Richard Li Young Artist Chair

Young Saskatchewan trumpeter Amy Horvey selected to hold the title of Richard Li Young Artist Chair for 2008-2009 season

Ottawa, Ontario ’Äì The National Arts Centre today announced that Saskatchewan-born trumpeter Amy Horvey has been selected to hold the title of Richard Li Young Artist Chair for the 2008-2009 season. This honour is awarded annually to an exceptional young Canadian musician under the age of 35 who aspires to, or is in the early stages of, an orchestral career.

The Richard Li Young Artist Chair was established thanks to the generosity of Hong Kong-Canadian businessman Richard Li. In September 2006 he donated $1 million to the National Arts Centre Foundation ’Äì the largest one-time gift in NAC history. In addition to providing a variety of performance and professional development opportunities to Richard Li Young Artist Chair recipients, the donation helps support several NAC young artist training programs, such as the Summer Music Institute and the Institute for Orchestral Studies.

Amy Horvey, 27, has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra as an extra musician. As part of her duties as a recipient of the Richard Li Young Artist Chair recipient, Amy will perform solo recitals and teach masterclasses in Saskatchewan during the NAC Orchestra’Äôs upcoming tour of Western Canada from October 24 to November 12.

’ÄúArts and music education are vital to maintaining and protecting the cultural fabric of Canada's rural areas,’Äù said Ms. Horvey. ’ÄúThis is a major priority for me.’Äù

Ms. Horvey grew up on a farm near Cabri, Saskatchewan, a small prairie community which has a long been known for its excellent brass bands. (The Cabri Brass Band featured Bobby Gimby as one of its members. Mr. Gimby gained national attention as the composer of the 1967 Centennial song ’ÄúCanada’Äù and later received the Order of Canada for his contributions to the country’Äôs national identity.)

Amy began playing trumpet at the age of six in a family of dedicated brass players ’Äì her father plays trumpet, her mother plays French horn while her brother and sisters play the trombone and euphonium.

Amy has studied at the University of Victoria, the Glenn Gould School and the Rotterdam Conservatory. She is currently pursuing doctoral studies at McGill University's Schulich School of Music, studying with the renowned trumpeter and teacher Edward Carroll.

’ÄúAmy has a unique and very personal voice on the trumpet that is quietly gaining the attention of the international trumpet community,’Äù said Mr. Carroll.

In 2006 she toured Canada presenting a solo show of music commissioned from several internationally known composers and was invited by the legendary American jazz musician and composer Dave Douglas to be a featured soloist at the Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York City.

The National Arts Centre established the National Arts Centre Foundation in 2000, with the mandate to raise significant financial support for its artistic and educational programming. The Foundation’Äôs mission is to inspire individuals, corporations and foundations to invest in the NAC’Äôs vision of excellence and innovation as a national centre for performance, creation and learning. The National Arts Centre Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors made up of 23 leaders from across Canada.