CARAS Reveals More Performers for The 2025 JUNO Awards Broadcast, Live on CBC
Rising stars Aqyila, Nemahsis, and Tia Wood make their JUNO Awards Broadcast performance debuts
The JUNO Awards broadcast and stream live Canada-wide on CBC TV and CBC Gem, and globally on CBC Music's YouTube
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Today, The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC announced the latest additions to the performer lineup for The 54th Annual JUNO Awards. Hitting The JUNO Broadcast stage will be Aqyila, Josh Ross, Nemahsis, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and Tia Wood. These performers will join the already announced host Michael Bublé and 2025 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Inductees Sum 41 on stage on Sunday, March 30th from Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Their induction is presented by JUNOS Premier Sponsor, TD Bank Group. The 2025 line-up demonstrates The JUNO Awards' continued leadership as a platform that celebrates Canada's biggest stars and introduces new, breaking artists to audiences nationally and around the world.
The 54th Annual JUNO Awards, produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company), will broadcast and stream live across Canada from Rogers Arena in Vancouver on March 30th at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music's YouTube page. Tickets for The 2025 JUNO Awards are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.ca/junos.
NEW 2025 JUNO Performers
Aqyila
Aqyila
In 2021, Toronto R&B artist Aqyila's debut single 'Vibe for Me (Bob for Me)' earned her a JUNO Award nomination for 'Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year,' marking the beginning of her rise as a songwriter. Her debut EP For the Better featured the hit single 'Hello,' which won the 2024 JUNO Award for 'Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.' In 2024, Aqyila released 'Bloom,' an instant viral success. The track has been certified Platinum in South Africa, while 'Hello' achieved Gold status. With over 128 million worldwide streams and 3 billion short-form video views, Aqyila has been featured in influential outlets such as InStyle, Essence, and Complex. Buoyed by these achievements, Aqyila kicked off a busy 2025—touring North America with Pink Sweat$, dropping new music, and gearing up for her debut full-length album this spring. Aqyila has two nominations at this year's JUNO Awards for 'Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year' (for 'Limbo') and 'Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year' (for 'Bloom').
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
Josh co-leads this year's nominations alongside Tate McRae with a total of five including, TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year Presented by YouTube for 'Single Again', Album of the Year Presented by Music Canada for 'Complicated', Artist of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada and Country Album of the Year also for 'Complicated'. Josh is one of Canada's most promising singer-songwriter-performers and the former collegiate football player from Waterdown, ON has leveraged his knack for emotional song craft into a series of Platinum-certified Canadian country radio hits. Crowned the top winner at the 2024 CCMA Awards with 5x awards including Entertainer of the Year, Josh is proving to be a global force, taking home his first-ever CMA Award in 2024. Touring alongside hard-rocking superstars like Nickelback, Brantley Gilbert, Bailey Zimmerman, and Luke Bryan, Ross recently wrapped his headlining Single Again Tour and will support Jelly Roll on The Beautifully Broken Great Northern Tour across Canada this March.
Nemahsis
Nemahsis
A rising Palestinian-Canadian singer and songwriter from Milton, ON, Nemahsis captivates audiences with her powerful voice and personal lyrics. Her music explores themes of identity and belonging, often drawing on her experiences as a hijabi, Muslim woman. This year, she released her debut album Verbathim to much critical acclaim; a project that has been lauded by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Lorde, and Imogen Heap among many others. This year, Nemahsis is a first-time nominee for three JUNO Awards including Breakthrough Artist of Group of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters, Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year Presented by SOCAN.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, the dynamic duo of Yung Trybez and Young D, are cousins and rappers from Kitimat, BC. In 2023, they signed with Sony Music Canada and released their sixth studio album—and first major label debut—RED FUTURE on September 13, 2024. The album garnered attention from Wonderland, Billboard, Notion, Exclaim!, Next Magazine and earned them cover features in Mundane Magazine (US) and RANGE magazine (Canada). They also made high-profile appearances on CBC's Q, E-Talk, and Gent's Talk Podcast. Following the release of RED FUTURE, the duo embarked on a 35-city North American tour. Known for their high-energy, electrifying performances, they've played over 70 shows last year across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Australia, the UK, and the Netherlands. Their live presence has also led to performances at major sporting events, including games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Toronto Raptors. Celebrated for their artistry and impact, Snotty Nose Rez Kids have earned six JUNO Award nominations, four Polaris Prize Shortlist placements, 13 Western Canadian Music Awards, two Independent Music Awards, a SOCAN Award, and a Prism Prize Music Video Award. As they continue to break barriers and carve their own path in the industry, Snotty Nose Rez Kids are not only inspiring the next generation of artists but also creating opportunities for future voices to thrive.
Tia Wood
Tia Wood
Born in Saddle Lake Cree Nation in central Alberta, a community of about 6,000 people in Treaty 6 territory, Tia's musical journey began at home. Of Plains Cree and Coast Salish heritage, Tia's first experiences on stage were with her family, singing traditional music at powwows, schools, and community events. Tia's father, Earl Wood, is a founding member of the legendary group Northern Cree, who are also nominated for a 2025 JUNO Award. Tia seamlessly blends modern influences with the music of her Indigenous roots, and this rich background laid the foundation for her debut EP, Pretty Red Bird, released in September 2024. Tia's smooth, stunning vocals are the star of the project, threading together a vibrant tapestry of modern music, strengthened by her Indigenous heritage and lush R&B and pop production. A globally renowned content creator celebrating contemporary and traditional Indigenous culture, Tia has amassed an avid following of 2.2M on TikTok and 369K on Instagram. Tia Wood is a first-time JUNO Award nominee this year for 'Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year' presented by Destination Indigenous.
Stay tuned—more incredible performers will be announced soon!
Skip to bring the JUNOS | Skip Orange Carpet to BC Place
The JUNOS | Skip Orange Carpet, which premiered at the JUNO Nominee Celebration on February 11, will take centre stage again on March 30, 2025, during The 54th Annual JUNO Awards in Vancouver, BC.
'We are incredibly excited to partner with the JUNO Awards to showcase our passion for all things Canadian while offering fans, artists, and our Skip+ members unique opportunities to engage with the music community in a way that is fresh and innovative' said Rachel MacAdam, VP of Marketing at Skip. 'As the Exclusive Delivery App Partner for 2025, we can't wait to give fans an unforgettable experience, connecting them with their favourite artists while bringing Canadians together to celebrate the things that matter most - including Canada's biggest night in music in Vancouver this March.'
Get closer to Canada's Biggest Week in Music! Download the JUNO Week App today for event schedules and real-time updates.
Official JUNO Awards website: www.junoawards.ca
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CARAS acknowledges the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada, and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters.
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Funding Partners: Music Canada, The Province of British Columbia, Creative BC, Destination Vancouver, City of Vancouver, Canadian Starmaker Fund
About CARAS
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music industry and promote higher artistic and industry standards. CARAS' mandate is comprised of four key pillars: Educate through our music education charity, MusiCounts, programs and initiatives; Develop emerging artists through mentorship and development programs; Celebrate Canadian artists with year-round JUNO Awards showcasing; and Honour music industry icons through the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The 54th annual JUNO Awards Broadcast will take place in Vancouver at Rogers Arena on Sunday, March 30, 2025. For more information on the JUNO Awards or The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) please visit www.junoawards.ca.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada's trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About CBC Music
CBC Music is the leading curator of emerging and diverse Canadian music talent across platforms, playing the most Canadian artists and genres on radio, CBC Listen and cbcmusic.ca. We prioritize Canadian artists in a wide variety of genres on over 200 playlists available on CBC Listen, and publish daily national music coverage. CBC Music Live features live music recordings from across the country. Our music partnerships and events include The JUNO Awards, the Polaris Music Prize, CBC Music Presents: Live at Massey Hall and The Canadian Music Class Challenge.
About Insight Productions (A Boat Rocker Company)
Insight Productions, known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts, is Canada's most established content producer and an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of hit programming. Insight Senior Vice President Lindsay Cox serves as Executive Producer – alongside Insight's Chair, CEO, and Executive Producer John Brunton, on The 2025 JUNO Awards. The company has created some of the most dynamic and top-rated programs including Canada's New Year's Eve: Countdown, The Amazing Race Canada (the most-watched Canadian show on record), ratings hits Big Brother Canada, Stronger Together/Tous Ensemble (the largest multi-platform broadcast and highest viewed non-sporting broadcast in Canadian television history) and The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, a live concert special on CBC watched by one in three Canadians. Insight has also worked in close collaboration with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation as executive producers on Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education and National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has since created thousands of hours of ground-breaking content. For more information on Insight Productions, please visit www.insighttv.com or on Twitter @insightprod or Facebook
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Lapierre one day hopes to write a full-length opera that will continue and expand on his streak of large, ambitious works. He admits that he has a few ideas of what that might be, but is keeping it under wraps for now. Emma Pennell, soprano, poet Age: 27 From: South River, Ont., via Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) Hearing Leontyne Price's recording of the aria "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's Tosca was life-changing for Emma Pennell: "It wasn't just a beautiful performance, it felt like prayer, like protest, like a woman laying her soul bare." The same could be said of Pennell's debut with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, which took place in May when the Mi'kmaw soprano performed Ana Sokolovic's You Can Die Properly Now, dedicated to children who never returned home from residential schools, and sung in Mi'kmaq — "a moment of cultural power and poetic healing." On July 26, Pennell sang the role of Ofglen in Poul Ruders' The Handmaid's Tale at the Banff Centre. "Banff reminds me why I sing: to honour beauty, to tell stories, and to connect to something greater than myself." This fall, as the recipient of the 2025 RBC Emerging Artist Award ($25,000), Pennell will join the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, having won second prize in the 2024 Centre Stage Competition. "I've crossed huge goals off my bucket list, and somehow managed to keep my lipstick off my teeth." Elisabeta Cojocaru, pianist Age: 26 From: Mississauga, Ont. This fall, Elisabeta Cojocaru will join the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio. "I'm excited — and mildly terrified, in a good way — to work with the incredible coaches and artists at the COC," she says. "It feels like the beginning of something big." She's currently moving to Toronto from Montreal, where she's been writing her doctoral thesis on Romanian art song and taking part in the McGill/Université de Montréal Vocal Arts Residency. 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"Think salon concerts, but instead of Schubert at a piano, it's new-age electronic saxophone or experimental DJ sets." In June, Clarke performed a recital of Canadian works as part of Classical:Next's curated concert at the inaugural SXSW London Festival. In August, they'll join the Rothko Collective for a concert at the Arran International Festival of Chamber Music and Song. Alexander Straus-Fausto, organist Age: 25 From: Battersea via Kitchener, Ont. When he was only 19, Alexander Straus-Fausto was appointed titular organist of Église du Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus in Montreal, home to Canada's third largest organ. He has since earned degrees from McGill University, Yale University, and most recently, the Eastman School of Music, and embarked on a career as a concert organist. Earlier this year, he performed at La Madeleine in Paris (Gabriel Fauré and Camille Saint-Saëns were both organists there), and St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London. He also acquired a home pipe organ, thanks to the generosity of his grandparents. Straus-Fausto's dream is to give a memorized organ performance of the orchestral accompaniment to a complete opera, such as Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer or Parsifal. His musical tastes are surprisingly wide-ranging: "Most people don't know that I like to listen to country music for fun," he admits. "I'm a country boy at heart." Kai Kubota-Enright, composer Age: 25 Hometown: Langley, B.C. Kai Kubota-Enright won the $18,000 first prize in the 2025 Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers for her work spatial communication of dripstone. The year 2025 also marked her graduation from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in composition. She's currently planning to move to New York City, and looking forward to the immediate period of open schedules and the chaos and spontaneity that a new move allows. When asked where else she would like to go, she mentioned returning to Japan because of the influence it has on her music. "I draw a lot on formative sonic experiences in temples in my musical esthetic," she says, "and it really made me appreciate in a foundational way the power of music as ritual." Hannah Corbett, violinist Age: 24 From: Maple, Ont. In March, Hannah Corbett was concertmaster for Michael Tilson Thomas's final concert at the helm of the New World Symphony, where she's been a violin fellow since May 2024. "I will never forget the feeling of joy, gratitude and inspiration I experienced onstage," she says. Earlier this summer, Corbett was at the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego playing in its All-Star Orchestra, comprising concertmasters and principal players from across North America. From there, she went to Massachusetts as a fellow at this summer's Tanglewood Music Centre, where she was concertmaster for a performance of The Rite of Spring led by Thomas Adès. Other recent highlights include playing Brahms's Clarinet Quintet alongside living legends at the Manchester Music Festival, and subbing with the Philadelphia Orchestra. "After spending the year in a beach town, it felt like stepping into another dimension," she describes. "In that instant, I remembered how much I thrive in a big city." Sophie van der Sloot, cellist Age: 23 From: Montreal, via Ottawa When Sophie van der Sloot got the opportunity to join the cello section of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) for the 2023-24 season, she decided to take a gap year from Juilliard, where she'd been working on her undergraduate degree. "[But] when my gap year came to an end, I felt the urge to finish what I had started," she says. This spring, after a remote graduation recital, she got her Juilliard degree, while continuing to play with the OSM, where she was recently named second assistant cellist. Completing the trifecta, her beloved Edmonton Oilers made the Stanley Cup finals. It's been a big year! She's looking forward to playing chamber music with some of her OSM colleagues in November and April at Montreal's Bourgie Hall, and she's got a fabulous new instrument: a 1790 Antonio & Joseph Gagliano cello from Naples, on loan from Canimex. Athena Deng, pianist Age: 22 From: Vancouver On April 5, Athena Deng gave her graduation recital at the Oberlin Conservatory, which paired two contrasting works: Chopin's 24 Preludes, Op. 28, and to tame the moon, a suite by Võ Hà Hạnh Nhân for prepared piano, electronics and VOID (an instrument designed by the composer). "It was both a chance to revisit something familiar through a different lens, and be very hands-on in exploring the possibilities of the piano beyond its keyboard," reflects Deng. DJing is a recent passion: "DJing live forces you to think on your feet: What textures might mesh well with this track? Do the rhythms and harmonies line up? What kind of atmosphere am I trying to achieve with my selections?" As second prize winner in the senior division of the 2025 Canadian Chopin Competition, Deng will travel to Warsaw in October as a contestant in the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. We like her chances. Malena Lorenson, bass trombonist Age: 22 From: Red Deer, Alta. Later this summer, Malena Lorenson will be in Switzerland, taking part in the contemporary music academy at the Lucerne Music Festival. When that's over, she'll remain in Switzerland to begin her "dream" master's degree at the Hochschule der Künste Bern. "I love the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, but I am very excited to explore the Swiss Alps this year!" After winning second prize at the 2024 OSM Competition last November, she was invited back for the OSM's Mon Beau Concerto family series in February, when she played a movement from John Williams's Tuba Concerto (on bass trombone) five mornings in a row. She'll perform the complete concerto with the Red Deer Symphony on Oct. 18. Lorenson recently graduated from the Montreal Conservatory, where she and three other students formed Les Francobones, an all-women trombone quartet that won first prize (quartets) at the recent International Trombone Festival (ITF) in London, Ont. Lorenson also took first prize in the ITF's Donald Yaxley Bass Trombone Competition. Samuel Lauzon-Schnittka, pianist Age: 22 From: Montreal In June, at the Prix d'Europe competition, Samuel Lauzon-Schnittka won the $50,000 first prize, which he'll put toward higher studies in Germany. It will also give him the opportunity to play a concerto with l'Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Montréal in the coming season. A student at the Montreal Conservatory, Lauzon-Schnittka will play Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 with his school's orchestra next February, a prospect that makes him "shiver with excitement." On Sept. 6, he'll perform music by women composers of the Parisian Belle Époch with violinist Amélie Gendron. He recently started teaching piano at his former high school, Collège Regina Assumpta. "On my first day of work, a shy 12-year-old student took a seat at the piano where I had sat for the first time 10 years prior," he marvels. He's lowkey obsessed with Granados's Goyescas ("a true summit of the piano repertoire"), and every other Sunday, he performs at seniors' residences ("this project is one of the closest to my heart"). Offstage, he plays table tennis, watches Danish and Swedish movies, and reads the works of Victor Hugo. Danial Sheibani, composer Age: 21 Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ont. Danial Sheibani was commissioned by the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC) to compose his piece Out of Thin Air. That piece premiered in 2024, was toured across the country, has been broadcast on CBC Music's In Concert, and received a SOCAN Young Composer Award. Since then, Sheibani has been busy with all kinds of musical projects: his first string quartet was recently premiered by the Rhythm Method at the Lake George Music Festival, and he has written a new work for violin and piano that will be premiered and toured by the Maier Duo during the 2025-26 season. He also has two albums in the works that lean toward the rock and pop worlds. The first is with his band Ash Lake, a group he formed with other University of Toronto composition students. He describes it as "a post-rock band blending electronica and orchestral textures with the heavier sound worlds found in genres such as shoegaze and metalcore." His second album is a solo project full of psychedelic pop, with nods to David Bowie and Björk. Look for those releases near the end of the year. Ari Hooker, pianist, composer Age: 21 From: Winnipeg Last September, as winner of the 2024 Aikins Memorial Trophy, Ari Hooker made his solo debut with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO), performing the first movement of his own Piano Concerto No. 1. One month later, he was back onstage with the WSO to play Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. "These performances were made even more meaningful by the fact that I got to perform alongside my dad, Yuri Hooker, who's been principal cellist of the WSO for 25 years," he explains. Ari recently won the $3,000 first prize at the Women's Musical Club of Winnipeg's scholarship competition. In August, his Piano Quartet will receive its premiere at the Rosamunde Summer Music Academy's 2025 festival. He'll be a soloist with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra next season, and he dreams of one day composing a video game score. Luka Coetzee, cellist Age: 20 Hometown: Calgary After becoming the youngest person to win first prize at the 2023 International Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki, Finland, Luka Coetzee is on the rise. She has performed concertos with the Pilsen Philharmonic, Lahti Symphony, Oulu Symphony, and the Montpellier Opera Orchestra within the last year. She has also performed her own transcription of Vivaldi's Winter at the Berlin Philharmonie and Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Coetzee says that Finland has become one of her favourite places to visit: "I've come to deeply appreciate how much the people value and support artists." She returns in October to perform Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra and Osmo Vänksä. Canadian audiences can look forward to seeing her perform Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in January, as well as a recital with pianist Jon Kimura Parker at Toronto's Koerner Hall in February. Sunny Wu, saxophonist Age: 19 From: Port Moody, B.C. "I am still in awe," says Sunny Wu of his April 2025 performance of Jacques Ibert's Concertino da camera for alto saxophone with the UBC Symphony Orchestra — his reward for winning the 2025 UBC Concerto Competition. Inspired by Japanese saxophonist Kenta Saito, Wu is on a mission "to convince the classical world that the saxophone belongs and is here to stay," despite being a bit envious of clarinettists' control in the lower register: "the ability to emerge out of nothing, and fade into nothing." Wu was principal alto saxophone for the National Youth Band of Canada's April 2024 tour of Nova Scotia, before returning to his hometown of Guangzhou, China, for the first time in six years. "[It] made me incredibly grateful and humbled by the personal growth I've undergone since coming to Canada." Jason Xu, saxophonist Age: 19 From: North York, Ont. Jason Xu has spent the past two months in Shanghai, China, paying an overdue visit to his grandparents. "They're getting older, and I want to enjoy every moment with them," he says. They'll be proud of their grandson, who won the $20,000 first prize at the 2024 OSM Competition — the first saxophonist to do so in the competition's 85-year history. As a result, he'll give a recital titled La Voix du Sax in November where he'll "make the saxophone sing, just like an opera singer," he says. And he'll be the soloist for Frank Martin's Ballade with the OSM in May 2026. To unwind, Xu plays pool — "something that's stress-free and even stress-relieving for me because I don't play it professionally!" Audrey Morris, harpist Age: 19 From: Ottawa In April, Audrey Morris won the $9,000 top prize at the National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition. "[It] has inspired me to push myself and showcase what the harp is capable of doing," she says. She was a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestra for its Carnegie Hall debut in May 2024. "We were in New York City for a few days and I had a lot of fun exploring with my friends," she remembers. In May, she was in Los Angeles, performing in the American Harp Society National Competition. (L.A. may be in her future, too, if she fulfils her dream of playing film music.) Morris was a member of this year's NYOC, and she'll return to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto this fall to resume her studies with Judy Loman, whom she describes as "a giving and down-to-Earth teacher." Sky Yang, composer, erhu and suona player Age: 18 From: Thornhill, Ont. "One of the best things about being a musician is that I'm able to share every facet of my musical identity — including my traditional Chinese heritage," says Sky Yang, who's been a member of the Toronto Chinese Orchestra for more than 10 years. "I also recently performed the suona with the Canadian Chinese Orchestra at their end-of-year concert." Parallel to his skill on the suona and erhu, Yang is getting noticed as a composer. Last November, he was selected as one of four composers to participate in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Explore the Score Reading Session. "It was surreal to have my piece Hourglass read by the TSO at Roy Thomson Hall and have guest composer John Adams give feedback on my work." He was also a composer fellow with the Hamilton Philharmonic for the 2024-25 season. He'll begin his undergraduate degree in composition at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia this fall. Austin Webster-Perks, violinist Age: 17 From: Halifax In April, Austin Webster-Perks won first prize (ex aequo) in the advanced division of the Victoria BCN International Violin Competition in Barcelona, Spain. As part of his prize, he performed in a masterclass for his idol, Maxim Vengerov. He also retains fond memories of Barcelona's architecture, weather, art galleries and food: "I don't think I have ever eaten as much." Last October, he was invited to play Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra in Long Island. "I love the sound of an orchestra, but being able to collaborate with one is a whole other ball game," he says. Webster-Perks was enrolled in Juilliard's pre-college program from 2022-25, and is going to take a gap year that will include travelling to China in September for the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition. One day, he'd like to beat his father at chess and learn to sing like Frank Sinatra. Matty Angus, clarinettist Age: 17 From: Victoria "The best thing about being a musician is having an outlet to express myself in myriad ways," muses Matty Angus, who began playing clarinet in 2020 and hasn't looked back. In July, he won the grand prize (junior division) at the Silverstein Clarinet Contest — the most recent of many lucrative victories. As winner of the 2024 Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, he made his solo orchestral debut in April, playing the first movement of Weber's Clarinet Concerto. "I expected to feel intense nerves, but instead I experienced one of the calmest, most connected performances." Next season, he'll perform the complete concerto with the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra, as winner of the 19th Jenny & Norman Nelson Concerto Competition. This summer, Angus has been touring with the NYOC as one of its youngest members. None of this would be possible without the "quiet discipline, unshakable conviction, and sense of purpose and precision" that his mother brings to his life. Valerie Lin, percussionist Age: 14 From: Burnaby, B.C. "I would like more people to know that percussion isn't just about rhythms and loud drums," says Valerie Lin. "It can be beautiful and melodic, like the marimba." She'll do her part to fulfil that mission next season, when she plays Emmanuel Séjourné's Concerto for Marimba and Strings with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) — the result of her first prize at the VSO School of Music's Future of Excellence Competition. Lin draws her inspiration from Taiwanese badminton star Tai Tzu-ying. "She seems to enjoy every match she plays," Lin explains. "It reminds me that when you love what you do, it becomes easier to face challenges" — a mindset that likely helped Lin train the puppy she adopted last November. "Life with a tail-wagging buddy is wonderful but training her is a lot," she admits. Lin attended a music camp in Taiwan in early July — "a chance for me to meet other young percussionists and improve my skills," she says, adding, "music doesn't need a language. We listen and feel it in our own way."
