WMC McLellan Competition Finals with the WSO, conducted by Julian Pellicano

The WMC McLellan Competition for Solo Performance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is Manitoba’s only musical competition in which finalists perform with full orchestra. This Final Round is an event where audience members can hear Manitoba’s finest emerging musicians who are on their way to performance careers. Awards totalling $20,000 are disbursed following the concert.

This year's finalists are Jammie Lee, piano; Samuel Nadurak, cello, and Christina Thanisch-Smith, soprano. 

Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 7:30 pm 

Jubilee Place (MBCI), 181 Riverton Ave, Winnipeg, MB.

Jammie Lee is a McGill University graduate with a rich piano background. His journey began at Seoul Arts Center's Musical Academy, South Korea. After immigrating to Canada, he continued studies with Drs. Kyung Kim and Lawrence Jones at Brandon University. Jammie won second prize at the International ENKOR Competition (2021, 2018, 2015), a gold award at the 2021 North American Virtuoso International Music Competition, the Phyllis Ilavsky Scholarship at the 2018 WMC Scholarship Competition, third place and a special award at the 2016 Canadian National Music Festival, and first place at both the 2016 and 2015 Provincial Associated Manitoba Arts Festivals. In 2016, Jammie appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. He has participated in masterclasses with acclaimed pianists Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Lydia Artymiw, Jon Kimura Parker, and Janina Fialkowska.

Samuel Nadurak, cellist and composer, was born and raised in Winnipeg where he studied with Allison Warrian and Yuri Hooker. He completed his Masters in cello performance at the University of Ottawa with Paul Marleyn, and currently plays with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and teaches cello privately. Sam has worked with well-known cellists Ariel Barnes, Richard Aaron and Hans Jensen. He has successfully competed in the Manitoba Provincial Music Festival and the Winnipeg Music Festival, and has played as a soloist with ensembles and in theatre shows. In 2022, Sam released his debut album of original songs, Wide Eyed, Tongue Tied, featured on CBC radio. In 2017 he had a composition premiered in Austria’s Murau International Music Festival, and in 2019 won the thirteen strings composition competition in Ottawa. Sam joined the "Back to BACH" Project in the fall of 2016 and was involved as a member, regional director, and Director of Global Operations for 5 years.

Christina Thanisch-Smith has been praised for her “shimmering vocals with pitch perfect intonation” and “ringing high notes” (Opera Canada). She is quickly gaining praise in the Canadian music scene. As a first year McPhee Artist with Calgary Opera, she made her main-stage debut as Giannetta in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and as Beauty in Giannini’s Beauty and the Beast. Christina was selected for the Opéra de Montréal Talent Gala, made her debut with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as soloist in Handel’s Messiah, and as Eurydice in Manitoba Underground Opera’s production of Orphée et Eurydice, while embarking on trips to the United States, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Christina is an alumna of McGill University (G.D.P., M.Mus.), the University of Manitoba (B.Mus.), Toronto Summer Music Festival, the Franz-Schubert-Institut, Stratford Summer Music Festival Academy, Opera NUOVA, and Wendy Nielsen’s Opera Workshop.