UPEI Students Win First and Second at National Music Festival

Matthew Rowsell, a trombone major in the Music Department at UPEI, won First Place in the brass instrument category at the National Music Festival held earlier this month in Moncton. Matthew is a native of Corner Brook, Newfoundland and has been studying trombone at UPEI with Dr. Gregory Irvine for the past two years. He performed “Ballade pour trombone et petit orchestre” by Frank Martin and “Sonata (Vox Gabrieli)” for trombone and piano by Stjepan Sulek. His achievement is significant as he competed against brass players from every province and territory.

Each year, young musicians from across Canada are selected to participate in the National Music Festival after competing successfully in their provincial music festivals. Typically, each province sends one representative in each of the categories of Strings, Brass, Winds, and Voice. By the time these musicians reach the National Festival, they have already competed at several levels to win the honour of representing their respective provinces.

"Matthew is to be congratulated on this outstanding achievement. He was up against some very stiff competition and it is gratifying to know that the judges recognized his talent, musicianship, and hard work,” says Greg Irvine, Chair of the Music Department. “I think that this is also a tribute to the Music Department and to the quality of our program."

Christina Bouey, the daughter of UPEI voice professor Sung Ha Shin-Bouey and sessional instructor of voice Stephen Bouey, also competed in the National Festival on the violin. Christina placed second in the String Category.