Music Competition - my/maSCENA

“Chromesthesia” by DAAS

340 Applications from 45 Countries and Regions Received for 2025 Cliburn Competition

By Newswire on 29 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Newswire, Piano

The Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will take place May 21–June 7, 2025, at Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU and Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. FORT WORTH, Texas, October 28, 2024—Applications are in for the seventeenth edition of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition—taking place May 21–June 7, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas, USA—340 pianists, representing 45 countries and regions, submitted applications to the Competition, with the greatest numbers coming from China, the United States, South Korea, and Italy. From this pool, up to 84 pianists will be invited to participate in live Screening Auditions,…

Photo: Philippe Manning

In Conversation: Jonathan Mak, First Prize Winner of the International Sorel-Tracy Piano Competition

By Fiona Wu on 28 October 2024 Classical Music, Interviews, Music Competition, Piano

Pianist Jonathan Mak is making waves as a promising new talent with a growing list of triumphs at international competitions. Recently, he captured first prize at the inaugural International Sorel-Tracy Piano Competition as well as the special prize for Best Interpretation of the Imposed Piece by Ana Sokolović. Reflecting on his musical journey, the Toronto native shared that he initially studied both piano and violin. However, in high school, his teacher encouraged him to take up the viola. Faced with the choice of sitting in the back of the second violins or at the front as a violist, he opted…

Johannes Skoog of Sweden Wins 6th Canadian International Organ Competition

By Newswire on 26 October 2024 Classical Music, Montreal, Music Competition, Newswire

CIOC announces the winners of the competition 2024! Over the past weeks, 9 contestants from around the world performed in the semifinals, in venues across Montréal. Four finalists advanced to the final round at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal, and the jury has revealed the winners! In first place is JOHANNES SKOOG, winning $25,000 CAD, recording and distribution of a CD under the ATMA Classique label, 3-year career management services for North America by Karen McFarlane Artists, and 3-year career development program by the CIOC. Second place is Amercian HENRY WEBB, winning $15,000 CAD, and in third place is French…

Four Finalists Announced for the 6th Edition of the Canadian International Organ Festival

By Newswire on 24 October 2024 Classical Music, Montreal, Music Competition, Newswire

FINAL ROUND October 2024 – The Canadian International Organ Festival reveals the four finalists for the 2024 competition. Alma Bettencourt, Mélodie Michel, Johaness Skoog, and Henry Webb will advance to the final round! These incredible young musicians from around the world take to the stage at Maison symphonique de Montréal on Friday, October 25, for the final round. There are two sessions, one at 3:30 and one at 7 p.m. The order of performers is: 15h30 – Henry Webb 16h30 – Mélodie Michel 19h – Johannes Skoog 20h – Alma Bettencourt This is the culmination of the competition, an opportunity…

Photo: Philippe Manning

Canadian Jonathan Mak Wins First International Sorel-Tracy Piano Competition

By Fiona Wu on 24 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Piano

Nestled in the heart of Quebec, the picturesque town of Sorel-Tracy transformed into a hub of musical excellence from October 14 to 20, as the inaugural International Sorel-Tracy Piano Competition took centre stage. This new event, spearheaded by Managing Director and Founder Rachel Doyon, not only marked a significant milestone in Canada’s rich cultural landscape but also set a promising precedent for future editions. Richard Raymond (Canada) presided over a diverse international jury comprised of Stephen Prutsmann (USA), Mari Kodama (Japan), Simon Bertrand (Canada), and François-Frédéric Guy (France) who carefully evaluated the talents of 19 pianists hailing from six countries:…

Benoit Gauthier Wins Jean-Marie Beaudet Award & Michael Bridge Wins the Virginia Parker Prize

By Kaitlyn Chan on 22 October 2024 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Music Competition

The Canada Council for the Arts has announced the 2024 winners of the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestra Conducting and the Virginia Parker Prize. These awards recognize Canadian artists’ achievements in the performing arts and classical music. The Jean-Marie Beaudet Award, created in 1989, is presented to a young Canadian conductor who shows promise through the artistic merit of their works. This award is worth $20,000 and encourages Canadian orchestra conductors to continue creating, innovating, and leading the current generation of musicians. This year’s winner is Benoit Gauthier, the artistic director and conductor for the Orchestre symphonique de la Côte-Nord…

Editorial (October 2024)

By Wah Keung Chan on 10 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition

Welcome to the October 2024 national issue of La Scena Musicale, which features our annual October special on Rising Stars with profiles of 10 promising musicians (pp. 22-25), along with our annual Competition Guide (p. 18). Our French cover story is about pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, whose recent international victories in Montreal (MIMC) in May and Leeds in September make him the latest Canadian to shine in the piano world. Our English cover spotlights the Azrieli Music Prizes and its gala concert in Montreal on Oct. 28. This year’s edition focuses on choral music in works by Josef Bardanashvili, Yair Klartag,…

Pennell, bass-baritone Nicholas Murphy, soprano Chelsea Kolic, mezzo-soprano Ilanna Starr, soprano Olivia LaPointe, baritone Mikelis Rogers (All photos submitted by artists).

Seven New Opera Singers Selected as Finalists of COC’s Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition

By Newswire on 9 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Newswire, Opera

Toronto – Seven of Canada’s most talented new opera singers have been named as finalists for the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition on October 30, 2024 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The annual fundraiser and vocal competition showcases the very best in emerging opera talent, with all proceeds supporting the COC’s prestigious artistic career development program, the Ensemble Studio. “It is an immense privilege each year to hear so many emerging singers across the country and to witness their exceptional level of artistry,” says Dorian Cox, Director of the Ensemble Studio. “Centre Stage is…

Dabin Zoey Yang.

Dabin Zoey Yang (violin) – Prix d’Europe

By Kaitlyn Chan on 9 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Violin

Violinist Dabin Zoey Yang is this year’s winner of the Prix d’Europe, an annual scholarship that has bolstered many artists’ careers since its creation in 1911. Yang is currently pursuing her master’s of Musical Arts at Yale School of Music under the guidance of Prof. Augustin Hadelich. Her love of music began at a young age when she realized how she could use her own hands to make beautiful sounds. “I loved implementing my (own) musical ideas into my music,” says Yang, as she continues to work toward creating a unique sound in her playing. Yang embraces her shortcomings and…

Ryan Zhu.

Ryan Zhu (piano) – Sylva Gelber

By Kaitlyn Chan on 9 October 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Piano

Pianist Ryan Zhu is a lover of learning. As the recipient of the 2024 Sylva Gelber Music Foundation award and the Walter Prystawski Prize, it is impossible to deny Zhu’s skill. However, Zhu does not allow himself to plateau at his current standard of excellence. He finds inspiration and lessons in every aspect of his musical journey from the advice of his early teachers to the way nervousness can highlight “wonderful nuances” in a piece. This willingness to be open to life’s lessons has allowed Zhu to carve out his musical identity, helped by the many muses and educators surrounding…

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