Thomas Daudlin awarded Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant
(B.Mus 2019) was recently recognized by the Hnatyshyn Foundation as , valued at $10,000. Open to applications from nominated post-secondary students across Canada in the penultimate or final year of their program, the grants were established to "foster excellence in new talent."
When asked, Thomas spoke enthusiastically about the new opportunities that receiving the grant offers him. "It’s an honour and a privilege to be the 2018 recipient of the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance. Receiving the grant has facilitated the pursuit of my education, and allowed me to focus more completely on my musical goals at the highest levels of recognition and performance. I extend my sincere gratitude to McGill professors Jean-Michel Pilc, Rémi Bolduc, Donny Kennedy, and Stéphane Lemelin for their mentorship and assistance during the application process, and to the Hnatyshyn Foundation for their generous and unwavering support of Canada’s Developing Artists."
Donny Kennedy, who served as a mentor and teacher for Thomas, also commented on Thomas' success. "[He] possesses a natural fearlessness in his approach to improvisation. He's really developing a unique personal voice on the baritone saxophone, which is a bit less of a mainstream jazz instrument. As such, Thomas has something special to add to the ensembles that he plays with. He is strong-willed, and his opinions and musical viewpoints are backed by a strong artistic resolve. I believe this is a contributing factor to the refreshing, fearless nature of his playing."
