Since 1894 the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg has been has been bringing world class musicians to Manitoba and has been supporting talented and vibrant Manitoba Classical musicians as they make their way in the early stages of their professional careers.  Their recital series and scholarship programs have helped showcase some of the best musicians the Province has to offer, while at the same time promoting home grown talent throughout the rest of Country and the World.

One of the big initiatives that the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg has to offer is the WMC McLellan Competition for solo performance with the WSO that is held every two years.

Doris McLellan was a long time concert attendee of Women’s Musical Club concerts, and it was through her generous bequeathal at the time of her death that the WMC McLellan competition exists. “She wanted to support emerging artists of classical music… and to give them an opportunity to perform with a symphony,” states Belle Meiklejohn the chair of the WMC McLellan competition.

The competition was founded in 2006, and since then some of the best young classical musicians in the province compete for an opportunity to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and win a cash prize that will help them in their future endeavors.

https://wmcwpg.ca/wmc-mclellan-competition/

Prize winners in the McLellan competition have gone on to further studies, very often at the Doctoral level, and many have gone on to have successful performing careers as musicians.

The competition has three stages. This year all applicants must have submitted their recordings and all other supporting documents, and application fees by Friday November 12th at 5:00pm. From there a jury listens to the recordings and the field of competitors is whittled down to 12 semi-finalists.

The semi-finalists will perform live on February 26, 2022 at St. Andrews River Heights United Church, with the participants performing music from various time periods in music history, and singers performing arias in at least 3 languages.

The finals take place on April 20, 2022 at Jubilee Place Auditorium, at the MBCI campus, with the three finalists performing alongside the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

This is truly is a fantastic opportunity for young and talented Manitoba, classical musicians, that is made possible by the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg and the legacy of Doris McLellan. Manitobans are so lucky to have an organization like the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg that takes such a proactive role is supporting and fostering the careers of Young Manitoba Musicians.

To See Chris Wolf’s conversation with WMC McLellan Competition chair Belle Meiklejohn click here: