Concerto Competition Award Recipients
2020 - 2021
Classical Category
Astrid Nakamura, violin
Astrid Nakamura, 20, was born in Toronto and began her violin studies at the age of four.
Having a strong interest in orchestral music, Astrid has served as concertmaster for both the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. She was also a part of the Frenergy tour with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the European Union Youth Orchestra in November 2019.
At 9I制作厂免费, Astrid was a part of the Lafontaine Quartet from 2018 to 2020. The quartet won the 9I制作厂免费 Chamber Music Competition in 2018. She also took part in the 2020 Musical Chairs Chamber Music Festival.
Outside of academics, Astrid enjoys performing in outreach concerts within the 9I制作厂免费 community, and visiting Montreal's many art galleries. She currently studies with Axel Strauss.
2019 - 2020
Classical Category
Pinchas Antal, piano
Pinchas Antal is an eighteen year old, third-year Bachelor of Music student currently studying piano performance at the Schulich School of Music of 9I制作厂免费 in the class of Ilya Poletaev. At age ten he started playing piano under the supervision of pedagogue Vladimir Krassov while also taking advanced theory and composition studies with Professor Alexander Posdynakov. During this brief time he has amassed a large repertoire, gave numerous recitals and had the opportunity to have masterclasses with Professor Valeri Sigalevitch, perform for Dr. Indrek Laul, and audition for Maestro Zubin Mehta.
In 2015, Pinchas won 1st place Honours in the Crescendo International Music Competition and was invited to play in Carnegie Hall, New York. He also performed a solo piano concert in Montreal at the prestigious Chappelle Historique du Bon-Pasteur on November 11, 2015. On April 27, 2016, Pinchas performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Musicians of the World Symphony Orchestra in Montreal. At age 15, he placed 2nd at the Canadian Music Competition in the age 18-21 group performing the 1st movement of Rachmaninoff鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 15. Most recently, Pinchas won the 2019-2020 9I制作厂免费 Classical Concerto Competition and will appear as soloist with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra next season.
Piano Category
Jarred Dunn, piano
Jarred Dunn has been described as 鈥渁 piano sound-colour magician鈥 (Muzikos Barai, Vilnius), 鈥渆vocative and mystical鈥 (New York Classical Music Guide), "technically perfect鈥 (Belarus First Radio) and 鈥渁 virtuoso with the most exquisite touch鈥 (Freethought Today). He is featured on CBC鈥檚 2018 Top 30 Under 30 and hosted CBC鈥檚 This is My Music. In 2018, he took First Prize and Concerto Award at the Lithuanian International Chopin Competition (Vilnius) and won top prizes at the Krak贸w Jan Hofmann, London Grand Prize Virutoso, and Rome 鈥淧remio Academia鈥 International Competitions. His recording, Chopin and Debussy, was released in 2019. He has been heard on the CBC, WQXR New York, Belarus First Radio, Freethought Matters TV and Freethought Radio (Madison).
Mr. Dunn performs as a recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist with orchestras. He has appeared with Torun, Etobicoke, Niagara, Rose, Vilnius Chamber, Eurasian Chamber, Budapest Chamber, Toronto Sinfonia, and Minsk Radio and Television Orchestras.
Noted by Tonebase Piano as 鈥渁 revered pedagogue,鈥 Mr. Dunn has given lectures and master classes in Canada, United States, Poland, Lithuania, and Australia. His articles are published by the Canadian Music Educators鈥 Association and Canadian Music Teacher. Of special importance to him was research at the former site of Auschwitz-Birkenau, culminating in an article about Anita Lasker-Wallfisch (former cellist of the Auschwitz Women's Orchestra). David Dubal (WWFM) has called him 鈥an important musician, pianist, scholar and writer within the great art of serious music.鈥 His teachers include St茅phane Lemelin, Katarzyna Popowa-Zydro艅, Anna G贸recka, Jacob Lateiner, Dorothy Taubman, and Yoheved Kaplinsky.
Woodwind, Brass, Percussion
Sarah Amahrit:
Ayant grandi 脿 Montr茅al, Sarah Amahrit baigne dans le milieu artistique depuis de nombreuses ann茅es. Suite 脿 ses 茅tudes en physique, elle compl猫te maintenant son baccalaur茅at en interpr茅tation du cor 脿 l'Universit茅 9I制作厂免费 sous la tutelle de Catherine Turner. Interpr猫te polyvalente, Sarah participe en parall猫le 脿 ses 茅tudes 脿 de nombreux projets musicaux, allant du jazz 脿 la musique contemporaine, ainsi qu'au r茅pertoire orchestral standard.
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Amrit Gupta:
Amrit Gupta is from Portland, Oregon. He graduated with his bachelor's from University of Oregon in 2018 and is pursuing a Masters in performance at 9I制作厂免费. Amrit has been a member of several orchestras and chamber groups in the Pacific northwest.
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Rebecca Barron:
Rebecca Barron听is a graduate student at the 9I制作厂免费 Schulich School of Music. She is currently a candidate to earn her Masters degree in Horn Performance in May 2020 as a student of Nadia C么t茅. She began studying piano at the age of 8 and horn at the age of 10. She studied with Patrice Malatestinic at Skidmore College while in high school and played with the Empire State Youth Orchestra. While she was with ESYO, she toured in China and South Korea.
Rebecca holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the Boston University College of Fine Arts where she studied with Eric Ruske. While an Undergraduate, she also took lessons with Rachel Childers of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and spent a semester in London at the Royal College of Music (lessons with Nigel Black, Jeff Bryant, and John Ryan.) Last summer she spent two weeks in Powell River at the PRISMA Music Festival before returning to Montreal for a six-week tour with the Orchestre de la Francophonie. She has also played at the Mostly Modern Festival in Saratoga Springs.
Katrina Dunkle:
Katrina Dunkle is an undergraduate horn performance student at the Schulich School of Music, studying with Catherine Turner. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she began playing violin at the age of 4 and horn at the age of 12. This summer, Katrina will be touring Germany and Croatia with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. In the summer of 2018, she attended Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC. She was previously a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra.
2018 - 2019
Classical Category
Aaron Chan, violin
Born in 1997, as a native of Hong Kong, Chan鈥檚 family had no experience in music when they allowed him to start playing the violin at the age of 5. In the year of 2006, Chan enrolled as a student in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA)鈥檚 Junior Program, where he studied both violin and viola with Ray Tsoi, with a full scholarship in his viola studies.
Chan studied with Stephen Rose in the Cleveland Institute of Music (2015-2018) and is now continuing his study with Jinjoo Cho in the Schulich School of Music to pursue his Bachelor of Music. He has also coached with the Cavani String Quartet, Peter Salaff, Ivan Chan, Michael Ma, and participated in masterclasses given by Phillip Setzer, Roberto D铆az, Guillaume Sutre, Boris Kushnir, Augustin Hadelich, Mihaela Martin. Chan has spent the summers at Kent Blossom Music Festival, and Asian Youth Orchestra in which he worked with Steven Isserlis and conductor James Judd. In 2017, Chan participated the Kronberg Violin Masterclass with Boris Kushnir, and also spent his summer at the Aspen Music Festival studying with Paul Kantor. In the spring of 2018, Chan performed with CIM Orchestra in the Severance Hall. In 2018, Chan was selected to participate the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.
Emily Rekrut-Pressey, viola
Emily Rekrut-Pressey is currently studying viola performance at 9I制作厂免费 with Andr茅 Roy. At age six she began violin lessons in the Suzuki program in Winnipeg, studying with Laurel Howard. When she was ten, she was inspired by Laurel and Joanne Martin to begin playing the viola, studying with Daniel Scholz for the three years in Winnipeg. Throughout her studies at the University of Toronto she studied with Teng Li, current principal viola of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
In Fall 2018 Emily won the 9I制作厂免费 Classical Concerto Competition alongside violinist Aaron Chan. With Quartet Lafontaine, they won the 9I制作厂免费 Chamber Music Competition and will partake in a week-long residency at the Mozarteum in Salzburg in May 2019. In the past she has been a finalist in the University of Toronto concerto competition, winner of the Aikins Memorial trophy at the Winnipeg Music Festival as well as a scholarship winner through the Women鈥檚 Musical Club of Winnipeg. She has been principal viola of National Youth Orchestra of Canada, University of Toronto Symphony and Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra. Emily has appeared as a soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra and played a complete solo recital as part of the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival in Winnipeg.
This winter Emily participated in the 50th anniversary of the New York String Orchestra Seminar. During the summer was Emily鈥檚 second time playing with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, touring Canada and Europe. In previous summers she played with l鈥橭rchestre de la Francophonie in Montreal and attended the international Morningside Music Bridge Program and Rosamunde Summer Music Academy.
Piano Category
Timothy Ledger, piano
Praised for his engaging presence at the piano, Timothy Ledger maintains an active performing, teaching, and research career.
Highlights from this past year included performances of Beethoven鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15, with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra, as well as Shostakovich鈥檚 Piano Quintet, Op. 57, as part of the Montr茅al Musical Chairs festival; both performances were featured on CBC Classical. More recently, Ledger has appeared in competitions locally and abroad, winning the 2019 9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition. He will therefore appear again with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra next season.
While under the tutelage of Brent Schloneger, Ledger made his debut appearance with orchestra at age 16, performing Mozart鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453, and the following year, Shostakovich鈥檚 Second Piano Concerto, Op. 102. He also appeared in recitals at Rheinberger Chamber Hall at Severance Hall as well as various universities, and was a prizewinner at several competitions, including the Music Teachers National Association. Ledger went on to complete his undergraduate studies with Elisabeth and Eugene Pridonoff at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. While studying with Jean-Louis Haguenauer, he received his Master of Music and Performer Diploma from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, where he was also a lecturer in the music theory department. Currently, Ledger is pursuing his Doctor of Music at 9I制作厂免费鈥檚 Schulich School of Music, where he studies with Ilya Poletaev. He serves as a practical piano instructor at the Schulich School of Music.
For more information and upcoming performances, visit .
Strings, Harp, Guitar Category
Braden McConnell, cello
McConnell is a graduate student at 9I制作厂免费, studying cello with Brian Manker. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Braden began playing the cello at the age of four. He studied with Amir Eldan at the Oberlin Conservatory and Susan Moses at the Indiana University String Academy before attending the University of Michigan to study with Richard Aaron. Braden toured Brazil and Argentina with the Indiana University Violin Virtuosi and performed at Carnegie Hall with Gilles Apap. Braden earned first prize at the David Popper International Cello Competition in V谩rpalota Hungary. He has also won first prizes in the Sigma Alpha Iota Competition and the Cleveland Cello Society Competition. A National Merit Scholar, Braden received a Bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of Michigan, triple-majoring in Cello, Mathematics, and Economics.
2017 - 2018
Classical Category![Smiling face of Timothy Ledger, 2017-2018 Schulich School of Music Concerto competition winner in the classical category for piano](/music/files/music/styles/wysiwyg_medium/public/tim-ledger-web.png?itok=Ir2SoTsG)
Timothy Ledger, piano
Praised for his engaging presence at the piano, Timothy Ledger has won numerous awards and competitions in North America.
As a performer, he has most recently appeared in the closing concert of Montr茅al鈥檚 Musical Chairs Chamber Music Festival, performing the Shostakovich Piano Quintet. He also performed Beethoven鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 1 with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra earlier this year as the winner of their annual Classical Concerto Competition.
Tim maintains an active teaching career, as well. He currently serves as a course lecturer in 9I制作厂免费鈥檚 Schulich School of Music, where he also teaches faculty students. He previously held a position as course coordinator in the music theory department at Indiana University.
Tim is an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and his mentors include Brent Schloneger, Elisabeth and Eugene Pridonoff, and Jean-Louis Haguenauer. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree at 9I制作厂免费, where he studies with Ilya Poletaev. His field of research-creation focuses on examining the often-ignored role of the performer in the fields of music semiotics and cognition-perception using both extant piano literature as well as newly commissioned (and often politically engaged) music.
For more information, visit .
Strings Category
Elie Boissinot, cello
Elie Boissinot is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance with Elizabeth Dolin at 9I制作厂免费. He is the recipient of several awards, including the 2018 Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant, the Lloyd Carr-Harris String Scholarship at 9I制作厂免费 and the 2017 Sandra Wilson Prize. He won several concerto competitions andreceived first prizes from, among others, the Canadian Music Competition. Elie is also the principal cellist and artistic director of the Orchestre Philharmonique etChoeur des M茅lomanes (OPCM), an ensemble he co-founded with Francis Choini猫re in 2015.
In recent years, Elie performed concertos with the Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes de Montr茅al (OSJM) and the FACE Symphony Orchestra and has held firstchairs in the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra, the OSJM, and the Orchestre Symphonique du Conservatoire de Mont茅r茅gie.
As winner of the 2018 9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition, he will perform Elgar鈥檚 concerto with the MGSO in February 2019. He will also perform as a soloist with theOrchestre Philharmonique des Musiciens de Montreal (OPMEM) in September 2018. Elie plays on an instrument and bow generously loaned by Canimex Inc. ofDrummondville, QC.
Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Category
Naama Neuman, flute
Naama Neuman, flute Israel born flutist Naama Neuman played first flute in the 鈥淜omische Oper Berlin鈥 and the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra, as well as second flute in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also a member of the "Israel Contemporary Players".
After completing her BA from the Jerusalem Music Academy she continued her studies in Germany and received her Masters from the State Music Academy of Stuttgart. She is currently working towards her Graduate Diploma in performance at the Schulich School of Music under the tutelage of Timothy Hutchins.
Ms. Neuman is the former music director of the Polyphony Foundation and Assistant Music Director of the Haifa International Flute Competition 2013.
Ms. Neuman is one of the leading young Israeli flute teachers, giving master-classes in Israel and Korea. Her students have won international competitions and play in orchestras in Israel and abroad.
2016 - 2017
Classical Category
Canadian pianist Alex Soloway is a student of Dr. Ilya Poletaev at 9I制作厂免费鈥檚 Schulich School of Music in Montreal. Alex is the winner of the 2016-17 9I制作厂免费 Classical Concerto Competition, as well as the 2014 winner of the 9I制作厂免费 Chamber Music Competition as a member of the Aeolus Trio. Alex has performed in Canada, Europe, and the United States, including concerts at the Canadian Opera Company鈥檚 Four Seasons Centre in Toronto, the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, and Carnegie鈥檚 Weill Recital Hall in New York. In 2015, Alex was a national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition. Alex will be performing as a soloist with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra in January of 2017.
Piano, Harp and Guitar Category
鈥婬arpist Antoine Malette-Ch茅nier, a Doctor of Musical Arts student of Jennifer Swartz, has won the 9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition (piano, harp and guitar category). In the final round, which took place in February 2017 , Antoine gave a stunning performance of Canadian Composer R. Murray Schafer's Concerto for Harp and Orchestra.
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Strings Category
The winner of the 2016-17 9I制作厂免费 String Concerto Competition is听Amy Hillis, a D.Mus. candidate in violin performance from the studio of Prof.听Axel Strauss. Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada,听Amy Hillis's studies are funded by a听Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship听(CGS) and a Doctoral Scholarship听from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).听Amy is also the recipient of a听Professional Musician (Individual) grant听from the Canada Council for the Arts as well as the prestigious听Sylva Gelber Foundation Music Award听which is given to Canadian musicians of outstanding ability and career potential. Amy performs on the 1820 Joannes Franciscus Pressenda, on loan from the听Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.
2015 - 2016
Classical Category
Ms. Li is a prizewinner of numerous competitions, most recently the 1st Prize at the unanimity of the Jury at the Concours Musical de France, and Second Prize at the Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition in Connecticut. Zhenni Li is also a top prizewinner of the International Russian Piano Competition in San Jose, where she performed Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto with the New Symphony Orchestra, a top prizewinner of the Kosciusko Chopin Piano Competition and a co-winner of the MTNA National Piano competition in Washington State. She also earned top prizes in many academic competitions in China, including the Xinghai and Toyama competitions in China. At the Schulich School of Music, she studies with听Prof. St茅phane Lemelin.
Zhenni Li performed with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra in January 2016 in Redpath Hall.
Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion Category
Brent Proseus'听first trumpet teacher was his father, Eric and he continued his studies with Gregg Good. At the Schulich School of Music, he studies with Prof. Richard Stoelzel.听Brent was principal trumpet in the Michigan Junior High All-State Band and he was principal trumpet in the Michigan All-state Orchestra as well as the lead trumpet in the Michigan All-State Jazz Band. He won a featured soloist award at the Michigan Youth Arts All-State Competition and performend with that orchestra at their gala concert. 听
Besides classical trumpet honors, Brent has also won many awards in jazz, including the Hastings Jazz Festival soloist award and the Western Michigan University Jazz Festival lead trumpet and soloist awards. 听
Brent Proseus will perform in 2016-17听with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra.
2014 - 2015
Classical Category
An accomplished pianist, Meagan Milatz began her piano studies in Saskatchewan at the age of five with Cherith Alexander. She progressed very quickly, completing her Performer鈥檚 ARCT diploma at the age of twelve. Since then, Meagan has gained much experience as both a soloist and collaborator. She was named the most outstanding competitor in the Grand Awards Competition at the Saskatchewan provincial music festival in 2011. She received second place at the National Music Festival in 2009 and third place in 2011. In 2009, she received second place in Piano Class B at the OSM competition in Montr茅al. Meagan won first place in her age category at the Canadian Music Competition in 2007, and was then chosen to perform as soloist with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra. She again appeared with orchestra this past January as winner of 9I制作厂免费鈥檚 2014 Classical Concerto Competition, and is scheduled to appear with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in January 2016.听
Milatz came away with first prize in the CFMTA National Piano Competition in 2011, along with the opportunity to perform with the string members of the Gryphon Trio. Passionate as a collaborator, she has also performed with Andrew Wan, concertmaster of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montr茅al, on several occasions. She has given various concerts as both a soloist and collaborator for the Regina Musical Club series. Milatz was recently awarded the top prize at the 2014 Shean Piano Competition, and also received the award for best performance of the test piece.
An avid learner, Milatz has participated in summer programs such as the Banff Centre, the Gij贸n International Piano Festival in Spain, and Morningside Music Bridge in both Calgary and Poland. She currently studies with Ilya Poletaev at 9I制作厂免费, alongside fortepiano studies with Tom Beghin, and is the recipient of a Developing Artist Grant from the Hnatyshyn Foundation.
Ms. Milatz听will perform at "la salle Joseph-Rouleau de la maison des JMC" on November 15th, 2015 at 2:30pm.听She performed with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra on听January 23 & 24, 2015.
Piano Category
Geoffrey Conquer and Zhenni Li are the joint winners of the 2014-2015 9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition (piano category).
Geoffrey Conquer was born in Toronto in 1990 into a musical family and听began piano lessons at the age of six. He studied for ten years with听Svetlana Gojevic and at the age of 17, received the A.R.C.T. Diploma听in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Since 2008,听he has studied at the Schulich School of Music of 9I制作厂免费 in听the class of the renowned Georgian pianist, Professor Marina Mdivani.听Geoffrey Conquer holds a B.Mus. and M.Mus. and is currently pursuing
an Artist Diploma in Solo Piano Performance. He is the recipient of听numerous scholarships, grants, and awards from 9I制作厂免费 and听other arts organizations, and he has studied in master classes abroad听with Lily Dorfman and Daniel Pollack. Geoffrey Conquer is a two-time听First Prize winner of the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Concerto Competition, a听Second Prize winner at the 2014 and 2015 Siegfried Weishaupt听International Piano Competition in Germany, and a Laureate of the听Canadian Music Competition.
Mr. Conquer performed with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra on听October 7th & 8th, 2015听in Pollack Hall.
鈥婸ianist Zhenni Li, hailed as 鈥渁 magnetic pianist鈥攚ith fire and poetry. Everyone should hear her鈥 by music critic David Dubal, has performed throughout the United States, Europe and China, in notable concert halls including the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Morgan Library in New York, The Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles, The California Theater in San Jose, Th茅芒tre de Vevey in Switzerland and the National Concert Hall in Tianjin, China. Ms. Li is a prizewinner of numerous competitions, most recently the unanimous 1st Prize at the Concours Musi- cal de France, and was in the final six at the renowned Concours Clara Haskil in Switzerland. She is also a top prizewinner of the International Russian Piano Competi- tion in San Jose, the Kosciusko Chopin Piano Competition and The Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition. Upon moving to the United States, Ms. Li enrolled in the Juilliard School, where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees on a full scholarship, under the tutelage of Seymour Lipkin and Joseph Kalichstein. She is currently on her first year of Doctorate Degree of Piano Performance with Dr. St茅phane Lemelin at Mcgill Schulich School of Music, after having recently pursued her Artist Diploma with Peter Frankl at Yale School of Music.
Ms. Li will perform with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra on April 15th &听16th, 2016听and at the听Chapelle du Bon听Pasteur on听April 24th, 2016 at 3:00pm.
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2013 -2014
Strings Category
Violinist Victor Fournelle-Blain is the strings category winner of the 2013-2014 9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition. 听On Sunday, February 16, 2014听Victor performed his winning rendition of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Op. 64. He performed with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony Orchestra in April 2015. The award comes with the recently established Mary Feher Prize, a substantial cash award given for the first time this competition. Read more
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Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion Category
Lara Deutsch is听the woodwinds, brass and percussion category winner听of the 2013-2014听9I制作厂免费 Concerto Competition. 听A past winner of the 9I制作厂免费 Classical Concerto Competition, she performed听with the 9I制作厂免费 Symphony 听Orchestra in October 2014.
Lara Deutsch received her听Master鈥檚 Degree in Orchestral Flute Studies at 9I制作厂免费 under Timothy Hutchins in 2014. She completed her undergraduate degree at 9I制作厂免费 in May 2012 under Denis Bluteau. That year, Lara was the recipient of the Astral Artist Prize and also received the Salsinger-Tani Gold Medal for Excellence in Performance for her graduating class.
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