The Directorate for Education, Culture and Sport (EKSD) of the Canton of Fribourg is awarding the first-ever scholarship for contemporary music creation (26,000 francs) to Fribourg artist Gael Kyriakidis. The recipient is better known under the pseudonym Pony del Sol.
Thanks to a scholarship, Pony del Sol spent a year in 2007 at the Atelier Jean Tinguely, which is run by the City and Canton of Fribourg at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris. Since her return, she has given regular stage concerts. She released her first album in March 2013.
A total of 24 candidates applied for the scholarship, which was awarded for the first time. All genres of contemporary music were represented, from chanson to electro, rock, pop, jazz and reggae.
The expert jury was made up of Yvan Pochon (Office for Culture, president of the jury), René Aeberhard (Cantonal Commission for Cultural Affairs), Gilles Dupuis (Jazzkeller La Spirale), Davis Unternährer (Fri-Son) and Yann Zitouni (Western Switzerland Radio). After three rounds of deliberations, the jury's decision was unanimous.
