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  RCM Alumnus Wins Prestigious International Piano Competition in ViennaCanadian periodontist and The Royal Conservatory alumnus, Thomas Yu, has won the Bösendorfer International Piano Competition for Amateurs in Vienna, Austria. He is the first Canadian to win this competition, for which he was awarded a prize of 1,500 Euros and concert dates around the world. The competition, held at Bösendorfer Hall from May 11-15, 2009, was comprised of 25 top amateur pianists from 15 countries, who were selected based on an audition. Competitors came from all walks of life and included doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Yu has received offers to perform in Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, and Washington D.C., and has been invited to compete at the Warsaw International Chopin Competition for Amateurs in September 2009. “I will have to decide whether or not I have enough energy to compete again so soon,” says Yu. “It is difficult to balance my life between music and dentistry, but I am up for the challenge. In the meantime, I will enjoy this moment”. A pupil of Marc Durand at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory, Yu is a graduate of Periodontology at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory is an internationally recognized centre for professional training in music performance and pedagogy at the post- secondary and post-bachelor levels. The School provides an intimate training environment with a curriculum designed to prepare the most gifted young musicians for all aspects of a professional career. An enrolment of 130 students keeps classes small; students receive more private lesson time, and are offered more than 150 master classes, in addition to between 80 and 100 performance opportunities throughout the year. The faculty consists of world-renowned performers, teachers, and scholars, each bringing expertise and knowledge of the highest standards to Glenn Gould students. Famous alumni include Isabel Bayrakdarian, Naida Cole, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. The Glenn Gould School has been designated a National Training Institute by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Media contact: Jeff Embleton |
