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UVic brass horn scholarship honours horn virtuoso

The new Joan Watson scholarship offers $1,500 to brass horn players heading to the University of Victoria.
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The Joan Watson Memorial Scholarship offers $1

A new scholarship is being offered to brass horn players heading to the University of Victoria.

Beginning this fall, first-year students accepted into UVic’s School of Music will be eligible for the Joan Watson Memorial Scholarship which provides a $1,500 cash award.

Watson, Canada’s foremost horn virtuoso and educator, studied at the University of Victoria and began her career with the Victoria Symphony before moving to Toronto in the 1980s.

“Joan’s extraordinary legacy as a horn player and teacher will live on through the Joan Watson Memorial Scholarship,” says husband and long-time musical partner Scott Irvine. “It is particularly satisfying to see that UVic will be the recipient. Joan spoke very highly of her years there with her horn teacher, Dick Ely.”

Watson made an immense contribution to music in Canada, with her unrivalled passion for performance and a dedication to music education.

“The University of Victoria’s School of Music wishes to express its profound thanks and gratitude to Yamaha Canada Music for their establishment of the Joan Watson Memorial Scholarship,” said Arthur Rowe, acting director of the School of Music. “We are proud to remember her as a student, and to have her memory live on through this award to assist other young musicians who attend UVic.”