Shean String Competition

EDMONTON NATIVE TAKES $8,000 TOP PRIZE

Edmonton, AB – On Friday, May 15, 2009 – after two days of amazing competition – Ewald Cheung, violin (19 years old), from Edmonton, AB, was awarded the $8,000 top prize in The Shean Strings Competition. He has also won the opportunity to play with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at a future date. Ewald was one of 6 finalists chosen from a field of 24 entries from across Canada to compete in the 2009 Shean Strings Competition on May 14 and 15.

The complete results of the Competition were as follows:

First Place and $8,000 – Ewald Cheung, violin

Second Place and $5,000 – Alissa Cheung, violin

Third Place and $4,000 – Aaron Schwebel, violin

Fourth Place and $3,000 – Emily Westell, violin

Fifth Place and $2,000 – Meghan Nenniger, violin

Sixth Place and $1,000 – Wook (Luke) Young Kim, violoncello

Ewald Cheung also won $1,000 for the Best Performance of the Test Piece – Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16 in g minor by Henryk Wieniawski.

The adjudicators for this year’s competition were David Hoyt, Chair; David Colwell, violin; Jack Mendelsohn, violoncello and Brian Finley, piano.

The 2010 Shean Piano Competition takes place in Edmonton on May 20 and 21, 2010 in Edmonton with an $8,000 top prize and $1,000 prize for best performance of the test piece.

The Shean String and Piano Competition

The Shean Competition for Strings and Piano was made possible by a generous grant to the Edmonton Community Foundation from Ranald and Vera Shean in 1996.

photo of Vera and Ranald Shean

This competition, their gift to talented young musicians of today, is a lasting testimonial to their dedication to music.

Vera Shean was a gifted violinist and pianist. In the early 1940’s she performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of Ranald Shean, who was also the concertmaster. For many years she was heard in recital, in concert and as an accompanist, on the CBC. Ranald also conducted the Edmonton Youth Orchestra.

In 2002, Vera received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal in recognition of her years of service to the music in Edmonton. Both are members of the City’s Cultural Hall of Fame.

The Shean’s achieved their greatest satisfaction from teaching. In 1966, they established the Edmonton Conservatory of Music that later merged with the Alberta College Conservatory of Music. As well, they were active in the Music Academy program at Mount Royal College. Then, for many years, their home was their studio, always open to students. It was a home away from home for eager young musicians not only for the lessons but to gather, practice, concertize and discuss the music they love.

The competition’s inaugural year featured strings and has alternated with piano since then.