Objects of Substance- Edmee Gainsford Viola Prize

Edmee and her family believed in the potential of young people, and especially young girls, and they wanted to contribute in a way that opened doors for that promise to be realised. Dr Gainsford, in conversation with then Director of Instrumental Music, Mark Sullivan, realised there was also an opportunity to target an area of special need within the music program. Music had always been an important part of Edmee Gainsford’s life. She played the piano and the violin like her mother, and she was delighted that her three children all had active musical lives. In 2008, Mark Sullivan and Dr Gainsford decided how a donation in honour of Edmee Gainsford could be most useful. It was agreed that a special viola would be purchased. The Gainsford family believed in enabling students to excel and here was the opportunity to build a strong heritage of viola players within the school. Every year viola students participate in The Edmee Gainsford Prize, adjudicated by a professional violist, for the honour of using the viola for a year.

2009 Winner, Ellen Harrison (2009) with her family and Dr Gainsford.

Input from musicians from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra was sought to select a worthy instrument for purchase. It was determined that a fine, handmade instrument from Hungarian luthier, Draskoczy Gabor, had the best sound quality and projection capability.