Fred Pattison Piano Competition
The Fred Pattison Piano Award at the Don Wright Faculty of Music is awarded to the winner of an annual piano competition. In addition to receiving a cash award, the winner will give a public performance the following academic year. Proceeds from the Fred Pattison Award Fund support the annual competition and cash prize.
Dr. Pattison was Western’s former Head of Chemistry (1959-65) and Director of Student Health Services (1973-88). He passed away in August 2010. Dr. Pattison had a great passion for the piano and spent many hours enjoying performances in von Kuster Hall at the Faculty of Music. This award reflects his love of music and his desire to reward excellence in piano performance. 2008-09 was the inaugural year for this competition.
Application
Deadline
Friday, Jan. 10 2025 | 12pm
To register, students must email the following information to mpsdept@uwo.ca:
- Student name
- Repertoire for each round, including the duration of each piece (10 mins for Round One, 20-30 mins for the Final Round)
- In lieu of a signature, copy your studio teacher on the email.
Competition Overview
The Fred Pattison Piano Award is awarded to a first-, second-, third-, or fourth-year full-time student enrolled in a Music Degree program, whose principal instrument is piano. Fourth year students can only participate if they are returning for a Master of Music program the following year. Repertoire is limited to solo piano works only; concertos are not permitted.
The competition consists of two rounds:
Round One – Live Audition
Students should prepare 10 minutes of music for Round One, which will be performed live in front of the adjudicator only. This round is not open to the public. A maximum of 10 minutes of music should be chosen carefully to demonstrate technique, range, and musicality. Repertoire performed in Round One may also be repeated in the Final Round.Final Round – Public Performance
Each of the finalists will perform a minimum of 20 minutes to a maximum of 30 minutes of solo repertoire for the adjudicator and a live audience. Participants must perform the final round program as submitted in their registration.Results will be announced upon conclusion of the final round.
Finalists will also perform in a masterclass for the adjudicator on a subsequent date.
2025 Performances and Masterclass Information
Thursday, Jan. 16 | 8pm | von Kuster Hall (approx. 1.5h duration)
2024 Fred Pattison Award Competition Winner
Solo piano concert featuring student winner Kai Melconian
Friday, Jan. 17 | 8pm | von Kuster Hall (approx. 2h duration)
2025 Fred Pattison Piano Award Competition – Final Round
Saturday, Jan. 18 | 10am | von Kuster Hall (approx. 2.5h duration)
Fred Pattison Piano Masterclass
Fred Pattison Piano Masterclass with this year's adjudicator Michael Esch featuring 2025 competition finalists.
2025 Adjudicator Biography
Michael Esch holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from Rice University where his teachers included Robert Roux and Jon Kimura Parker. His other major influences include his first teacher, Rosemary Collins, and coachings with Rebecca Penneys, Lazar Berman and Anton Kuerti.
Dr. Esch has been featured in numerous recitals throughout Canada including the Glenn Gould Studio for the CBC, and for the Canadian University Music Society. He has also appeared in concert throughout Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the United States and Germany, as well as various centers in the far east. He has performed with numerous orchestras in Canada, and has collaborated with a number of acclaimed artists including the Belgian violinist Michael Guttman and the eminent violist, Rivka Golani, as well as the Canadian Sinfonietta Chamber Players. The Canadian Composer Robert Rival has composed and dedicated the work 6 pieces for Piano (found in the ARCT and LRCM repertoire lists) for Michael. Dr. Esch is a featured pianist on the RCME 2015 Piano Syllabus CD set.
Michael has enjoyed grant support from the Chalmers Foundation, and is a multiple grant recipient from the Canada Council for the Arts. A sought after adjudicator in Canada, Michael has adjudicated festivals at the Provincial level for the O.M.F.A., ORMTA, SMFA, NSMFA, PABC, the Canadian Music Competition 50th Anniversary National Tour and the Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition, the Cresendo International Piano Competitions among many others. He is a senior examiner for RCM examinations and is a regular masterclass clinician for the Phil and Eli Taylor Young Artist Performance Academy at the RCM.
A sought after teacher, Dr. Esch's students have been featured in major GTA recital venues including Koerner Hall, The Glenn Gould Studio, the University of Toronto Arts and Letters Club, Markham Theatre, as well as Carnegie Recital Hall in NYC. They have been featured in concert with important orchestras Ontario and Europe, and in masterclasses with major artists in prestigious international music festivals such as the Morningside Music Bridge and John O'Conor's “Beethoven Boot Camp”.
Recent achievements of Dr. Esch's students include: winner of the CFMTA National Piano Competition, First Prize winners in the Crescendo International Competition, GOCCA Int, Winners of the ORMTA Young Artist Tour (2), National Gold Medal Winners for the RCM Licentiate Diploma (2), the youngest candidate to have earned the LRCM with Distinction, and as well as Prize Laureates at the Berlin and Boston Intl Amateurs competition.
Dr. Esch has taught at Wilfrid Laurier University and has served on staff at the Glenn Gould School/RCM since 2007. In September of 2010 Michael and his wife opened the Esch Music Academy in Markham Ontario. Michael is a Top Teacher Award recipient from Steinway and Sons and was recently awarded a 2020 Teacher of Distinction Award from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Michael has served on Faculty at the University of Toronto since 2021.
Previous Winners
2023-24
Congratulations to Kai Melconian, winner of the 2024 Fred Pattison Competition. We look forward to Kai’s Winner’s Recital on January 16, 2025 This year’s competition was adjudicated by Shoshana Telner.
2022-23
Congratulations to Terrence Wu, winner of the 2023 Fred Pattison Competition. We look forward to Terrence’s Winner’s Recital on January 18, 2024. This year’s competition was adjudicated by David Rogosin.
2021-22
Congratulations to Songlee Kim, winner of the 2022 Fred Pattison Competition. Songlee's public performance was given on January 19, 2023 in von Kuster Hall. This year’s competition was adjudicated by Li Wang.
2020-21
Congratulations to Ian Pepper, winner of the 2021 Fred Pattison Competition. This year’s competition was adjudicated by James Parker.
2019-20
Congratulations to Terrence Wu, winner of the 2020 Fred Pattison Competition. Terrence's livestream public performance was recorded on February 4, 2021 in von Kuster Hall. This year’s competition was adjudicated by Sofya Bugayan.
2018-19
Congratulations to Kevin Lu, winner of the 2019 Fred Pattison Competition. Kevin's public performance was given on January 23, 2020 in von Kuster Hall. This year’s competition was adjudicated by Yael Weiss.
2017-18
Congratulations to Elizabeth Vogel, winner of the 2018 Fred Pattison Competition. Elizabeth's public performance was given on Thursday, January 24, 2019 in von Kuster Hall. This year’s competition was adjudicated by Enrico Elisi.
2016-17
Congratulations to Ethan Lacey, winner of the 2017 Fred Pattison Competition. His public performance was given on Thursday, January 25, 2018 in von Kuster Hall. This year’s competition was adjudicated by David Jalbert.
2015-16
Congratulations to James Masschelein winner of the 2016 Fred Pattison Piano Competition. His public performance was given on Thursday, January 26, 2017 in von Kuster Hall. This year's competition was adjudicated by Jimmy Brière.
2014-15
Congratulations to Bryce Lansdell winner of the 2015 Fred Pattison Piano Competition. His public performance was given on Thursday, January 28, 2016 in von Kuster Hall.
2013-14
Congratulations to Dan Luong winner of the 2014 Fred Pattison Piano Competition.
2012-13
Congratulations to Vladimir Soloviev winner of the 2013 Fred Pattison Piano Competition .
2011-12
Bryn Blackwood was the winner of the 2012 Fred Pattison Piano Competition on Friday January 27, 2012. Bryn presented a recital on Thursday January 24, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. in von Kuster Hall.
2010-11
Congratulations to Vladimir Soloviev who won the 2011 Fred Pattison Piano Competition! All three finalists played brilliantly - the other two were Edgar Robert Suski and Brian Barber. Attending the competition were Mrs. Anne Pattison and their daughter Elizabeth. The 8:00 p.m. final round concert marked the first time the Don Wright Faculty of Music presented a live streamed event. Vladimir presented a recital on Thursday January 26, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. in von Kuster Hall.
2009-10
Ingrid Gan was the winner of the 2009-10 Fred Pattison Competition. Ingrid was a student of Gwen Beamish.
2008-09
Congratulations to Neal Cabigon, winner of the inaugural Fred Pattison Competition. Neal came to Western after a year in the Science Faculty of his hometown University of Regina, Saskatchewan. He is in the third year of the Honours Performance program. (left to right: Mrs. Pattison, Dr. Pattison, Sara Laimon (Adjudicator), Neal Cabigon)
Contact Information
Kyung Kim, D.M.A
Fred Pattison Competition Co-ordinator
519-661-2111 85368
kkim487@uwo.ca
