Ji Soo Choi wins CMC national final grand prize by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff Artscene panist Benjamin Smith at the national round of the competition. The grand prize winners (there are four age categories) played last Thursday (July 4) evening at the CMC Gala Concert with the Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke at the CMC Gala Concert at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, where the competition was held. Choi will perform her winning piece as a soloist for the orchestra. "This is amazing because my current teacher, Barry Shissman, won the grand prize when he was around my age and he played the same piece with the same orchestra," Choi said. Along with receiving the grand prize, Choi was awarded a two-week summer training program at Quebec's prestigious Oxford Centre for the Arts, which she intends to take next summer. Choi said the victory is another step towards her goal of becoming a see Goal on p.20 19 | Friday, July 12, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Recent T.A. Blakelock High School graduate Ji Soo Choi is wowing audiences and judges wherever she goes. The young violinist has won the grand prize at the national final of the Canadian Music Competition (CMC). Though she's just 18, she took first place in the 19-30 age category in violin and tied for the grand prize for all instruments in the same age category with organist Jocelyn Lafond, out of Saint-Eugène-deGrantham, Que. The grand prize came with a $2,000 scholarship. The national final winners were announced Wednesday, July 3 evening. "It's very exciting because I didn't try out for my age category so I was really nervous, but it was exciting I was able to come this far and the fact that I won the grand prize is an honour," Choi said. "It's fantastic." Just two weeks earlier, Choi won the senior category of the inaugural local Concerto Competition hosted by the Oakville Chamber Orchestra. The musician, who is headed to the Juilliard School in New York City, has performed with a number of orchestras, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall. She entered the older age group at the CMC because the national round of the competition limits the number of movements a competitor can play of their entry piece in the younger age groups. However, Choi wanted to play the entirety of Pyotry Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, which she says she loves, so she entered the oldest age group which allowed her to play the entire concerto, which is approximately 40 minutes long. She performed with piano accom- Oakville violinist Ji Soo Choi is pictured with Canadian Music Competition national finals judge Coenraad Bloemendal, in Sherbrooke, Que. where she won the grand prize in the 19-30 age category. | photo courtesy of Canadian Music Competition $29.95 Lunch Menu is also Available for $17.95 pp Taxes and Gratuity Not Included Not Valid with any other promotions or discounts TASTE Dinner Menu OF clarkson July 12 To August 11 WWW.TASTEOFCLARKSON.COM 1731 Lakeshore Road West 905-916-2283 Appetizer (choice of 1) Roasted Beet Salad Mixed organic greens red onion feta cheese with a raspberry balsamic reduction Dinner 1715 Lakeshore Road West 905-822-5751 1801 Lakeshore Road West 905-822-1801 1107 Lorne Park Road 905-271-9898 Dinner Appetizers Choice of Dinner Warm Zucchini & Ricotta Fritter Chilled Gazpacho Soup Panzanella Salad Entrees Stuffed Pork Chop with a buffalo milk yogurt & fennel slaw Starters Dinner Soup of the day Created by our Chef Appetizers Watermelon Gazpacho Fresh Salmon Savice Entree Choice of Cool watermelon soup infused with cucumber and fresh mint Salmon cured in fresh lime and lemon juice with diced tomatoes and red onion topped with pine nuts Chef's Creation of Daily Soup Traditional Caesar Salad Golden & Red Beet Salad with Baby Arugula Entree Choice of with mini bocconcini, grilled crostini, tomatoes & cucumbers Tu Casa's extraordinary Homemade Caesar Dressing, without Anchovies (Anchovies available on request) Caesar Salad Pan Seared Veal Scaloppini with a Trio of Champignon Mushroom, Three Peppercorn and Pizzaiola Sauces Roasted Halibut Topped with Caribbean salsa, served with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables Lobster Tail Spaghetti Veal Scaloppini with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce Tender veal loin lightly seasoned, pan seared and topped with our creamy gorgonzola sauce. 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