Nova Scotian Pianist Devin Huang Wins Debut Atlantic’s Award for Musical Excellence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2022
NOVA SCOTIAN PIANIST DEVIN HUANG WINS DEBUT ATLANTIC’S AWARD FOR MUSICAL EXCELLENCE
K’JIUPUKTUK/HALIFAX,NS – Debut Atlantic is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2022 Award for Musical Excellence is 15-year-old pianist Devin Huang, 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 as chosen by a member of our distinguished alumni. The Award recognizes talented youth and is designed to support and encourage the development of young musicians in Atlantic Canada. The Award consists of a cash prize of $2,000 and a featured performance, as well as mentorship opportunities with a Debut Atlantic artist or alum. This year’s esteemed juror, pianist Kevin Ahfat, praised Devin’s beautifully touching performance. He noted that Devin was “very impressive to listen to” and “already performing at a high technical and artistic level.”
Devin Huang is a Grade 10 student at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, NS, and has been a student of Professor Lynn Stodola since 2016. In 2021, Devin competed in two prestigious national competitions. Representing Nova Scotia at the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals National Competition, Devin won the First Prize in the Emerging Artist Piano Division, and, representing the Nova Scotia Registered Music Teachers’ Association at the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Association Piano Competition, he won the Third Prize as well as the Chopin Award. In August 2020, Devin was named one of Canada’s hot “30 under 30” classical musicians by CBC Music, and was invited to interview and perform on CBC Radio One, which was broadcasted by CBC TV News. Devin has been a regular participant in numerous Nova Scotia Kiwanis Music Festivals, placing first in all his classes and winning several prizes and scholarships, including the prestigious President’s Cup for the past four years as well as the Dr. Piano and Yamaha Canada Rose Bowl in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, Devin has been a National Finalist for the Canadian Music Competition, 2017-2019, winning first prize each year in his age category as well as the overall Grand Prize in all instruments, age 11 – 14 in 2018. He has appeared with Scotia Festival of Music’s Chamber Players Series, Musique Royale, and Cecilia Concert Series, and in 2019, was a featured soloist with Nova Sinfonia. Not a stranger to Debut Atlantic, Devin was chosen as the first recipient of the Debut Atlantic Music Prize in 2021 Nova Scotia Kiwanis Music Festival (NSKMF). He is honoured to be the recipient for this year’s Award, and stated that “for me, success would not be possible without the support of our arts community and organizations like Debut Atlantic. Debut Atlantic’s Annual Award for Musical Excellence is a significant and special recognition of young aspiring musicians like myself. Special thank you, Debut Atlantic!”
To support more deserving artists this year, Debut Atlantic is pleased to recognize pianist Yuan (Ethan) Peng, from Halifax, NS with a Second Place Prize in this year’s Award competition. Fourteen-year-old Ethan Peng has been studying piano with Professor Lynn Stodola for the past 5 years. He won First Prize in the Steinway Youth National Piano Competition in Jiangsu, China and has completed RCM Piano Performance and Theory Exams with First Class Honours. Since coming to Canada, Ethan has been a regular participant in the Halifax Kiwanis Music Festival and was this year’s runner up in the Doctor Piano and Yamaha Canada Rose Bowl competition. Subsequently he was recommended to advance to the Provincial Finals of the FCMF this coming June, and is currently preparing for the Canadian Music Competition in May. Debut Atlantic will provide Ethan with a $500 bursary to support his continued musical studies.
Congratulations, Devin and Ethan!
Debut Atlantic wishes to recognize the partners and sponsors that come together to bring incredible artists to communities and venues of all sizes across our region. This would not be possible without the generous support of sustaining partners, including Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, and the Province of New Brunswick. Debut would also like to thank its educational partner, the Nova Scotia Department of Education; and its season partners, including the Halifax Regional Municipality, The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, Support4Culture, the Craig Foundation, Pink Larkin, Halcraft Printers, Strategic Arts Management, and InnVest Hotels (Comfort Inn).
One of the most respected music touring organizations in the country, Debut Atlantic’s first season in 1979 featured then-emerging and still-unknown artists, pianist Jon Kimura Parker, tenor Ben Heppner, and Canada’s Baroque orchestra Tafelmusik.
Full details on Debut Atlantic’s concert seasons and education programs can be found at www.debutatlantic.ca
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For further information, please contact:
Erin Sparks – Executive Director or
Elizabeth Upson Perez – Program Officer
Debut Atlantic
902.429.6812