Rising Stars | Linda Ruan – Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition

This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en: Français (French)

At the 2025 Eckhardt-Grammatté National Music Competition, pianist Linda Ruan won First Prize and Best Performance of the Commissioned Work: “where poppies still bloom and fall” by Rita Ueda. She played an almost entirely female program featuring works by composers Elisenda Fabregas, Alice Ping Yee Ho, Ann Southam, Vincent Ho, Rita Ueda, and Keiko Devaux.

This competition allowed her to develop new performance skills aside from technical ability. “For instance,” she says, “I thought a lot about body movements and physicality in [Vincent Ho’s] J6ker, which eventually led to the maniacal and hysterical laugh at its conclusion.” This ability to remain engaged while also being physically free is something Ruan considers a gratifying challenge.

Ruan currently studies at UBC’s School of Music with Dr. Corey Hamm. She received her Bachelor of Music degree with Honours and Master of Music degrees from The Glenn Gould School, The Juilliard School, and the Tianjin School respectively. One of her favourite musical memories was accompanying a Vocal Stagecraft class taught by director Tom Diamond during her undergraduate degree. “What I learned about acting and revealing oneself through the character and music still inspires me to this day,” she says.

Also inspired by her family, friends, and the natural world, Ruan hopes to one day participate in multidisciplinary projects or unconventional concert series that will allow her to connect to communities in new and more profound ways. The Canadian pianist will tour several Canadian cities this October and November, aiming to foster new connections and memories on the road.