Soprano Elena Howard-Scott Wins the Inaugural Robert W. and G. Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition Gra

Students from The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School competed for prizes and an invaluable opportunity to perform as a soloist during the 2022-23 Royal Conservatory Orchestra concert season at the Inaugural Robert W. and G. Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition (formerly the Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition) on April 14 in Koerner Hall. 

There were five finalists in this year’s competition, after a preliminary round of performances that included 32 students. The finalists were:  

• Ben Albertson, Harp | From the studio of Judy Loman (prize winner)
• Chelsea Ahn, Piano | From the studio of James Anagnoson and Li Wang (prize winner)
• Eunyoung Chung, Piano | From the studio of John O’Conor
• Elena Howard-Scott, Soprano | From the studio of Adrianne Pieczonka
• Laura Kuri, Trumpet | From the studio of Andrew McCandless 

Eunyoung Chung and Laura Kuri, received Finalist Prizes of $500 each. Three Prize Winners, Chelsea Ahn, Benjamin Albertson, and Elena Howard-Scott, ​were awarded soloist performances with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in 2022-23, and $2,000 each.

Elena Howard-Scott, a voice student in her first year of the Artist Diploma Program in the GGS Price Opera Program, was the winner of the inaugural Corcoran Prize — a grand prize of $5,000.

“The Concerto Competition is one of the highlights of the year for GGS students, and any one of the five soloists could have played with our orchestra – they sounded fantastic,” said Dean James Anagnoson. “Bob and Ann Corcoran have had a transformative effect on this competition by giving us an incredibly generous gift. Their endowment means that the future of the competition is assured.” 

Robert W. Corcoran said: “My wife Ann and I are pleased to be supporting these exceptional students and promoting their talent so that they may receive the recognition they deserve.” 

The competition is not only a way for students to gain experience and showcase their talent, but it is also a powerful tool for student and faculty recruitment, while solidifying GGS’s position among the best music schools in the world.     

A panel of internationally acclaimed musicians were adjudicators for the event. Included were violinist Nikki Chooi**; clarinetist and Wilfrid Laurier University faculty member Ross Edwards; operatic tenor and radio broadcaster Ben Heppner; Dean and Professor of piano at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario, Dr. Michael Kim; violinist Elissa Lee*; and composer Alexina Louie**. 

Watch the finalists’ performances

_{* Preliminary Round Only ** Final Round Only}