FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 07, 2025

16-YEAR-OLD PIANIST ALEX YANG WINS DEBUT ATLANTIC’S AWARD FOR MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

K’JIUPUKTUK/HALIFAX, NS – Debut Atlantic is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2025 Award for Musical Excellence is 16-year-old pianist Alex Yang, from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Established in 1999, the Debut Atlantic Award for Musical Excellence is awarded annually to an Atlantic Canadian high school music student, selected by a member of Debut Atlantic’s distinguished alumni. The Award celebrates and supports talented youth, encouraging the development of young musicians in Atlantic Canada. The winner receives a $2,000 cash prize, a featured performance, and mentorship opportunities with a Debut Atlantic artist or alum. This year’s juror, acclaimed pianist Yolanda Tapia, praised all of Alex’s competition submissions, stating “this was a fantastic performance, full of energy and musicality. I enjoyed listening to every piece submitted by this performer. Amazing work!”

Alex Yang is a Grade 11 student at Halifax Grammar School and currently studies piano at the prestigious Juilliard Pre-College on weekends in New York with Emanuel Ax and Yoheved Kaplinsky. He has studied with several renowned teachers, including Prof. Lynn Stodola, Michael Berkovsky, and Angela Hewitt, and he has attended numerous international music programs. In 2023, he participated in the Trasimeno Music Festival Masterclasses in Italy, where he received high praise from critic Christopher Axworthy for his “remarkable clarity and sense of line” and “remarkable sensitivity.”

Alex has earned top prizes in numerous prestigious competitions, including the 2024 Kaufman International Piano Competition, the 2024 Spotlight International Piano Competition, and the 51st Federation of Canadian Music Festivals (FCMF) Competition, where he won the Grand Prize. He has also claimed first place in the 61st Canadian Music Competition (CMC) and advanced to the finals of the 6th Canadian Chopin Competition Senior Category as the youngest competitor. In 2023, Alex was named by CBC Music as one of the “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30” and was interviewed by CBC Radio One.

In addition to his competition success, Alex has performed in some of the world’s most renowned concert halls, including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, Ateneo de Madrid, Koerner Hall, and the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, where he was a featured soloist with Symphony Nova Scotia. His performances have been featured by Cecilia Concerts, Musique Royale, and the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, among others.

In 2024, Alex was awarded a full fellowship to the Aspen Summer Music Festival, where he will continue to refine his craft with the world’s finest teachers. Outside of piano, Alex also studies violin with Dr. Leonardo Perez and enjoys badminton, swimming, reading, and academic pursuits.

Congratulations, Alex!

Debut Atlantic would like to acknowledge the support of its generous partners and sponsors, including Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, the Province of New Brunswick, and others who contribute to bringing exceptional artists to communities across the region.

For more information about Debut Atlantic’s concert seasons and educational programs, visit www.debutatlantic.ca.

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For further information, please contact:
Erin Sparks – Executive Director
Elizabeth Upson Perez – Program Officer
Debut Atlantic
902.429.6812
erin@debutatlantic.ca
elizabeth@debutatlantic.ca