Dallevin Lapaire is a pianist from Cranbrook, British Columbia, who began studying piano at the age of four. He commutes regularly to Calgary to study with Dr. Jani Parsons and also studies under Cara Webb.  Dallevin has received numerous awards at the local and provincial levels, including the inaugural Margaret Westrup Scholarship at the 2025 East Kootenay Performing Arts Festival. He has been nominated multiple times to the Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival and was named first runner-up in the Junior Canadian Piano Class in 2023.

Recent honours include the Senior Piano Prize at the 2025 Wendy Guimont Memorial Piano Competition, Advanced Level Top Provincial Winner in the 2025 BC Kawai Piano Stars Competition, and First Class Honours with Distinction on his Royal Conservatory of Music Level 10 examination.

An active performer, Dallevin has appeared as a soloist with the Symphony of the Kootenays, performing the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13 in 2024.  His 2026 Rising Stars Performance with the Calgary Civic Symphony will feature a cadenza he composed himself.

In addition to his classical studies, Dallevin is an active jazz musician, performing in school ensembles and a jazz trio while developing skills in composition and improvisation. He is also a sought-after collaborative pianist. Outside of music, he is involved in training German Shepherds through the K9 Utility Working Dog Club of Cranbrook. 

Bowen Li began his musical studies at the age of five and currently studies with Diana Cohen, Concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a scholarship recipient at the Mount Royal University Academy for Young Artists.

An avid chamber musician, Bowen and his ensemble have received top prizes at the Lancaster International Piano and Chamber Music Festival in both 2023 and 2024. He has participated in festivals including the 2024 Canadian Music Competition Gathering of the Stars and the 2026 Young Performers Program at the Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival.

Bowen has performed in masterclasses for artists including Timothy Chooi, Robert Uchida, William van der Sloot, Maria van der Sloot, Ian Swensen, Gwen Hoebig, Annalee Patipatanakoon, Jamie Parker, Jonathan Crow, Kai Gleusteen, and Gerardo Ribeiro.

Bowen is a prizewinner in numerous competitions, including first place in the Canadian Music Competition (2021 and 2023, strings), first place in the 2024 ARMTA Provincial Competition (junior strings), and first place in the 2025 Alberta Provincial Festival (upper strings, age 15 and under). He was also awarded top prize among all age groups in the strings category at the 2025 Calgary Performing Arts Festival.

Sophie Ryskine is a Canadian violist currently studying in the Advanced Performance Program at the Mount Royal Conservatory under the tutelage of Christopher Sandvoss. She serves as Principal Viola of the Calgary Youth Orchestra (CYO) and has also held the position of Principal Viola with the University of Calgary Orchestra, performing repertoire such as Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier and Vincent Ho’s The Shaman. A recent highlight includes serving as Assistant Principal Viola in a collaborative performance with the CYO and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a dedicated chamber musician, Sophie has performed in residencies and collaborated with distinguished ensembles including the New Orford String Quartet, the Land’s End Ensemble, and the Uchida-Crozman-Chiu Trio. She has a strong interest in contemporary music and has worked with composers Allan Gordon Bell, Vincent Ho, and Colleen Athparia on world premieres.

Sophie has performed in masterclasses for violists including Barry Shiffman, Philip Ying, Sharon Wei, Mark Holloway, and Asbjørn Nørgaard. She has attended festivals such as the Chisel Creek Classical Summer Festival and the Ottawa Summer Strings Academy, and is also active as a mentor, working as a chamber coach with the Mount Royal Conservatory Academy and Mount Royal Summer String Intensive.

Sophie is a two-time third-place laureate of the CYO Frank Simpson Concerto Competition and a multi-year recipient of the Conservatory Young Artist Grant, generously supported by the Marvin Hamlisch Musical Scholarship, the Jack and Patsy Steen Award, and the Beth Tzedec and Three Cantors scholarships. In fall 2026, she will begin a Bachelor of Music at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, studying with Steven Dann. Sophie performs on a viola crafted by her teacher, luthier Christopher Sandvoss.

Josephine Wen began her musical studies at the age of three. She has studied for several years with William van der Sloot and Maria van der Sloot in the Advanced Performance Program at the Mount Royal Conservatory, where she has performed in masterclasses for internationally-renowned artists including James Ehnes, Jonathan Crow, and Timothy Chooi.

Josephine is the first prize winner of the 2023 CYO Frank Simpson Concerto Competition, through which she made her solo debut with the Calgary Youth Orchestra performing the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64. She was again featured as a soloist in the 2024–2025 season, performing ‘Tango’ Por Una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel. Additional honours include runner-up in the 2023 Rotary Calgary Concerto Competition and finalist in the 2026 RBC Calgary Philharmonic Concerto Competition.

A versatile musician, Josephine has achieved Level 10 piano with the Royal Conservatory of Music and is an active percussionist with the Western Canada High School Wind Ensemble, where she has been featured as a soloist on both violin and piano. She is the recipient of the ensemble’s Outstanding Rhythm Student Award for two consecutive years. In addition to her performing, Josephine maintains a private studio, teaching advanced violin and piano students in her community.

In fall 2026, Josephine will begin a Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours) at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, where she will study with Min-Jeong Koh.