Glenn Gould School Trio Wins Prestigious Chamber Music Competition

Students and alumni of The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School have won the prestigious Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition in Norway earning €15,000 and festival engagements. The Rilian Trio was formed in 2021 at The Glenn Gould School and subsequently went on to win the GGS Chamber Music Competition later that year.  The trio is comprised of Daniel Dastoor (violin), Godwin Friesen (piano), and David Liam Roberts (cello) and was mentored by acclaimed cellist and GGS faculty member, Bryan Epperson. Each of these artists (all of whom were/are on full scholarships while studying at the School) have also won competitions individually: Godwin Friesen (ADP ’22) was the Grand Prize winner of the 2022 Orchestra Symphonique de Montréal competition, David Liam Roberts (ADP ‘24) was the winner of the 2021 Canada Council for the Arts Michael Measures First Prize, and Daniel Dastoor (ADP ’22) was the top-ranked winner of the 2023 Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank competition enabling him to select the 1700 Taft Stradivarius violin. 

The Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious events with young musicians as its focus. It is held biennially, alternating between string quartets and piano trios with Academy programming occurring in the year leading up to competition year for the types of ensembles to be featured in the next year’s event. During competition, additional academy programming, masterclasses, coaching and mentoring is provided by experienced musicians and teachers. 

Seven chamber groups from around the world were announced this past June and three groups made it through to the competition finals including Trio Tokava from the US who earned second, and Trio Incendio from the Czech Republic who placed third.  The competition was fierce with a consistently high level of performance from all.  “It has been incredibly moving to listen to performances of such astonishing maturity” said Anthony Marwood, Leader of the Jury, during the awards presentation – all finalists performed Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat major, D 898.  

The Rilian Trio also won the Commission prize (€1,000) given for the best interpretation of the first performance of a commissioned piece (“Shining Through” written by composer Ellen Lindquist) as well as the Audience prize as evidenced by the roar of approval from the crowd when that prize was announced. 

Watch Rilian Trio’s finale performance: