The outcomes of the 2025 Nationwide Organ Competitors, the finals of which occurred earlier this month at Organ Competition Canada 2025 in Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph, have been introduced.
Whereas provisions had been made for 3 prime prizes solely, the jury commented on the very excessive commonplace of all six of the candidates who superior to the final levels of the competitors.
The winners:
- 1st place — Godfrey Hewitt Memorial Prize ($6,000): Maria Gajraj & Douglas Haas Prize ($1,000) & Jan Overduin Viewers Prize ($1,000): Maria Gajraj
- 2nd place — Paul Murray Memorial Prize ($3,000): Qing Xu
- third place — Muriel Gidley Stafford Prize ($1,500): Isaac Howie
Peter Bayer, Samuel Lee and Aron Sipos additionally competed within the closing spherical.
Prize Winners
Maria Gajraj
Montréal-based organist Maria Gajraj is a Doctoral Candidate at McGill College, the place her analysis revolves round Twentieth-century Caribbean organ repertoire. She is a recipient of the Godfrey Hewitt Scholarship (2022), amongst different awards. Maria has carried out on levels in each North America and in Europe, together with Blackburn Cathedral (UK), Maison Symphonique (Montreal), and within the Cal Performances and Bergen Orgelsommer collection. The co-founder of Sapphonix Collective, an ensemble that emphasizes ladies, queer, and racialized classical musicians, she works to attract consideration to ladies and composers of color in her live performance packages. Considered one of her musical targets is to make the organ extra accessible, and showcase its potential in new methods.
Qing Xu
After finishing her bachelor’s and grasp’s levels on the China Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, Qing Xu is now a doctorate pupil at McGill College. Choice within the Haarlem Worldwide Organ Competition’s “Younger Expertise” program kickstarted her skilled profession in 2018, and she or he’d win second prize in Concours Worldwide d’orgue de Versailles Jeune Expertise the identical yr. Qing has carried out extensively in China, together with premieres and recitals. She can also be a specialist in late Romantic repertoire, and has written a number of articles on the topic printed in Chinese language tutorial journals.
Isaac Howie
Vancouver organist Isaac Howie entered UBC at 15 — however he first appeared to review Forestry. After making the change to music he accomplished a B.Mus. in Might 2025 finding out organ, harpsichord, and improvisation, along with a significant in Classics. He additionally earned an ARCT in piano efficiency. Isaac has served because the organist of Holy Household Parish, Vancouver (FSSP), since 2021. He’s carried out with the Vancouver Symphony, and West Coast Symphony, and improvised for Silent Film Mondays on the Orpheum Theatre. He participated within the 2nd Internationaler Feith Orgelwettbewerb in Blieskastel, Germany, and was chosen as winner of the 2025 Godfrey Hewitt Annual Memorial Scholarship. Considered one of his compositions was premiered by the Vancouver Chamber Choir. In September 2025, he’ll start research in the direction of an M.Mus. on the Prins Claus conservatoire in Groningen, Netherlands.
Congratulations to the entire winners and finalists!
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Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 a long time, and a artistic writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
