The Royal Conservatory Announces 2016-17 Rebanks Fellows

Today The Royal Conservatory announced the seven extraordinary concert artists from around the world accepted into its prestigious Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program.

Unique in Canada, The Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program is a one-year program of The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School. Created for artists on the cusp of a professional career, it offers a rich curriculum for career development including: private study with exceptional faculty and guest artists; concert presentations and career coaching; and marketing training and support. Each Rebanks Fellow also participates in a funded international residency.

The 2016-17 Rebanks Fellows are:

Bradley Christensen, baritone (Auckland, New Zealand)-Since immigrating to Canada five years ago, Bradley completed a Master's Degree from the University of Toronto and performed with orchestras throughout Ontario. The finalist of the New Zealand Aria Competition has a voice described by the Ottawa Citizen as "focused, rich, and sympathetically communicative."

Geoffrey Conquer, piano (Toronto, Ontario)-Geoffrey is a two-time First Prize winner of the McGill Symphony Concerto Competition, a Second Prize winner at the 2014 and 2015 Siegfried Weishaupt International Piano Competition in Germany, and a Laureate of the Canadian Music Competition. An active collaborative pianist and chamber musician, he has performed at the Toronto Summer Music Festival.

Adanya Dunn, soprano (Toronto, Ontario)-The Canadian-Bulgarian singer is a graduate of Dawn Upshaw's Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory of Music and was a voice fellow at Marilyn Horne's Music Academy of the West. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2015.

Ellen McAteer, soprano (Ottawa, Ontario)-With a voice described as "stunning" by Opera Canada, the acclaimed young singer has performed a wide range of operatic repertoire in cities across North America. Ellen has won myriad awards and is a two-time recipient of the Richard Bradshaw Graduate Fellowship in Opera.

Jennifer Murphy, violin (Dundalk, Ireland)-Jennifer has performed throughout North America and Europe, with several of her performances being broadcast on the BBC and CBC. She has worked with internationally acclaimed artists including David Geringas and Maxim Vengerov. Before becoming a Rebanks Fellow, Jennifer studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music, and earned an Artist Diploma from The Glenn Gould School.

Elizabeth Polese (Toronto, Ontario)- Described by Opera Canada as a singer with "power to spare", Elizabeth has performed in operas in communities across Canada. She has won the top prize at the Toronto Mozart Competition and the University of Toronto Concerto Competition, and was a finalist at the 2016 Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques competition.

Joanna Wu, flute (Syracuse, New York)-A former student of Northwestern University, Joanna has performed solo, orchestral, and chamber performances throughout North America at acclaimed venues including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Joanna recently won top prizes at the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra Instrumental Competition, Yale Woolsey Concerto Competition, and American Protégé International Woodwind and Brass Competition.

Among the many successful alumni of The Rebanks Family Fellowship Program are violinist Luri Lee and cellist Jonathan Lo, who recently won the top prize at the 12th Banff International String Quartet Competition.

Rebanks Fellows will perform two free concerts, on December 7 and April 12, as part of The Royal Conservatory's 2016-17 performance season. Members of the public can reserve tickets 30 days before each concert at performance.rcmusic.ca.

The Royal Conservatory is grateful to the Rebanks Family and The W. Garfield Weston Foundation who have made The Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program possible through their generous support. The Glenn Gould School is supported by funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Arts Training Fund, and from the Ontario Arts Council.

The Royal Conservatory is one of the largest and most respected music and arts education institutions in the world. Providing the definitive standard of excellence in music education through its curriculum, assessment, performances, and teacher education programs, The Conservatory has had a substantial impact on the lives of millions of people globally. In addition, the organization has helped to train a number of internationally celebrated artists including Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, David Foster, Sarah McLachlan, Angela Hewitt, and Diana Krall. Motivated by its powerful mission to develop human potential through leadership in music and arts education, The Royal Conservatory has emerged over the last two decades as a leader in the development of arts-based programs that address a wide range of social issues. For more information, visit www.rcmusic.ca.

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