{"id":1833714,"date":"2026-07-20T20:52:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T20:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1833714"},"modified":"2026-07-20T20:52:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T20:52:53","slug":"30-hot-canadian-classical-musicians-under-30-2026-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/30-hot-canadian-classical-musicians-under-30-2026-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30, 2026 edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It’s a summer tradition at CBC Music: our annual classical “30 under 30” list, celebrating the achievements of Canada’s emerging classical musicians.<\/p>\n

They’re winning big prizes, graduating from top music schools, writing bold new works, making exciting debuts \u2014 and we think they’re amazing.<\/p>\n

Scroll down to get acquainted with this year’s inductees into our classical “30 under 30” community, from oldest to youngest.<\/p>\n

Tune in to CBC Music’s About Time<\/em><\/a> on Monday, July 20, from noon to 3 p.m. (12:30 to 3:30 p.m. NT), for Tom Allen’s special “30 under 30” edition of the show.<\/p>\n

And if there’s a rising classical music star you’d like us to know about, tell us about them on X via @CBCclassical<\/a> using the hashtag #CBC30under30<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Martina Myskohlid, mezzo-soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 29
From:<\/strong> Toronto<\/p>\n

For the past year, Martina Myskohlid has been a member of the ensemble at the famous Teatro Regio di Torino in Italy. Not only did she debut many roles \u2014 Hansel in Hansel und Gretel<\/em>, S\u0153ur Mathilde in Dialogues des carm\u00e9lites<\/em> and (her personal favourite) Tisbe in La Cenerentola<\/em> \u2014 but also fell in love with the accordion: \u201cThere\u2019s a guy who plays Bella Ciao<\/em> on repeat every day not too far from my apartment, and I\u2019ve considered asking him for lessons,\u201d she said. Fuelled by a daily diet of pasta (\u201cthe Italians taught me it’s a non-negotiable\u201d), she\u2019ll sing in a production of Il viaggio a Reims<\/em> in Pesaro next month before moving to Munich, where she\u2019ll spend her first season in the ensemble of the Bavarian State Opera. Fans in Canada can catch her as Dorabella in the Canadian Opera Company\u2019s production of Cos\u00ed fan tutte<\/em> in October, and then, in April, as a soloist in Mozart\u2019s Mass in C Minor with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n

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‘Don\u2019t have a Plan B if what you really want to do is your Plan A,’ says Martina Myskohlid, quoting director\/producer Bob Sandler. (Rowin Prins)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Maria Gajraj, organist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 28
From: <\/strong>Montreal via Ottawa<\/p>\n

Maria Gajraj, who won the $6,000 first prize and the audience prize at the Royal Canadian College of Organists\u2019 2025 Canadian National Organ Competition, started playing the instrument when she was 19 \u2014 \u201crelatively late,\u201d by her own admission, but it\u2019s been a natural fit. \u201cThere\u2019s always so much going on in every measure of [organ] music, much like in my brain.\u201d That\u2019s the same impulse that draws her to a wide variety of music: from her dissertation on the Afro-Caribbean composer Edward Margetson (\u201cI received his manuscripts from Columbia University, and have been immersing myself for the last few years\u201d), to her performances with the medieval music ensemble Comtessa, and the contemporary works featured on her debut album, exhale<\/em><\/u><\/a>. In October, Gajraj will move to Vancouver to become music director at St. Philip\u2019s Anglican Church. \u201cIn addition to starting my new job, I’m most looking forward to being near the ocean and seeing the mountains every day!\u201d <\/p>\n

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\"Maria<\/div>
‘Find joy in the little moments.’ \u2014 Maria Gajraj (Bianca Boswell)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Emma Ahern, oboist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 28
From:<\/strong> Quebec City<\/p>\n

The Hague in the Netherlands is a second home for Emma Ahern. \u201cI studied there, and I have many fond memories of biking on the path in the dunes and walking along the beach with my best friends,\u201d she recalls. Now, back in her hometown, she and her duo partner, guitarist Anne-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Gagnon, have a new album out: Fran\u00e7ois Couture: 3 Suites en 18 Morceaux<\/em><\/u><\/a>. They\u2019re frequent collaborators, having shared the stage in 2025 as soloists for Joaqu\u00edn Rodrigo\u2019s Concierto de Aranjuez<\/em> with l\u2019Orchestre symphonique de Qu\u00e9bec \u2014 \u201ca thrilling musical moment of shared wonder and joy.\u201d On July 4, Ahern enjoyed playing Stravinsky\u2019s Rite of Spring<\/em> at the Lanaudi\u00e8re Festival in the oboe section of l\u2019Orchestre de l\u2019Agora. (\u201cThere were five of us!\u201d) In addition to obsessions with tea and perfumes, Ahern is totally enamored with her new F. Lor\u00e9e i+3 English horn (\u201ca beautiful free sound and great projection\u201d) and she’s getting used to her new role as godmother to her friend\u2019s baby girl.<\/p>\n

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\"Emma<\/div>
‘Every artist owes it to their audience and to themselves to seek constant evolution and renewal.’ \u2014 Emma Ahern (Marie-Pier Tardif\/Isma\u00ebl Rahem)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Cameron Breiter, double bass<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 27
From:<\/strong> Kinistino, Sask.<\/p>\n

Cameron Breiter, who signs his emails \u201cYours in bass,\u201d received the 2025 Hillis Prairie Musician Award ($3,000) from the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. And while he has just completed his artist diploma at Toronto\u2019s Glenn Gould School, and begins his master\u2019s this fall at McGill\u2019s Schulich School of Music in Montreal, his heart remains in Saskatoon, where he has fond memories of \u201cgoing to the Sugar Shack for some Dole Whip [and] watching the sunset along the South Saskatchewan River\u201d from one of the city\u2019s many bridges. Last season, he subbed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and he\u2019s spending the summer at Domaine Forget in Quebec\u2019s Charlevoix region, taking part in the double bass and chamber orchestra sessions. He credits his work ethic to taekwondo (he got his second dan black belt before turning 18), and is obsessed (and we mean obsessed<\/em>) with J.R.R. Tolkien.<\/p>\n

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\"Cameron<\/div>
‘Hardships often prepare people for an extraordinary destiny,’ says Cameron Breiter, quoting the film Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Darkstrand Visuals)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Elie Boissinot, cellist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 27
From:<\/strong> Montreal via Tours, France<\/p>\n

Elie Boissinot recently completed his first season as principal cellist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. \u201cA very instructive trial by fire,\u201d he reflected. \u201cI couldn\u2019t hope for a better musical environment; the weather is another story.\u201d In January, he braved the elements to go teach at the University of Manitoba\u2019s Desautels Faculty of Music, stepping in for professor Minna Rose Chung during her sabbatical. On May 1, he and his students premiered a new piece by \u00d6rjan Sandred for solo cello and cello ensemble \u2014 \u201ca special moment.\u201d Motivated by his mother\u2019s \u201cdistinguished career\u201d and \u201cremarkable resilience,\u201d Boissinot is currently preparing solo sonatas by Kod\u00e1ly and Ligeti for his debut album. When not making music, he plays chess, goes to the gym, tries fixing stuff (\u201clearning how things work, often the hard way\u201d) and makes repeated attempts at \u201creliably smoking a juicy brisket.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Elie<\/div>
‘Without music, life would be a mistake,’ says Elie Boissinot, quoting Friedrich Nietzsche. (Mark S. Rash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Aemilia Moser, soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 27
From:<\/strong> Edmonton<\/p>\n

Aemilia Moser won first prize at the 2026 Eckhardt-Gramatt\u00e9 Competition, including $6,000 cash and a concert tour across Canada in October and November. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited to share the recital, and the works of so many amazing Canadian composers,\u201d she said. The music is guaranteed to be stunning, and so are her outfits: \u201cI\u2019m particularly drawn to the dialogue between music and fashion \u2014 two art forms that go hand in hand,\u201d she explained. \u201cI\u2019d love to work collaboratively with a designer to shape the program and visual language so that the recital and clothing could form a unified artistic statement.\u201d She sang Minerva and covered Eurydice in Toronto City Opera\u2019s production of Offenbach\u2019s Orpheus in the Underworld<\/em> earlier this summer. Then she travelled to L\u2019Op\u00e9ra des Landes in Soustons, France, to cover the role of Le\u00efla in Georges Bizet\u2019s Les p\u00eacheurs de perles.<\/em> When she\u2019s not learning new repertoire, she\u2019s watching Disclaimer<\/em> and working on the perfect headstand. <\/p>\n

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\"A<\/div>
‘Be brave.’ \u2014 Aemilia Moser (Sam Gaetz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Emily Rocha, soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 26
From:<\/strong> Courtice, Ont.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a very ambitious person with big goals for my career,\u201d said Emily Rocha, \u201cbut at the heart of it all, I want to perform opera at a high level and move audiences with this incredible art form as much as I possibly can, for the rest of my life.\u201d She\u2019s been doing just that as a member of the COC\u2019s Ensemble Studio for the past two seasons, covering lead roles and getting valuable experience singing in mainstage productions. But next May, things will get real when she takes the stage as Adina in the COC\u2019s production of Donizetti\u2019s L\u2019Elisir d\u2019amore.<\/em> This summer, she\u2019s been in Switzerland, as one of 15 singers chosen for the Verbier Festival\u2019s Atelier Lyrique \u2014 \u201can incredible opportunity to connect with musicians from around the world,\u201d she enthused. Offstage, she enjoys visiting family in Portugal and New Zealand, thrifting, and hanging out with her cat, Brian.<\/p>\n

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\"Emily<\/div>
‘Enjoy every moment, and sing from your heart.’ \u2014 Emily Rocha (Sam Gaetz)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Luke Blackmore, composer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>26
From:<\/strong> St. John’s<\/p>\n

The recipient of two SOCAN Young Composer Awards, Luke Blackmore has caught the attention of new music lovers from coast to coast. He combines acoustic instruments with electronic hardware, like transducers and speakers, to create otherworldly sounds. \u201cI find these physical uses of technology much more interesting than digital processing that all happens outside of the audience’s perception,\u201d he explained. Earlier this month, he was at Sound Symposium in his hometown of St. John\u2019s to present his piece Living Room<\/em>. It starts with \u201cvibrating furniture\u201d (and yes, he\u2019s happy to admit that it\u2019s \u201ca weird one\u201d). Blackmore will head to Vancouver later this summer to workshop a new piece with the Juno-nominated sextet Standing Wave, and then in February he\u2019ll attend the Impuls Festival in Graz, Austria. When he\u2019s not composing, Blackmore enjoys collecting old, obscure and unique video games. \u201cI love games that are cheesy and a product of their time \u2014 not aspects I hope to carry into my music.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Dressed<\/div>
‘The enemy of art is the absence of limitations,’ says Luke Blackmore, quoting Orson Welles. (Thomas Li)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Karl-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Bolte, organist and harpsichordist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 26
From:<\/strong> Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.<\/p>\n

Karl-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Bolte describes himself as a \u201ccar guy\u201d (\u201cmost organists are,\u201d he noted), and his career has shifted into high gear. In January, he\u2019ll give an all-Bach recital on the renowned von Beckerath organ at Montreal\u2019s \u00c9glise de l\u2019Immacul\u00e9e-Conception, and in February, he\u2019ll play music for two harpsichords \u2014 including two concertos by Bach \u2014 alongside his mentor, Luc Beaus\u00e9jour, at Bourgie Hall. \u201cI aim to play Bach\u2019s complete organ works before I die,\u201d he declared, \u201cand I\u2019m thinking of playing those of Nicolas De Grigny in concert, too.\u201d In addition to his car fixation, Bolte plays in a pickup hockey league, dabbles in chess and loves getting away to his family cottage at Lac Simon, Que., \u201cfor the calm, the nature, the memories, and above all the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Karl-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric<\/div>
‘All you need is Bach.’ \u2014 Karl-Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Bolte (Joey Desaulniers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Zoe McCormick, soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 25
From:<\/strong> Ponoka, Alta.<\/p>\n

In February, Zoe McCormick won the $25,000 Wirth Vocal Prize at McGill University\u2019s Schulich School of Music, where she recently completed an artist diploma in voice performance. The next month, she sang the title role in Opera McGill\u2019s production of Handel\u2019s Alcina<\/em> \u2014 \u201cdaunting,\u201d she said, but \u201cdeveloping this character taught me so much about my voice and dramatic honesty.\u201d An \u201cabsolute dream\u201d for her would be to sing the role of Violetta Val\u00e9ry in Verdi\u2019s La Traviata<\/em> some day. Until then, she\u2019s spending the summer \u201csurrounded by nature and incredible music\u201d as a returning voice fellow at the Tanglewood Music Centre, and this fall, she\u2019ll begin her tenure with Calgary Opera\u2019s McPhee Artist Development Program \u2014 \u201cparticularly meaningful as it is so close to where I grew up and is where I saw my first opera!\u201d Offstage, she and her husband play board games (a lot), and are the personal assistants of two cats.<\/p>\n

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\"Zoe<\/div>
‘Integrity in the process, honesty in the result.’ \u2014 Zoe McCormick (Stephanie Sedlbauer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Gabrielle Turgeon, soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>25
From:<\/strong> Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.<\/p>\n

Gabrielle Turgeon will be in Scotland next month, singing the role of Noy in the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s The Galloping Cure<\/em> at the Edinburgh Festival. \u201cIt will be a thrilling challenge to be the first person ever to sing this opera,\u201d she said. Speaking of thrills, last November Turgeon won the $20,000 first prize at the OSM Competition. \u201cMy parents, sister, boyfriend and teacher from U of T all came to hear my performance,\u201d she said. \u201cWe celebrated together at Dairy Queen afterwards.\u201d As a member of L.A. Opera\u2019s Young Artist Program, Turgeon sang in a farewell gala for James Conlon in April \u2014 \u201ca great mentor to me.\u201d In March, she was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, where she fulfilled a dream of singing on the Met stage. Another dream for Turgeon would be singing M\u00e9lisande in Debussy\u2019s Pell\u00e9as et M\u00e9lisande<\/em>. Until that happens, she\u2019ll make her role debut as Pamina in Mozart\u2019s Die Zauberfl\u00f6te<\/em> at Pacific Opera Victoria next April, and indulge her passion for English history by rewatching The Tudors<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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\"Soprano<\/div>
‘I can\u2019t control the past or the future, but what happens in the present is completely up to me.’ \u2014 Gabrielle Turgeon (Antoine Saito)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Annie No\u00ebl-de-Tilly, flutist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>25
From:<\/strong> Gatineau, Que.<\/p>\n

The first thing to know about flutist Annie No\u00ebl-de-Tilly is that she\u2019s got a side hustle as a mixologist and bartender. \u201cFrom quite early on, I knew I needed to find a way to support myself financially while building my music career,\u201d she said. \u201cI genuinely enjoy being behind the bar. It\u2019s a very different world from music, but in some ways, it also teaches me a lot about presence, communication and endurance.\u201d Those qualities were on full display when she won the $10,000 first prize at the NACO Bursary Competition in April. Her secret? \u201cI\u2019ve come to realize that learning how to slow down and intentionally incorporate rest is crucial if I want to build a healthy and fulfilling artistic life.\u201d Speaking of fulfillment, she\u2019ll do a Jeunesses Musicales Canada concert tour<\/u><\/a> with her trio, Ensemble Passamano, in March and April, and this fall, she\u2019s heading to Switzerland to begin her master\u2019s degree at the Haute \u00e9cole des arts de Berne.<\/p>\n

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\"Annie<\/div>
‘Nothing will happen if you don\u2019t find a way to make it happen.’ \u2014 Annie No\u00ebl-de-Tilly (Clement Ba)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Bobby Thompson, bassoonist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>24
From:<\/strong> Carp, Ont.<\/p>\n

Last November, Bobby Thompson won the audition for principal bassoonist of l\u2019Orchestre symphonique de Qu\u00e9bec. \u201cRight after the audition, I walked around the Old City near Palais Montcalm and it was snowing that evening,\u201d he recalled. \u201cIt was magical and I felt truly grateful.\u201d Before taking up the job full-time in May, he completed his master\u2019s degree at Juilliard, where he studied with Kim Laskowski and Judith LeClair. \u201cThey taught me how to act professionally, how to be kind to colleagues, how to get opportunities, and how to be the best version of myself onstage.\u201d There is a downside, however: making reeds. \u201cWe work with cane and we try to make it into something that can express the varying characters of bassoon playing,\u201d he noted. \u201cI try not to get stressed out when they just simply don\u2019t work.\u201d For work-life balance, he took up tennis last year (\u201cI love the sport and I\u2019m currently awful at it\u201d) and loves nothing more than hosting dinner parties for friends.<\/p>\n

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\"Bobby<\/div>
‘Be kind, check your ego, and keep striving. Also, practise with a metronome.’ \u2014 Bobby Thompson (Fred Cattroll)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Laura Kuri, trumpeter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 24
From:<\/strong> Mississauga, Ont.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a \u201cdemanding but extremely rewarding\u201d summer for Laura Kuri, who joined the National Academy Orchestra of Canada<\/u><\/a>, after taking part in the NAC Orchestra Mentorship Program<\/u><\/a> in June. \u201cI really like how both programs are focused on preparing musicians for professional orchestral work, with training that reflects real orchestral working conditions,\u201d she says. In May, Kuri graduated from the Glenn Gould School with an artist diploma, and subbed with the TSO for the first time (\u201ca surreal experience\u201d). Alison Balsom has been a role model: \u201cI remember going to hear her play with the TSO when I was just starting trumpet, and sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time in awe.\u201d In addition to classical music, Slovenian Oberkrainer music is a big part of Kuri\u2019s life. \u201cMy dad plays accordion and sings, my brother plays clarinet and sings, my uncle plays guitar, and a close family friend also sings with us.\u201d Na zdravje<\/em>!<\/p>\n

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\"Laura<\/div>
‘Work hard, stay curious.’ \u2014 Laura Kuri (Nadi Kuri)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Nikan Ingabire Kanate, soprano<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>23
From:<\/strong> Ottawa<\/p>\n

Nikan Ingabire Kanate is one of the newest members of the Canadian Opera Company\u2019s Ensemble Studio. \u201cI cannot wait to be back in Toronto to be part of such an amazing company,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll appear in Strauss\u2019s Ariadne auf Naxos <\/em>in February as Naiad, and as Gianetta in Donizetti\u2019s L\u2019Elisir d\u2019amore<\/em> in May.\u201d She joins the Ensemble Studio after winning first prize and the audience choice prize at the COC\u2019s 2025 Centre Stage Competition. Kanate graduated from the Curtis Institute earlier this year (\u201cI couldn\u2019t be more grateful for my time at this incredible institution with the most incredible people\u201d) and she\u2019s constantly inspired by the musicians who surround her: teachers, colleagues and the singers she listens to, including Lisette Oropesa, Renee Fleming and Nadine Sierra. She also says Ariana Grande has been her favourite singer since Kanate was a child, and she was excited to see her on tour in June.<\/p>\n

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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘What is meant for me is meant for me.’ \u2014 Nikan Ingabire Kanate (Nichole MCH Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Sabina Sandvoss, cellist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 22
From:<\/strong> Bragg Creek, Alta.<\/p>\n

Sabina Sandvoss always knew she wanted to be a cellist: \u201cI was begging my parents for a cello and finally was gifted one on my fourth birthday.\u201d Fast-forward to today, and she\u2019s performing Edward Elgar\u2019s Cello Concerto with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as the recipient of the $25,000 Michael Measures first prize from the Canada Council for the Arts. She\u2019ll spend the rest of the summer performing chamber music, first at the Kaimerata Festival in Denman Island, B.C., and then with Chisel Creek Classical back home in Bragg Creek, Alta. (\u201cI find myself in need of \u2018home time\u2019 pretty often, for both work and pleasure.\u201d) After that, she\u2019ll participate in the Banff International String Quartet Festival from Sept. 3 to 6. She plays a cello handcrafted by her father, a renowned luthier, and she\u2019s proud to call her mother, a professional cellist, one of her biggest influences. \u201cShe has guided me through life and through the music industry, and will always be one of the biggest reasons why I perform.\u201d <\/p>\n

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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘Don\u2019t be a lady, be a legend,’ says Sabina Sandvoss, quoting Stevie Nicks. (Lisa Sakulensky)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Joey Machin, violinist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 22
From:<\/strong> Toronto<\/p>\n

Last December, Joey Machin won the 2025-26 Golden Violin Award at McGill\u2019s Schulich School of Music \u2014 a $30,000 prize that will help with tuition and living expenses when he begins his master\u2019s at the Juilliard School this fall. In March, in his hometown, he played Mendelssohn\u2019s Violin Concerto with the Hart House Orchestra. \u201cHaving played it with piano accompaniment for a few years, it was satisfying to finally perform with a full orchestra behind me,\u201d he reflected. A recent fascination for Machin has been historical performance practice using a transitional bow and gut strings, and he says one day he\u2019d love to record the Brahms piano trios and violin sonatas on period instruments. He has a weakness for cheese and chocolate (\u201cbut not usually at the same time\u201d), loves word games, and says his ideal day off would include a trip to the aquarium followed by all-you-can-eat sushi.<\/p>\n

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\"Joey<\/div>
‘A little tip for bowing: if it\u2019s not up-bow, it\u2019s down-bow.’ \u2014 Joey Machin (Tam Lan Truong\/TamPhotography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Angela Suet Kee Ng, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 22
From:<\/strong> Winnipeg<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always great when young musicians get to play with an orchestra,\u201d muses Angela Suet Kee Ng, \u201cas those experiences are hard to find.\u201d And yet, she found herself onstage with an orchestra twice during the past year. In December, as winner of the 2025 U of T Concerto Competition, she played Shostakovich\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the U of T Symphony Orchestra. \u201cMy parents flew out to support me, and my professor and other piano profs from the faculty came to watch, too, which was super sweet,\u201d she recalled. Then, in April, she played the Grieg concerto with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the final of the McLellan Competition, where she won the $10,000 first prize \u2014 an experience she describes as \u201ceye-opening\u201d and \u201csurreal.\u201d She\u2019s currently checking items off her \u201csummer bucket list\u201d \u2014 watching The Rookie and <\/em>exploring Toronto with friends \u2014 before beginning her master\u2019s at U of T this fall.<\/p>\n

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\"Dressed<\/div>
‘Everything needs a little sparkle in life.’ \u2014 Angela Suet Kee Ng (Tam Nguyen)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Davin Mar, violist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>21
From:<\/strong> Vancouver via Barrie, Ont.<\/p>\n

Davin Mar is currently on tour with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as the recipient of the $15,000 Michael Measures second prize from the Canada Council for the Arts. In May, he performed in Europe with Curtis on Tour<\/u><\/a>, with stops in Spain, Germany and Sweden. \u201cIt was truly one of the best musical experiences of my life, and I had an amazing time playing with great friends.\u201d When he\u2019s not busy performing or practising, Mar can be found on the water. \u201cEvery time I go home for the summer, I always enjoy fishing trips with my dad around Vancouver,\u201d he explained. \u201cJune was no different, and I had a blast fishing all my favourite lakes!\u201d In fact, Mar loves everything to do with fish, so it\u2019s no coincidence that his favourite composer wrote the Trout Quintet. \u201cI find Franz Schubert\u2019s music to be very meaningful, and the most human,\u201d he reflected. \u201cLife is full of ups and downs, and Schubert expresses this challenge in a very touching way.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Davin<\/div>
‘Music is a story.’ \u2014 Davin Mar (Nichole MCH Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Kevin Wang, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 21
From:<\/strong> Toronto<\/p>\n

In October, Kevin Wang will travel to Georgia as the only Canadian contestant in the 2026 Tbilisi International Piano Competition. He\u2019s got wind in his sails, having won the $10,000 second prize at the Bader and Overton Canadian Piano Competition in May. \u201cI had less than a month to prepare for the competition as I was last out of the waitlist,\u201d he explained, \u201cso the result was totally unexpected.\u201d Wang was inspired to pursue music by South Korean pianist Seong-jin Cho, winner of the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, and he describes his piano teacher at the Glenn Gould School, Lang-Ning Liu, as \u201ca true artist.\u201d He enjoyed following the FIFA World Cup this summer, having been serious about playing soccer as a child \u2014 even getting invited to try out for Canada\u2019s national team \u2014 before piano took over. One day, he dreams of recording all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas.<\/p>\n

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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘Just practise.’ \u2014 Kevin Wang (Jun Cheng)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Gr\u00e9goire Abadie, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 20
From:<\/strong> Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.<\/p>\n

In April, Gr\u00e9goire Abadie won the $8,000 first prize at the Shean Piano Competition, held online this year. This gives him the opportunity to perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in the coming concert season. And it won\u2019t be his first solo appearance with an orchestra: in 2025, he performed a movement from Chopin\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Les Violons du Roy, and enjoyed playing the role of tourist during his stay in Quebec City. He\u2019ll return to that \u201cmagnificent city\u201d for a solo recital on Oct. 11, a presentation of the Piano et Compagnie<\/u><\/a> concert series. For Abadie, Andr\u00e9 Laplante and Charles Richard-Hamelin have been a major source of inspiration \u2014 \u201cable to make virtually any piece of music extraordinary,\u201d he said. This fall, he\u2019ll begin studying with the latter pianist at the University of Montreal, which happens to be where his fingers first touched the keys of a grand piano. Full circle!<\/p>\n

\n
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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘Il faut savoir se mettre \u00e0 la place des autres’ (It’s good to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes). \u2014 Gr\u00e9goire Abadie (Nicola Bevacqua)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ashton Latimer, composer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 20
From:<\/strong> Calgary<\/p>\n

Ashton Latimer\u2019s music has taken off like a rocket. In January, he participated in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra\u2019s Michael Nesbitt Composer Institute \u2014 \u201cmy first orchestral premiere, and it was a fantastic experience,\u201d he recalled. And he\u2019s got another orchestral premiere to look forward to in the near future: he\u2019s been selected as a composer fellow for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and will write a new piece for the orchestra to perform in April. Latimer is also a finalist for the Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers, taking place in Montreal this September. He\u2019s as passionate about science as he is about music. \u201cI really love to learn about where science is going and how current models and theories shape how we view our world and beyond,\u201d he said, adding, \u201cI think my dream project would be a collaboration between an astronomical association and an orchestra.\u201d We think that idea is out of this world!<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Against<\/div>
‘An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail,’ says Ashton Latimer, quoting Edwin Herbert Land. (Submitted by the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Sirui Li, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 20
From:<\/strong> Edmonton<\/p>\n

On June 13, Sirui Li won the $50,000 first prize at the annual Prix d\u2019Europe Competition, securing a performance on March 13, 2027, with l\u2019Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Montr\u00e9al. While she makes it all seem effortless, there\u2019s always work to do on making clean jumps and playing consecutive octaves: \u201cdifficult enough tasks by themselves,\u201d she said, \u201cbut put them together and that makes for an egregiously, head-claspingly agonizing time!\u201d Li is currently working on her master\u2019s in piano performance at l\u2019Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al, where she\u2019ll play Prokofiev\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 3 with her school\u2019s orchestra on Dec. 4. Fun fact: she completed her undergrad at McGill not in music, but computer science. In her spare time, she loves to draw, which explains why visiting the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Orsay in Paris for the first time left such an impression: \u201cI recall getting there fairly early and staying until closing, and I felt I could have easily and happily spent a week there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
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\"Pianist<\/div>
‘Music is the stenography of feelings,’ says Sirui Li, quoting Lev Tolstoy. (Tong Studio)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Brian Sun, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 19
From:<\/strong> New Westminster, B.C.<\/p>\n

On April 10, Brian Sun played Rachmaninoff\u2019s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the UBC Symphony Orchestra at Vancouver\u2019s Chan Centre \u2014 \u201cthe best experience of my life so far,\u201d he said. It was the result of his first prize at the 2026 UBC Concerto Competition. In September, he\u2019ll have another opportunity to perform with an orchestra as a finalist in the Robert and Ellen Silverman Piano Concerto Competition. This time, he\u2019ll play Beethoven\u2019s Emperor Concerto, and he said he \u201csimply cannot wait to show the majesty of the work to the audience.\u201d When he isn\u2019t trying to master the technical skill of voicing big chords with his left-hand pinky (\u201cmy weakest finger,\u201d he conceded), he\u2019s mountainbiking, listening to Chet Baker and creating speedcubing content for the 28,000 followers of his YouTube channel<\/u><\/a>. Some day, he\u2019d like to compose his own piano concerto.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Dressed<\/div>
‘Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music,’ says Brian Sun, quoting Sergei Rachmaninoff. (Raquel Krauss Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Kalvin Rowe, clarinettist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 18
From:<\/strong> Saint John<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dream project would be to premiere a clarinet concerto,\u201d mused Kalvin Rowe. \u201cI would feel super honoured to be chosen by a composer to fulfill their wishes of hearing their piece played.\u201d He\u2019s been making great strides toward that goal over the past year. Last summer, Rowe won the $5,000 grand award at the FCMF National Music Festival \u2014 \u201creassurance that my dedication to my instrument is paying off,\u201d he said. He built his foundations at Sistema New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, performing as a soloist with the latter ensemble in Debussy\u2019s Premi\u00e8re Rhapsodie<\/em> in 2025. This fall, he\u2019ll return for his second year at the Glenn Gould School, studying on full scholarship with Joaquin Valdepe\u00f1as. During his spare time, he reads history books, hits the gym (\u201cit makes me feel like I’m doing something productive while having fun\u201d), and avoids cats (\u201csuper allergic\u201d).<\/p>\n

\n
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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘Greatness demands consistency.’ \u2014 Kalvin Rowe (Wes Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Anna Yin, violinist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age: <\/strong>18
From:<\/strong> Edmonton<\/p>\n

The past 12 months have been huge for Anna Yin. Last summer, touring with the NYOC, she enjoyed not only being concertmaster for Debussy\u2019s La Mer<\/em>, but also the \u201cspontaneous rehearsals and late-night bonding\u201d with her fellow musicians. After that, she began her studies at the RCM\u2019s Glenn Gould School, where she won first prize in the Robert W. and G. Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition, giving her the opportunity to play Korngold\u2019s Violin Concerto with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra and Tania Miller on Nov. 27, 2026. This summer, she has returned to the Domaine Forget Academy\u2019s solo violin session, where she\u2019ll practise music by Prokofiev (currently her favourite composer) and work on her right-hand fluidity while taking in the scenery from her practice room \u2014 \u201cthe hills overlooking the St. Lawrence River are a dream view!\u201d To unwind, she makes clay sculptures. \u201cMy favourite things to make are miniature replicas of everyday objects,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Holding<\/div>
‘No feeling is final,’ says Anna Yin, quoting Rainer Maria Rilke. (Evan Yin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Forest Benson, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 18
From:<\/strong> Vancouver<\/p>\n

\u201cMy biggest inspiration is not a pianist, not even a musician, but a figure skater by the name of Yuzuru Hanyu<\/u><\/a>,\u201d said Forest Benson. \u201cHe completely entranced me when I first saw him on YouTube in 2018 [and] he showed me the importance of expression that I carried into my piano playing.\u201d Benson\u2019s expressiveness at the keyboard recently earned him first prize in the senior division of the VSO School of Music\u2019s Future of Excellence Concerto Competition, securing an opportunity to play Prokofiev\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the VSO next season. This month, he\u2019s attending Pianofest in the Hamptons, and in September he\u2019ll begin his studies at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. And yet, there\u2019s more to life than piano for Benson: he practises kendo and iaido (sword-based martial arts) and he loves singing. \u201cI may not have the most beautiful tone or impressive range,\u201d he admitted, but \u201cthe rawness of the voice touches my heart the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
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\"A<\/div>
‘Music before all else, and for that choose the irregular, which is vaguer and melts better into the air,’ says Forest Benson, quoting Paul Verlaine. (Michael Benson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ryan Gu, percussionist and erhu player<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 16
From:<\/strong> Markham, Ont.<\/p>\n

Ryan Gu credits his Grade 3 teacher for introducing him to music. \u201cMr. Williams is the one who first got me into playing percussion, and taught me how to play the djembe, an African hand drum,\u201d he remembered. \u201cTo Mr. Williams: I still remember drum club!\u201d In recent years, Gu has become passionate about traditional Chinese music. In May 2025, he performed the percussion concerto Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger<\/em> on the paigu with the Canadian Chinese Orchestra. He followed that up with a trip to China, where he took part in the Chinese Canadian Youth Summer Camp (\u201cwe played many performances that included onstage and flash-mob experiences\u201d) and visited his family\u2019s hometown for the first time in eight years (\u201cthey were surprised at how much I grew!\u201d). Mastering new stick tricks is an ongoing pastime: \u201cCatching, flipping, throwing and more \u2014 all made harder due to the shorter length of Chinese drumsticks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Ryan<\/div>
‘Given the choice between today and tomorrow, choose today.’ \u2014 Ryan Gu (Amely Zhou)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ryan Huang, pianist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 15
From:<\/strong> Oakville, Ont.<\/p>\n

This fall, Ryan Huang will enter the pre-college division of the Juilliard School in New York \u2014 \u201cmy favourite city in the entire world,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s an energy that is unlike anywhere else, a sort of electricity that always leaves me inspired.\u201d Last September, as a young scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, Huang was invited to perform an encore following Lang Lang\u2019s performance with the TSO. Huang returned to the stage of Roy Thomson Hall in February to play the first movement of Grieg\u2019s Piano Concerto during the TSO\u2019s Lunar New Year concert. \u201cOne of the most meaningful aspects of the experience was having my grandparents travel all the way from Shanghai to attend the performance,\u201d he recalled. In June, he took part in the Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Competition in Salt Lake City; later this month, he\u2019ll be a semifinalist in the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists. Believing that \u201cevery child deserves the opportunity to experience the transformative power of music,\u201d Huang gives free music lessons to primary school students. Not surprisingly, in March, the Town of Oakville, Ont., officially named him its music ambassador.<\/p>\n

\n
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\"Wearing<\/div>
‘Dream boldly. Work tirelessly.’ \u2014 Ryan Huang (Tom McKenzie)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Daniel Milliea, violist<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Age:<\/strong> 15
From: <\/strong>Richibucto Reserve, Elsipogtog First Nation<\/p>\n

The youngest musician on this year\u2019s list has already crossed \u201cperform at Carnegie Hall\u201d off his bucket list. Last December, as a third-place winner in the American Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 International Music Talent Competition, he played music by Telemann at Carnegie Hall\u2019s Weill Recital Hall. He travelled to New York with his teacher, Swan Serna, who\u2019s centre director of Sistema New Brunswick in the Elsipogtog First Nation. \u201cI think the [viola is] just suited perfectly for him and his character,\u201d Serna told CBC<\/u><\/a>. As a member of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, Milliea has performed at Ottawa\u2019s National Arts Centre, Montreal\u2019s Maison Symphonique and Toronto\u2019s Koerner Hall. He draws inspiration from Dave Mustaine, the famed guitarist who got kicked out of Metallica only to form his own thrash metal band, Megadeth. \u201cHis story caught my eye because no matter how hard life gets, you keep on making music,\u201d Milliea said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Dressed<\/div>
‘My dream project is to become a conductor at a good orchestra.’ \u2014 Daniel Milliea (Submitted by the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.cbc.ca \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 O artigo anterior foi obtido e traduzido do site internacional da celebrity.land \u2019 Source Link <\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s a summer tradition at CBC Music: our annual classical “30 under 30” list, celebrating the achievements of Canada’s emerging classical musicians. They’re winning big prizes, graduating from top music schools, writing bold new works, making exciting debuts \u2014 and we think they’re amazing. Scroll down to get acquainted with this year’s inductees into our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1833715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1833714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musica"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1833714"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1833716,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833714\/revisions\/1833716"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1833715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1833714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1833714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1833714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}