The Royal Conservatory Orchestra launched its 2021-22 season with a performance on October 7, its first for a live audience since February 2020. Maestro Andres Feher, Music Director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, conducted the RCO in a program of Aaron Copland’s Overture from Fanfare for the Common Man, Joan Towers’s Overture from Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 1, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”).
David Liam Roberts (BMus ’22, cello) and Elizabeth Polese (2016-17 Rebanks Fellow, soprano) were named laureates of The Hnatyshyn Foundation’s 2021 Developing Artist Grants – in the Classical Music (Orchestral Instrument) and Classical Vocal Performance categories respectively. David and Elisabeth were among the seven promising young performing artists selected to receive grants to pursue their studies for the 2021-22 academic year.
Isabella Perron (BMus ’24, violin) was the 2nd prize winner at the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition. David Liam Roberts (BMus ’22, cello) was also a finalist. Their respective collaborative pianists were Todd Yaniw (PDP ’08 / ADP ’09) and Godwin Friesen (BMus ’20 / ADP ’22). All six finalists performed a recital, each required to include at least 50% Canadian music, as well as this year’s commissioned work: La Pieta (After Monkman) by GGS alumni Ian Cusson (HARCT ’00, piano).
Eric Guo (BMus ’24, piano) performed at this year’s Chopin International Piano Competition, making it to Stage I of the competition. This competition is the most important musical event, playing a huge role in popularizing Chopin's music while also helping to discover promising young pianists from around the world.
Jocelyn Fralick (ADP ’17, soprano) received the Career Blueprint Award from the International Resource Centre for Performing Arts, as part of its Ten Singing Stars – The New Generation program. This year’s Ten Singing Stars also included Mélissa Danis (BMus ’19, soprano), Jaclyn Grossman (2021-22 Rebanks Fellow, soprano), Rachel Miller (ADP ’19, mezzo-soprano), Camila Montefusco (2021-22 Rebanks Fellow, mezzo-soprano) and Ross Mortimer (ADP ’19, tenor).