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Alongside a 2025 Sylva Gelber Music Foundation award, violinist Daria Schibitcaia also earned herself the Walter Prystawski Prize. The young musician doesn’t take the prize for granted, emphasizing her gratitude and excitement for what she can now pursue with the foundation’s support.
“This year feels like a big turning point for me, as I’ll be deciding where in the world I want to pursue my next degree,” Schibitcaia says. The Moldovan-born violinist is currently completing her Artist Diploma at The Glenn Gould School, studying with violinists Barry Shiffman and Erika Raum. Though she began playing violin and piano at the age of six, it was during a youth orchestra tour to Germany at 14 that she decided to dedicate her life to music.
Since then, Schibitcaia has embraced every opportunity to develop as an artist. “I’ve learned that steady, focused work leads to growth in ways that talent alone never could,” she says. This commitment has resulted in plenty of special opportunities. Her busy last season included performing the North American premiere of “The Journal of Hélène Berr” by Bernard Foccroule and Bartók’s Second Violin Concerto alongside the Royal Conservatory Orchestra as the winner of their Concerto Competition.
Schibitcaia continues into this next chapter with an open mind. “I’m hoping to have the ability to play for as long as I can,” she says, “not only physically, but also mentally: to remain curious and always have the courage to leap into the unknown!” She looks forward to a season with more competitions and auditions. Not to mention the opportunity to discover the unique voice and colours of a Gagliano violin, which has been loaned to her by Canimex Inc. this season.
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