Tomasz Golka, conductor of orchestras at Ball State University,won the gold medal and $10,000 at the inaugural Eduardo MataInternational Conducting Competition in Mexico City held inSeptember.
Golka was one of 12 finalists selected from a pool of 130international applicants. Golka was judged on musicianship,technique and rapport with the orchestra.
As the winner, Golka will perform eight concerts in Mexico andVenezuela.
"This is incredible for Ball State ... We are forever connectedwith the Eduardo Mata competition," Peter McAllister, director ofthe School of Music, said. "Tomasz is a great teacher, and hisstudents will reap the benefits of his internationalaccomplishments."
The Eduardo Mata Competition has many special meanings for Golkabeyond the performance, he said. He was born in Poland, but Golkamoved to Mexico at age four. While in Mexico, his father was atrombonist for the Vera Cruz Symphony.
Once, Golka saw Eduardo Mata leading the Dallas Symphony in1986, nine years before Mata was killed in a plane accident.
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