Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition 2025-26 Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2025-26 Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition!
The winners of this year’s competition are (pictured left to right):
1st Place: Andrea He (piano), who played the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F# minor;
2nd Place: Abigail Greenland (cello), who played the first movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B minor, Op.104;
3rd Place: Evan Cheng (alto saxophone), who played the first movement of Tomasi's Concerto; and,
Runner Up (should one of the three above not be eligible the following year): Yiping Zhang (flute), who played the first movement of Devienne's Concerto n.7.
Awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student in the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University on the basis of performance excellence demonstrated in a solo concerto competition, this annual competition has been a highlight for many students over the years. This award was made possible through a generous endowed donation by Maritsa Ateena Brookes (BA '57). The winners receive the honour of performing their selection in a public concert with the Western University Symphony Orchestra in the following school year (pending availability). In addition a generous monetary award is shared amongst the winners, received in the fall following the competition. Students are only eligible if they return in the fall.
Sincere thanks to all the students who participated, their professors for helping with preparation, and their collaborative pianists for their ongoing continued support throughout the various rounds. A special thank you also goes to our esteemed panel of external judges which included this year:
Voice - Sandra Horst
Strings - Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot
Keyboards - Ana Maria Otamendi
Winds, Brass & Percussion - David Pell
The final round of this year's competition was held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 in von Kuster Hall, Music Building.
Related links
Instrument Divisions at the Don Wright Faculty of Music
