Richard Pollett Memorial Award
Winner of the strings final in the 2010 ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year awards, violinist Richard Pollett was an outstanding young violinist, a UQ Master’s degree candidate, a Griffith University medalist, student at the Australian National Academy of Music and graduate of the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana.
Richard was in Brisbane to perform with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in the Australian premier of the work “Selenite City” by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin when his life was cut tragically short.
The Richard Pollett Memorial Award has now been established by Richard’s parents, Philip and Patricia Pollett, and his close friends in association with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) to honour Richard's memory. Awards will be made annually to provide support and encouragement to young violinists who display outstanding personal and musical attributes.
More information can be found on the AYO website, where donations can be made.
Elena Kats-Chernin has composed a work titled "For Richard" for string orchestra which will be performed by the University of Queensland Chamber Orchestra at their concert at the Customs House in Brisbane on Sunday 6 November 2011 at 11.30 a.m.
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra is also expected to perform this work at the 28 October 2011 performance of "Selenite City" (Concerto for Violin and Piano) at which Richard was scheduled to perform.
You can see Richard’s performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto here: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDygTqFXMdg]
