Soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais took home First Prize and the Audience Choice Award at Canadian Opera Company’s 10th Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition.
Ottawa, October 16, 2023 – Ariane Cossette wins the 2023 National Capital Opera Competition which took place on the 14th October at the First Unitarian Congregation in Ottawa, ON. Ariane is a member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. Angelo Moretti placed second and received $5,000. Angelo is a member of the Opera de Montreal’s atelier lyrique. Jordan Baldwin placed third and received $3,000. Jordan is completing his MMus at University of Toronto. The three other finalists were Daniela Agostino, Angela Gjurichanin and Kathryn Rose Johnston, each received $1,000. Maghan McPhee soprano and director of BIIMA (Breno Italy International…
‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (October 16, 2023) – On Sunday evening, October 15, the results of the 56th IVC LiedDuo were announced at the end of the finals of the 56th IVC LiedDuo in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Despite the high level of the finalists, the Jury, chaired by baritone Bo Skovhus, was unable to declare an outright winner. The decision was made on the duo coupling – not on the singer or pianist alone. Each duo played with some great strengths and the level of the finalists was high. It was therefor decided to award two second prizes. Maybe calling them second prizes was…
Toronto, October 15, 2023 – Eric Guo, a fourth year BMus student at The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School (GGS) was announced yesterday as the first prize winner of this competition held every five years in Warsaw by the prestigious Fryderyk Chopin Institute. Mr. Guo who studies with GGS faculty member David Louie and John Perry, performed Chopin’s Concerto in E minor on an 1842 Pleyel in the finals. In addition to his prize earnings, Mr. Guo, also an alumnus of The Royal Conservatory’s Taylor Academy studying with Li Wang and John O’Conor, will embark on a three-month, 10-concert tour…
Toronto, October 10, 2023 – Seven of Canada’s most promising new opera singers have been selected to compete in the Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition on October 26, 2023 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. 125 candidates applied to join the Ensemble Studio next season, with judges traveling all over Canada to hear nearly 90 young artists in-person, with stops in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto. This…
Montreal, October 6, 2023 – The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) is delighted to unveil the names of the eight outstanding members who will compose the international jury for Piano 2024, taking place from May 5 to 16, 2024. The First Round and Semifinal will be held at Salle Bourgie, and the Final will take place at the Maison symphonique on May 15 and 16, with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under the direction of Guest Conductor Xian Zhang. The internationally renowned jury members will bring a unique and invaluable expertise to our com-petition, attracting candidates of the highest…
Violist Emad Zolfaghari won the Irving M.Klein International String Competition, despite being on a two-week-long tour playing principal viola with the Curtis Institute Symphony Orchestra in the days immediately before the competition. This snapshot of professional life excited Zolfaghari, but because the Curtis Institute had packed and shipped the orchestra’s instruments from city to city, his practice time was limited. While this caused some stress, it also forced him “to have fun on the tour and see the cities instead of practising all the time.” For Zolfaghari, connection is a vital part of music-making. His favourite piece from the competition…
Soprano McKenzie Warriner has demonstrated her immense dedication to music since an early age. Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, she travelled more than 200 kilometres to Regina for voice lessons. Her unwavering commitment to her music education has since led her to complete an undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba, and a Master’s of Music at Eastman. “Contemporary music is the sound world I am most drawn to,” said Warriner with pride. It therefore comes as no surprise that she was attracted to the Eckhardt-Gramatté competition, which focuses on contemporary and Canadian music. Warriner was confident in her competition…
Université de Montréal student Godwin Friesen was pleasantly surprised at the awards ceremony for the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal’s Barbara Bronfman Prize. When the announcer revealed that Friesen was the first-prize winner, he said his “mouth dropped open.” This pianist’s genuine reaction stemmed from equally humble beginnings. Friesen grew up in an extremely musical household and was even part of a family band. From a young age, he was taught that music is about community, something he believes to this day. Indeed, he seeks “to be someone whose musical performances impact many people, inspiring change and hope.” A storyteller at…
Violinist Tiffany Yeung spent the 2023 summer touring with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, as the soloist for Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D major. This opportunity was a part of her win of the Michael Measures Prize, a recorded competition that recognizes a promising young musician participating in the NYO summer program. Named one of “CBC music’s 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30” in 2023, Yeung has established herself as an emerging artist to watch this year. Of the three pieces she recorded for the competition, Yeung was especially familiar with the Sarasate Carmen Fantasy, which she first…
