Each year, the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival (GVPAF) brings together some of the region’s most dedicated young performers—and in 2026, students and faculty from the Victoria Conservatory of Music were once again strongly represented across disciplines.
With a legacy spanning nearly a century, GVPAF serves as an important stepping stone for emerging artists, offering pathways to both the BC Provincial Festival (PABC) and the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals (FCMF) at the national level. Beyond competition, the festival is a celebration of growth, mentorship, and artistic excellence.
This year, Victoria Conservatory students not only achieved outstanding results—they did so under the guidance of an exceptional community of instructors whose mentorship continues to shape the next generation of performers.
Winds & Brass
Conservatory woodwind and brass students earned numerous honours, with several advancing to provincial and national stages.
Provincial Recommendations (PABC)
Junior
- Xinning (Lorna) Shen, oboe (Junior Academy) — Instructor: Russell Bajer
- Xunming Zhang, flute — Instructor: Richard Volet
Intermediate
- Hengyu Liu, flute (Junior Academy)
- Bella Zhang, clarinet (Senior Academy) — Instructor: Patricia Kostek
- Othmane Chraibi, saxophone — Instructor: Alexander Richards
Intermediate Alternate
- Xi Jia (Judy) Su, flute (Senior Academy) — Instructor: Emily Nagelbach
Senior
- Emilia Vozian, flute (Academy alumni) — Instructor: Mary Byrne
- Xinyu (Celine) Liu, flute (Senior Academy) — Instructor: Mary Byrne
Chamber & Ensemble Highlights
- Leaf Sheep Trio (Andrei Krasnov, Xi Jia Su, Isidora Uhlman – Senior Academy) — Instructor: Mary Byrne
- Sequoia Trio (Siena Gill, Hengyu Liu, Caitlin Hedman – Junior Academy) — Instructor: Richard Volet
Brass
- Georgia Macoun & George Greaves, trumpets — Instructor: Joanne Allers
- Cairo Haq, trombone (Junior Academy)
National & Special Recognition
- FCMF (NCES): Xunming Zhang — Instructor: Richard Volet
- FCMF National Chamber: Leaf Sheep Trio — Instructor: Mary Byrne
- Developing Artist: Xinyu (Celine) Liu — Instructor: Mary Byrne
- Emerging Artist: Emilia Vozian — Instructor: Mary Byrne
Contemporary School (Daniel Lapp)
- Clementine Troy — Own Composition Award
- Max Francis — Oliver Schroer Spirit Award
- Tess Hellner — BC Composer Award
- Folkestra — Outstanding Ensemble Performance
- Taiki Moquin & Nick Croft — Twin Fiddle Award
Strings
Conservatory strings students achieved remarkable success both as soloists and in chamber music.
Provincial Representatives
- Hope Syyong, violin — Instructor: Müge Büyükçelen
- Adrian Zhang, cello — Instructor: Brian Yoon
- Max Francis, violin — Instructor: Müge Büyükçelen
- Joanne Jiang, cello — Instructor: Brian Yoon
- Malak El Ouadhgiri, violin — Instructor: Müge Büyükçelen
Chamber Music
- Cedar Treeo (Academy) — Instructor: Cory Balzer
- Arbutus Quartet (Academy) — Instructor: Guyonne Le Louarn
- West Wind Quartet (Academy) — Instructor: Mieka Michaux
- Leaf Sheep Trio (Academy) — Instructor: Mary Byrne
- Sequoia Trio (Academy) — Instructor: Richard Volet
- West Bay Trio (Ensemble Excellence) — Instructor: Richard Volet
National Recognition
- Developing Artist (FCMF): Isidora Uhlman — Instructor: Cory Balzer
- Emerging Artist (FCMF): Joanne Jiang — Instructor: Brian Yoon
- R&M Wood Scholarship Candidate: Joanne Jiang — Instructor: Brian Yoon
Piano
Conservatory pianists demonstrated excellence across all levels, supported by a broad and dedicated faculty.
Highlights by Studio
Ingrid Henderson
- Isaac Wei — Trophy for Outstanding Musicianship and Junior Baroque Award and Romantic Award
- Martin Wang – Junior 20th/ 21st Century Award
- Ronan Godfrey – Intermediate Classical Award
- Miranda Godfrey – Intermediate Romantic and French Awards
- Felicia Ma — Nathan Geminiano Senior Memorial Cup for Outstanding Musicianship, Provincial and National Representative, Senior Piano Concerto Award, and Senior Romantic Award
May Ling Kwok
- Nathan Syyong — Baroque, Classical, Concerto, 20th/21st Century
- Qing Heng Du — Multiple awards including Canadian repertoire & Memorial Cup
- Carey Wang — Open Classical, City of Victoria Medallion & Wood Memorial Award
Other Faculty Highlights
- Marcus Song — Instructor: Robert Holliston
- Abigail Manzon — Instructor: Roger Buksa
- Amani El Ouadghiri & Evan Dickson — Instructor: Edwin Gnandt
- Ai Ping Chen — Instructor: Ed Le Barron
- Luna Lee & Michelle George — Instructor: Yoomi Kim
- Michelle George & Anna Wautier (Duet) — Instructors: Yoomi Kim & Linda Low
Advancement
- Provincial Candidates: Qing Heng Du, Filbert Zhang, Carey Wang — Instructor: May Ling Kwok
- Felicia Jingru Ma (Developing Artist) — Instructor: Ingrid Henderson
- Carey Wang (Emerging Artist) — Instructor: May Ling Kwok
- Nathan Syyong (NCES) — Instructor: May Ling Kwok
- R&M Wood Scholarship: Carey Wang — Instructor: May Ling Kwok
Voice & Musical Theatre
Classical Voice
- Lauren Abhirosh (Instructor: Sahara Sloan)
- Provincial & National Nominee
- Most Outstanding Singer & Tom Lee Music Trophy
- Art Song Award
- Sacred/Spiritual Award
Musical Theatre
- Oleksandr Tkach — Junior UpTempo Award (Instructor: Nancy Curry)
A Community of Excellence
Behind every performance is a powerful partnership between student and instructor. The 2026 GVPAF results reflect not only the dedication of Victoria Conservatory students, but also the expertise, artistry, and care of the Conservatory’s faculty across all disciplines.
From first-time festival participants to nationally recognized performers, these achievements showcase a thriving community committed to excellence, creativity, and growth.
Congratulations to all Conservatory students and instructors on an outstanding festival year.
