury included Jeff Joudrey as well as Lydia Adams, artistic director of the Elmer Iseler Singers; Peter Togni, conductor and broadcaster; and Christina Murray, conductor of Camerata Xara Young Women’s Choir.

“I was so impressed with the level of entries for the competition,” said jury member Ms. Adams. “It really bodes well for choral composition in the country to have so many fine composers interested in writing for choirs."