RCM connections abound in CBC’s 30 Under 30 list for 2025

Musicians who have come up through The Royal Conservatory once again fare well in CBC’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30”. CBC Music released its 2025 list on July 28. 

Royal Conservatory artists recognized in this year’s list include pianists, string players, wind players and vocalists. They all studied music through The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) whether it be the RCM Certificate Program and/or the professional training programs of either the The Glenn Gould School  (GGS) or The Taylor Academy.  

The artists recognized in the CBC list are “winning big prizes, graduating from top music schools, writing bold new works, making exciting debuts.” 
 

There are 17 artists with connections to the RCM on this prestigious list: 

• Tim Beattie, guitar (Barrie, Ont.), GGS Rebanks Fellow (2022-2023), Taylor Academy and RCM Certificate Program 

• Chris Clarke, harp (Windsor, Ont.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Luka Coetzee, cello, RCM Certificate Program (Performing at Koerner Hall on Feb. 20)

• Elisabeta Cojocaru, piano (Mississauga, Ont.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Hannah Corbett, violin (Maple, Ont.), Taylor Academy, RCM Certificate Program 

• Athena Deng, piano (Vancouver), RCM Certificate Program 

• Kady Evanyshyn, voice (Winnipeg, Man.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Benoit Gauthier, conductor (Baie-Comeau, Que.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Ari Hooker, piano/composer (Winnipeg, Man.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Justin Lapierre, composer (Cambridge, Ont.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Valerie Lin, percussion (Burnaby, B.C.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Malena Lorenson, bass trombone (Red Deer, Alta.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Audrey Morris, harp (Ottawa, Ont.), GGS (BMus ‘27), RCM Certificate Program 

• Emma Pennell, voice (South River, Ont.), GGS (ADP 25) 

• Alexander Strauss-Fausto, organ (Kitchener, Ont.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Sophie van der Sloot, cello (Montreal, Que.), RCM Certificate Program 

• Sunny Wu, saxophone (Port Moody, B.C.), RCM Certificate Program