FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- April 24, 2013
Students from across Canada will compete in the third annual Poetry In Voice National Finals
Toronto, ON – Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie has selected the top students from secondary schools across the country to compete in the third annual Poetry In Voice National Finals. Thirty-nine finalists will meet in Toronto for the chance to win the National Finals on May 14 and 15 at the Isabel Bader Theatre. This year, students will also meet Margaret Atwood in an exclusive question-and-answer session on May 15, at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Founded by Scott Griffin, chairman and founder of the Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry, the annual poetry recitation competition aims to promote the art of poetry recitation in both the classroom and the community.
“We are so proud Poetry In Voice now extends to students across Canada,” said Griffin. “This promises to be an unforgettable experience for finalists, offering them a chance to engage with each other and perform in front of a judging panel.”
$25,000 in awards and school stipends will be given at the 2013 Poetry In Voice National Finals. Hosted by Johanne Blais of CBC Radio’s C’est la vie, the finalists will perform on May 15 at 7:00 pm. Tickets from $5 to $10 are available online at http://recite2013.eventbrite.ca.
The three new prize streams for the 2013 National Finals are as follows:
- English Prize: $5,000 for the student champion; $1,000 for the student champion’s school library ($500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books. For the best combined score of three recitations in English.
- French Prize: $5,000 for the student champion; $1,000 for the student champion’s school library ($500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books). For the best combined score of three recitations in French.
- Bilingual Prize: $5,000 for the student champion; $1,000 for the student champion’s school library ($500 reserved for the purchase of poetry books). For the best combined score of one poem in English and one poem in French.
Judges for the 2013 National Finals include:
English-language judges:
Fiona Reid has appeared in theatres across Canada, the US, and the UK. Selected roles include Violet in August: Osage County for which she won a Sterling Award, and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Reid has appeared in films including The Time Traveler’s Wife and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Reid is a member of the Order of Canada and is the recipient of an honorary degree from Bishop’s University, as well as the Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award (2008) and the ACTRA Award of Excellence (2010). She is vice-president of the Actors’ Fund of Canada.
Lynn Crosbie was born in Montreal and is a cultural critic. A PhD in English literature with a background in visual studies, she teaches at the University of Toronto and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Her works include Pearl, Queen Rat, and Dorothy L’Amour. She is also the author of the controversial book Paul’s Case and the editor of The Girl Wants To. She is a contributing editor at Fashion, and a National Magazine Award–winner who has written about sports, style, art, and music.
Kevin Connolly grew up in Maple, Ontario. His first book of poetry, Asphalt Cigar, was nominated for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award; his third book, Drift, won the Trillium Book Award; and his fourth book, Revolver, was nominated for both the Griffin Poetry Prize and the Trillium Book Award.
French-language judges:
Pierre Nepveu taught literature at Université de Montréal for thirty years. Poet, novelist and essay writer, Professor Nepveu has published well over a dozen books, including several collections of poetry, two of which earned Governor General’s Literary Awards. He is also the author, along with Laurent Mailhot, of La poésie québécoise, des origines à nos jours, a much-loved Quebec poetry anthology, which was reprinted in 2007. Since 2000, Pierre Nepveu has been involved in collecting the scattered works of poet Gaston Miron, the first three volumes of which have been published. He also recently published a celebrated biography of Gaston Miron titled La vie d’un homme.
Andrée Lacelle is the first francophone to win the prestigious Trillium Book Award. A translator, teacher, and literary critic, she also writes for children and is the creator of the radio drama Survenance, which airs on Radio-Canada. Her poems deal with internal landscapes, listlessness, clashing images, and dreamlike worlds.
Herménégilde Chiasson is considered the father of contemporary Acadian poetry. Chiasson is a playwright, filmmaker, and visual artist. One of the great voices of Radio-Canada, he was named Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and received the Ordre des francophones d’Amérique. Between 2003 and 2009, Chiasson was Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.
About Poetry In Voice:
Poetry In Voice is a national recitation competition, reaching across Canada in English and French, for secondary school and Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) students. It serves to engage students in an appreciation of the beauty of language through poetry, while at the same time instilling a sense of confidence through the art of public speaking.
About The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry:
The Trust was founded in April 2000 by chairman Scott Griffin, along with trustees Margaret Atwood, Carolyn Forché, Robert Hass, Michael Ondaatje, Robin Robertson, and David Young. By funding the Griffin Poetry Prize — the world’s largest prize for a first edition single collection of poetry written in, or translated into, English — The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry aims to spark the public’s imagination and raise awareness of the crucial role poetry plays in our cultural life, a mission shared by Poetry In Voice.
Tickets: http://recite2013.eventbrite.ca
Website: poetryinvoice.ca
Twitter: @PIV_LVP
Facebook: Poetry In Voice/Les voix de la poésie
For interview requests, please contact:
Haley Greenberg, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 102 or haley@rockitpromo.com
Christina Walters-Arseneau, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 107 or christina@rockitpromo.com