Emmanuel Laforest (piano) – Canadian Music Competition Grand Prize Winner

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This year, pianist Emmanuel Laforest took home the grand prize in the 19-to-30-years-old category at the Canadian Music Competition. A native of Saint-Sulpice, Que., the young pianist is currently a student at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, where he works with Richard Raymond.

Laforest first started playing piano at just 7 years old. His childhood teachers included Paul Surdulescu and Jean-Luc Cholette. After high school, he went to CÉGEP for music, where he studied with Marie-Claude Bilodeau. His goal, he says, is to “evolve, as a complete artist, and share my love for music.”

So far, these goals have yielded much success. In 2022, Laforest was the winner of both the Concerto Competition and the Conservatory Foundation Prize at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. He has also recently won the grand prize at the Concours de musique de la Capitale, and the Classival: Concours de musique classique à Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, as well as second prize at the Concours de musique de Sherbrooke, and in Sorel-Tracy. He is sponsored by both the Fondation du Conservatoire and the Fonds AIDA de la Fondation Jeunesses Musicales Canada.

As winner of this year’s CMC, Laforest earns a $3,000 prize as well as the opportunity to play, as soloist, with a professional orchestra in Canada. Going forward, he hopes to evolve as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator—and ultimately work as an orchestral conductor.