1. Funding
  2. Prizes
  3. Virginia Parker Prize

Virginia Parker Prize

Portrait of Bryan Cheng

Bryan Cheng

Photographer(s): Andrej Grilc

Current Winner

Bryan Cheng

Ottawa-born, Berlin-based cellist Bryan Cheng made his sold-out Carnegie Hall recital debut aged 14, his Elbphilharmonie debut aged 20 with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and is the first cellist to be awarded the Verbier Festival’s coveted Prix Yves Paternot.

In 2023–24, Bryan takes on the role of Artist-in-Residence with Romania’s Filarmonica Banatul Timișoara and at Switzerland’s Week-End Musical de Pully. Recent and future highlights include debuts with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin at the Philharmonie, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of India, the Slovak, Calgary and Cape Town Philharmonics, at Vancouver Recital Society, Chamberfest Cleveland, Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, as well as returns to Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Verbier Festival (with Sir András Schiff) and Heidelberger Frühling.

Major prize winner at the world’s most prestigious international competitions, including Queen Elisabeth, Geneva, and Paulo, Bryan received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Universität der Künste Berlin and is now enrolled at Germany’s Kronberg Academy. He plays the 1696 Bonjour Stradivari cello generously on loan from the Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank.

The prize

The Virginia Parker Prize is awarded to a classical singer, instrumentalist or music conductor under the age of 32 who demonstrates outstanding talent, musicianship and artistic merit, and who makes a valuable contribution to artistic life in Canada and internationally.

Eligibility

To win this prize, one must submit an application with the Canada Council for the Arts.

Background

This prize was established by the late Virginia Parker in 1982 and is funded by an annual gift from the Virginia Parker Foundation.

Additional information

virginiaparker-prizes@canadacouncil.ca

1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4086

Deadline

April 2, 2024

Annual competition

Amount

$25,000

Application-based

Guidelines will be updated and posted two months before the deadline.

Send applications to virginiaparker-prizes@canadacouncil.ca.

Cumulative list of winners

The Canada Council is committed to equity in all its activities, including the administration of our prizes and awards.

Accessibility

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing, or a TTY user, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP service to contact the Canada Council.

The Canada Council for the Arts can also receive calls from a video relay service (VRS). For more information, visit the VRS Canada website.