Alumni in the News

Composer Constantine Caravassilis (BMus 2003) has won the Karen Kieser Prize for his work, Sappho de Mytilène. The prize goes annually to a Music graduate student in composition whose work is especially promising. Caravassilis is now pursuing his Doctor of Music. See his site.

Nancy Mauro (BA 1996 UC) read at Toronto's King Edward Hotel on Sunday, promoting her novel, New World Monkeys. It is set in part in the Manhattan advertising world where Mauro worked as a creative director. See interview on the Wall Street Journal blogs.

Colin McAdam (MA 1994) has been shortlisted for the 2009 Giller Prize for his second novel, Fall, a story about the passions and trials of young boys at an upper-crust Ottawa boarding school. The Giller ceremony is Tuesday 9PM ET, broadcast on BRAVO! and CTV.ca (CTV News)

Conductor and flutist Robert Aitken (Mus.Bac 1961, Mus.M. 1964) won the $50,000 Walter Carsen Prize for performing arts. Aitken has been principal flute of the Toronto and Vancouver Symphony orchestras. His career has taken him across the US, Europe and Asia. (CBC News)

Author Malcolm Gladwell (BA 1984 Trinity) is the number 2 most influential business and management thinker for 2009, as picked by The Times 'Thinkers 50' website. Gladwell is one of four Canadians on the list, including Rotman dean Roger Martin (32). (thinkers50.com)

Deirdre Kelly (BA 1983 UC, MA 1984), columnist and features writer for the Globe and Mail, has released her first book, Paris Times Eight, which focuses on the author's personal growth through the lens of eight different visits to Paris. (dmpibooks.com)

TVO Kids' Mark Sykes (BA 2006 UTM), won a Gemini for best children's or youth non-fiction program, for his show Mark's Moments, in which he spends time with young people with disabilities. Sykes was also nominated as best host in a children's program. (mississauga.com)