Vincent Ho (composer)

Vincent Ho is a Canadian composer. 
Born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1975, Vincent Ho began his musical training through the Royal Conservatory of Music. He received his Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) in 1993, his Bachelor of Music from the University of Calgary in 1998, his Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto in 2000, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California in 2005. His mentors have included Allan Bell, David Eagle, Christos Hatzis, Walter Buczynski, and Stephen Hartke. In 1997, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Schola Cantorum Summer Composition Program in Paris, where he received further training in analysis, composition, counterpoint, and harmony, supervised by David Diamond, Philip Lasser, and Narcis Bonet.
==Career==
Since his appointment to the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as composer-in-residence in 2007, Ho has presented a number of large-scale works that have generated much excitement and critical praise. His Arctic Symphony has been described as “a beautiful work that evokes the Far North in a very special way” (John Corigliano), and “a mature and atmospheric work that firmly establishes Ho among North American composers of note” (Winnipeg Free Press). His percussion concerto, titled The Shaman, composed for Dame Evelyn Glennie was hailed as a triumph, receiving unanimous acclaim and numerous standing ovations. His cello concerto, City Suite, composed for Canadian cellist Shauna Rolston, received similar praise.
Vincent is currently working on a new concerto for Dame Evelyn Glennie, titled Symphonic Ritual, which will be premiered on February 2, 2013, at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival.
His works have been hailed for their profound expressiveness and textural beauty, leaving audiences talking about them with great enthusiasm. His many awards have included Harvard University’s Fromm Music Commission, The Canada Council for the Arts’ “Robert Fleming Prize,” ASCAP’s “Morton Gould Young Composer Award,” four SOCAN Young Composers Awards, and CBC Radio’s Audience Choice Award (2009 Young Composers’ Competition).
==Awards==
* Finalist in the 2009 CBC/Radio-Canada’s EVOLUTION – National Composition Prize. “Nature whispers…” was awarded The People’s Choice Award based on the online votes of listeners from across the country.
* String Quartet No. 1 – Nominated for “Best Classical Composition of the Year” in 2008′s Western Canadian Music Awards (from self-titled CD recording).
* Nighthawks – Nominated for “Best Classical Composition of the Year” in 2007′s * Western Canadian Music Awards (from self-titled CD recording).
* Harvard University’s prestigious “Fromm Music Commission” (2006) for the creation of Sonata for Violin and Piano for Gwen Hoebig (violin) and David Moroz (piano).
* The Portland Chamber Music Festival’s “2006 Composers’ Competition Prize” for Shattering the Ethereal Resonance.
* The 2006 Canadian Music Centre’s “Emerging Composer Prize” for Stigmata.
* The Canada Council for the Arts’ Robert Fleming Prize for most talented young composer of the year (2006).
* Finalist in the 2005 Hultgren Solo Cello Works Biennial for Stigmata.
* The ASCAP Foundation’s “2004 Morton Gould Young Composer Award” for Dragon Realms.
* Second Prize in the SOCAN Foundation’s 2004 Awards for Young Composers for 
* Dragon Realms (Sir Ernest MacMillan Awards – works for 13 performers or more).
* Second Prize in the SOCAN Foundation’s 2004 Awards for Young Composers for Stigmata (Pierre Mercure Awards – solo/duet category).
* The University of Southern California’s “Sadye J. Moss Composition Prize” for Dragon Realms (2004).
* EARPLAY’s “2004 Donald Aird Memorial Composition Award” for Stigmata.
* Third Prize in the SOCAN Foundation’s 2000 Awards for Young Composers for Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (Sir Ernest MacMillan Awards – works for 13 performers or more).
* Second Prize in the SOCAN Foundation’s 1999 Awards for Young Composers for String Quartet No. 1 (Serge Garant Awards – works for 3-12 performers).
* First Prize in the 1999 Peel Music Festival for Three Scenes of Childhood (Toronto, Ontario).
* The Audience Prize in the 1999 Toronto New Music Festival for Three Scenes of Childhood.