Esther Honens was born in 1903 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but was raised in Calgary, Alberta. While living in Calgary, she fell in love with the piano and become an accomplished amateur pianist. She had her hand in many things during her lifetime. She worked for twenty-five years at Henry Birks and Sons Jewelers, did well with her investments, and became a successful businesswoman.
In 1975 Esther married Harold Honens and they worked to develop real estate on 17th Avenue southwest. Before she died, Honens poured her real estate fortune into two things that she loved – Calgary and piano music.
Honens International Piano Competition
Music enthusiast Esther Honens donated $5 million to start Calgary’s Honens International Piano Competition. Every three years pianists from around the world compete for a menagerie of prizes. The Sixth Honens International Piano Competition was held in 2009 and over the course of 15 days, twenty-one pianists vied for a spot in one of the world's most lucrative career development programs, valued at more than $500,000. The next competition will take place from October 17 to 26, 2012.
When she was nearing the end of her life, Honens was inspired to start the fund by the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas; she wanted the same type of thing for Calgary, the city she loved so much. Honens lost her battle with Parkinson’s disease five days after the first Honens International Piano Competition in 1992.
Julie Wright, past Director of Communications for Honens, said, “I think it's fair to describe Esther Honens as someone who wanted to affect all levels of the arts in this city, from the amateur organizations (Kiwanis) to the cultural cornerstones (CPO) to special activities (Honens Competition) that would put Calgary on the international culture map.”
Wright continues, “Esther greatly admired the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth Texas (considered the most famous and important piano competition in the world) and wanted to create a similar legacy for Calgary. She saw it as a way to reveal that Calgary is much more than oil and gas and the wild wild west. I think she would be really proud of how Honens International Piano Competition has fulfilled that legacy in just five competitions. A whole generation of young concert artists now recognizes the opportunity that lies in Calgary and how the Honens Competition can help build and sustain their professional career.”
Esther Honen's Legacy
Besides producing the triennial competition, Honens presents over fifty concerts, educational events, and outreach programs in our city and across Canada annually. Additional funds managed by The Calgary Foundation support the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kiwanis Music Festival/Banff Centre. The impact of Esther Honens' estate is far-reaching.
For additional reading, check out:
- Ted Rozsa - One of Calgary's Greatest Philanthropists
- Philanthropists in Calgary - The Spirit of Giving is Alive
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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