The NAC Orchestra has been very privileged to meet and hear incredibly talented artists since the start of the Competition in 1981. Many of them have gone on to play with world-class orchestras including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Royal Danish Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic, and Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra!
After vigorous deliberations, the jury named 24-year-old oboist Luca Ortolani the grand prize winner, taking home the Bursary’s top prize of $8,000 in addition to the Sturdevant orchestral excerpts prize of $1,500.
The remaining Bursary prizes, totalling $14,700, were awarded to the other finalists: Annie Noël-de-Tilly, flute (Crabtree Award); Nadia Ingalls, bassoon (FNACO Award); Xudong Zheng, flute (Vic Pomer Award); Dylan Pinette, oboe (FNACO Evelyn Greenberg Award); Shaw Nicholson, trumpet (Piccolo Prix); Constance Prost, trombone (Don Renshaw Memorial Award for Brass, Honourable mention); Nabeel Ansari, oboe (Honourable mention).
After vigorous deliberations, the jury named 18-year-old violinist Justin Saulnier the grand prize winner, taking home the Bursary’s top prize of $7,000. Notably, violinist Austin Wu took the second place Crabtree Award as well as the Sturdevant Orchestral Prize Award.
The remaining Bursary prizes, totalling $8,200, were awarded to the other finalists: Christoph Chung, viola; Emily Kistemaker, viola; Maria Krstic, violin; Patrick Paradine, violin; as well as honourable mentions to Aidan Fleet, cello, and Katherine Moran, viola.
“This will allow me to become more focused than ever, just being able to solely concentrate on my academic and musical studies. These awards also act as a motivation for me to build my skills and strengths even at the hardest times. Your generosity and great support [make] me look forward to giving back to the community myself, just like you! Thank you so much once again, and I will never forget these awards that made my love for music possible.”
David Baik, Bursary Recipient, 2021
