Montreal violinist Bénédicte Lauzière, 21, is the first winner of a new prize set up to support promising young Canadian classical music performers. The $15,000 Michael Measures Prize was established through a $1m bequest and is co-sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC).

Barbara Smith, executive director of NYOC, described Lauzière as 'one of the most promising string players in the country'. Lauzière studies with Jonathan Crow at the Schulich School of Music at Montreal's McGill University.

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