Four young Quebec musicians win top prizes at Canada's national music competition
The Concours de musique du Canada crowned four Grand Prize winners in Montreal this month, including three Montreal residents under age 17.
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Four young musicians claimed Grand Prize titles at the Canada Music Competition's national finals, held in Montreal from July 2 to 10. The winners were Ontario flutist Josh Chong, 21; Montreal violinist Juliette Xiang, 16; Montreal pianist Aiden Liu, 13; and Montreal pianist Maya Liu, 10.
The competition, which has identified Canada's top young musicians for over 60 years, auditions roughly 500 young performers annually across piano, strings, winds, voice, guitar, harp, percussion, and chamber music. Winners come from national auditions held in Quebec, Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia.
The jury included soprano Dominique Labelle from McGill University's Schulich School of Music, bassoonist Carmelle Préfontaine, Richard Roberts (long-time concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra), Serhiy Salov (pianist and professor at the Montreal Conservatoire), and Rolf Bertsch, conductor and artistic director of Calgary Civic Orchestra.
Beyond the four Grand Prize winners, roughly 45 musicians received awards across age categories and instruments. All winners share $50,000 in total prize money and will be invited to perform with Canadian orchestras.
Notable alumni of the competition include soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais (2022 laureate), pianist Emmanuel Laforest (2023), and pianist Julien Gagné (2025), who recently won second prize at the Prix d'Europe.
The facts
Who won the Grand Prizes at Canada's national music competition in 2026?
Josh Chong (flute, age 21, from Ontario), Juliette Xiang (violin, age 16, from Montreal), Aiden Liu (piano, age 13, from Montreal), and Maya Liu (piano, age 10, from Montreal) won Grand Prize titles at the Canada Music Competition's national finals held in Montreal from July 2 to 10, 2026.
How many young musicians audition for this competition each year?
Roughly 500 young performers audition annually for the Canada Music Competition across piano, strings, winds, voice, guitar, harp, percussion, and chamber music.
How much prize money did all the winners share?
All winners of the Canada Music Competition shared $50,000 in total prize money.
What happens next for the competition's winners?
All Grand Prize and award-winning musicians from the Canada Music Competition will be invited to perform with Canadian orchestras.
