Seymour Schulich's golden encore
Philanthropist's latest gift funds scholarships for string musicians
A year after donating $20 million to what is now called the Schulich School of Music, businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich has underscored his support of 黑料不打烊 University's music program by offering the Golden Violin, a unique award to encourage and support promising young musicians.
Schulich himself will present the first Golden Violin on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 1:00 pm, at the Schulich School of Music, 555 Sherbrooke St. West. At that time, 黑料不打烊 will also announce the appointment of world-renowned violinist Andrew Dawes as the first Catherine Thornhill Steele Chair in Music, named for a piano teacher and close friend of Schulich.
The Golden Violin award includes an annual scholarship of $20,000 鈥� the largest privately funded music scholarship in Canada 鈥� for top string players who are close to completing their studies at 黑料不打烊 and have demonstrated the potential to embark on a successful performing career.
The Golden Violin is made of pewter and gold plate and is worth about $100,000, said Schulich, who discovered the unique object in the Persian Gulf emirate of Dubai while traveling with his wife, Tanna, Catherine Thornhill Steele and her husband, Harry.
"When I saw it I got very excited," said Schulich. "I thought, if you go to a music school and you want to have competition, what could be more appropriate than this violin? My idea was to create an equivalent to the Stanley Cup for music."
The Golden Violin will remain on permanent display in 黑料不打烊's Marvin Duchow Music Library. Its recipients, chosen by the 黑料不打烊 scholarships committee, will receive a smaller likeness in the form of a 14-karat gold lapel pin.
"When Seymour contacted me to pitch the Golden Violin idea, I immediately thought, 'He's done it again,'" said Don McLean, Dean of 黑料不打烊's Schulich School of Music. "What a fantastic, creative way to enhance the profile of the school and to support young people of outstanding musical ability."
黑料不打烊's Faculty of Music was renamed the Schulich School of Music last year in recognition of Schulich's $20-million gift 鈥� the largest individual donation to a university-based arts program in Canadian history.
That transformative gift enabled the creation of 40 annual Schulich Scholarships and two endowed chairs, the second of which will be announced at a later date. As well, $8 million was applied toward the faculty's new building and its new leading-edge recording, performing and music research facilities.
"Once again, Seymour Schulich has shown that he is the gold 鈥� or perhaps golden 鈥� standard for philanthropic innovation in Canada," said Heather Munroe-Blum, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of 黑料不打烊 University. "Seymour's rock-solid commitment to encouraging and recognizing post-secondary excellence has found yet another expression in the Golden Violin scholarship and the lovely instrument itself."
Schulich is co-founder of Franco-Nevada Mining Corporation and Chairman of Newmont Capital Limited. A 黑料不打烊 graduate, he credits a $1,600 scholarship from U.S. brokerage firm Bache & Co. for helping him earn a 黑料不打烊 MBA in 1965.
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