2015 EMA Student Achievements
All goals and achievments, at every stage of the journey, are celebrated: from personal bests to festival success. Please take some time to see what our students have been up to!
July 2015 - ORMTA Provincial Finals
Benjamin Choo - 2nd Place
July 2015 - Canadian Federation of Music Teachers National Association (CFMTA) National Piano Competition
Charissa Vandikas - First Prize. Charissa represented ORMTA at the CFMTA National Piano Competition held in British Columbia
July 2015 – Peter de Grote Music Festival (Netherlands)
Charissa and Gregory Vandikas accepted as participants into this distinguished European Summer Music Festival
June 2015 - OMFA Provincial Finals (12 EMA students featured)
Open Level – Charissa Vandikas (3rd), Sean Hughsam
ARCT – Lauren Esch (3rd) Gregory Vandikas (Honourable Mention) Enoch Leung,
Benjamin Choo (withdrawn due to conflict)
Grade 10 – Adam Kulju (First), Enoch Wei (Honourable Mention)
Grade 9 – Felix Du (Honourable Mention)
Grade 8 – Sandra Wang
Grade 7 – Michelle Yu (Honourable Mention), Darren Leung
June 2015 York Region Celebration of the Arts
Benjamin and Christopher Choo awared a combined $1250 in bursaries from this distinquished arts organization.
May 24 – GTA Zone Competition (ORMTA)
Markham Stouffville Branch Representatives
Level B – Benjamin Choo (Winner - July 2015 Provincial Contestant)
Level C – Felix Du
May 2015 - ORMTA Provincial Student Music Writing Competition
Adam Kulju
National Finalist in the Age 12 Category for 'Snowflake'
Age 11A1 - First
Age 11A2 - Second
Open Level - Honourable Mention
April 2014 - North York Music Festival
Charissa Vandikas
Provincial Finalist Representative in the Open Class
Concerto Class - Winner - Performance with Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra
Masterclass with Internationally Acclaimed Dutch Pianist Paul Komen
Open List A - First
Open Concert Etude - First
Lauren Esch
Masterclass with Internationally Acclaimed Dutch Pianist Paul Komen
Gregory Vandikas
Masterclass with Internationally Acclaimed Dutch Pianist Paul Komen
ARCT Canadian Composer - First
ARCT Bach Prelude and Fugue - Second
Anthony Vandikas
Masterclass with Internationally Acclaimed Dutch Pianist Paul Komen
Enoch Wei
Grade 10 List E - First
Grade 10 List C - First
Grade 10 Sonata - Second
Age Achivement Class - Second
Jasmine Yen
Grade 8 Study - Second
Grade 8 List A - Third
Grade 8 List B - Third
Michelle Yu
Provincial Finalist Representative in the Grade 7 Class
Grade 7 Study - First
Grade 7 List A - Second
Brade 7 List C - Second
Kaivan Malek-Zadeh
Grade 5 List B - Third
Nina Yu
Grade 4 Study - First
Grade 4 List A - Second
Grade 4 List B - Second
Grade 4 List C - Third
Sarah Ling
Grade 3 List C - First
Tianyi Li
Grade 3 List B - Second
Grade 3 List C - Second
Grade 3 Study - Second
Bryan Chen
Grade 3 List A - Second
Grade 3 List C - Second
Grade 3 Study - Second
Rosie Hu
Grade 1 List B - Third
Serena Hao
Grade 1 List B - First
Grade 1 Teacher's Choice Class - First
Joshua Li
Grade 1 List C - Second
Grade 1 List A - Third
Grade 1 Study - Third
April 2014 - Yips Music Festival
Benajmin Choo
2015 OMFA Provincials candidate in ARCT class - Withdrawn due to prior conflict
Featured Performer - 2015 Yips Music Festival Gala
2015 Best of ARCT, Festival annual trophy
2015 Best of Sonata, Festival annual trophy
Recital Class - First
ARCT List A - First
Sonata Class - First
ARCT Concert Etude - Second
Oshawa Whitby Kiwanis Festival
Sean Hughsam
Winner - Senior Piano Playoff Scholarship
Provincial Finals Representative for ARCT Class
ARCT Recital - First
ARCT List A - First
ARCT List C - First
Adam Kulju
Provincial Finals Representative for Grade 10 Class
Grade 10 List B- First
Grade 10 List E - First
Grade 10 List C - First
Own Choice Composition - First
April/May 2015 - Festival Adjudication
Dr. Esch adjudicated Artist Diploma Recitals at the Glenn Gould School for the studio of legendary Irish Pianist John O'Conor, the senior piano classes of the Elmira Kiwanis Music Festival, and the Hamilton Niagara ORMTA Zone competition.
Newmarket Lions Music Festival
Lauren Esch
Provincial Finals Representative in the ARCT Class
Awarded Generous Scholarship
ARCT List E - First
ARCT Duet - First
ARCT List A - Second
ARCT List B - Second
Gregory Vandikas
Awarded Generous Scholaship
ARCT List C - First
ARCT Duet - First
ARCT Prelude and Fugue - First
ARCT List D - First
Enoch Wei
Awarded Generous Scholarship
Grade 10 List E - First
Grade 10 List C - First
Grade 10 Sonata - First
Grade 10 Prelude and Fugue - Second
Harry Tang
Awarded Generous Scholarship
Grade 5 Study - First
Grade 5 List A - Second
Grade 5 List C - Second
Evelyn Esch
Grade 2 List C - First
Grade 2 Studies - Second
Grade 2 List B - Second
April 2014 RCME Piano Examinations
Benjamin Choo - ARCT with First Class Honours and Distinction
Evelyn Esch - Grade 2 with First Class Honours and Distinction
2015 RCM Piano Syllabus
A piece entitled 6 pieces for Piano (a work written for and premiered by Dr. Esch) by the Canadian composer Dr. Robert Rival will appear in the RCME 2015 Piano Syllabus ARCT List E classification.
EMA Student Earns placement in World Famous Music Program.
Charissa Vandikas awarded a full tuition (27K scholarship) to undertake B. Mus Studies at the Glenn Gould School, RCM in the studio of legendary Irish pianist John O'Connor.
2015 Markham Stouffville ORMTA Auditions
Level A (Grade 10 and Above)
Benjamin Choo - First (GTA Zone Finalist)
Lauren Esch - Second
Adam Kulju - Third
Level B (Grade 8-9)
Felix Du - First (GTA Zone Finalist)
Joelle Wong - Second
Sandra Wang - Third
Grade 6-7
Michelle Yu - Second
Grades 3-4-5
Nina Yu - First
Harry Tang - Second
Rachel Yu - Third
Grades 1-2
Evelyn Esch - First
Michelle Yang - Second
Joshua Li - Third
ARCT Duet
Gregory Vandikas/Lauren Esch - First
Markham Stouffville Chapter Recital Participants for the April 11 concert at Steinway Piano Gallery
Sienna Gazmen
Maral Attarzadeh
Johann Muthukumaraswamy
Sarah Ling
Bryan Chen
Tianyi Li
Haotian Li
Kaivan Malekzadeh
Benjamin Choo
Lauren Esch
Adam Kulju
Felix Du
Joelle Wong
Sandra Wang
Michelle Yu
Nina Yu
Harry Tang
Rachel Yu
Evelyn Esch
Michelle Yang
Joshua Li
Gregory Vandikas
Gregory Vandikas/Lauren Esch
March 2015 - Opera York
EMA Faculty Nicole Dubinsky starred as the Queen of the Night in Opera Yorks presentations of Mozart's The Magic Flute
March 2015 - RCME 2015 Piano Syllabus CD releases
Dr. Esch is a heavily featured pianist on the recording series accompanying the release of the new RCME 2015 Piano Syllabus
February 22, 2015 - Toronto Sinfonietta 2015 Concerto Competition
Charissa Vandikas won the senior division and was showcased with the orchestra in a concert at St. Michael's College.
February 2015 Pickering GTA Music Festival
Enoch Leung
Provincial Finals Representative in ARCT Class
ARCT List A - Gold
ARCT List B - Gold/Class Winner
ARCT List E - Gold/Class Winner
Gregory Vandikas
Provincials Finals Representative in ARCT Class
Featured Performer on showcase concert
ARCT List C - Gold/Class Winner
ARCT List E - Gold
Enoch Wei
Provincial Finals Representative in Grade 10 Class
Grade 10 List B - Platinum/Class Winner
Grade 10 List C - Gold
Grade 10 List E - Gold/Class Winner
Felix Du
Provincial Finals Representative in Grade 9 Class
Featured Performer on showcase concert
Grade 9 List A - Gold/Class Winner
Grade 9 List B - Platinum/Class Winner
Grade 9 List C - Gold
Grade 9 List D - Gold
Johann Muthukumaraswamy
Featured Performer on showcase concert
Grade 9 List A - Gold
Grade 9 List B - Gold
Grade 9 List C - Gold
Sandra Wang
Provincial Finals Representative in Grade 8 Class
Featured Performer on showcase concert
Grade 8 List A - Gold/Class Winner
Grade 8 List B - Gold
Grade 8 List C - Gold/Class Winner
Grade 8 List D - Gold
Darren Leung
Provincial Finals Representative in Grade 7 Class
Grade 7 List A - Gold
Grade 7 Concert Group - Gold
Grade 7 List C - Gold
Michelle Yu
Grade 7 Studies - Gold
Grade 7 Recital Class - Gold/Class Winner
Domenic Muthukumaraswamy
Grade 6 List B - Gold
Grade 6 List C - Gold
Rachel Yu
Grade 5 Recital Class - Gold/Class Winner
Michelle Yang
Featured Performer on showcase concert
Best of Grade 1 Class
Grade 1 List A
Grade 1 List B
Grade 1 List C
Grade 1 Studies
March 2015 Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival
Charissa Vandikas
Most Promising Pianist Trophy
Open Recital - Gold
Concert Group - Platinum/Class Winner
February 2015, Pickering Rotary Music Festival
Benjamin Choo
Adjudicators Choice Award
ARCT Concert Group - First
ARCT Etude - First
ARCT Chopin - Second
ARCT Bach - Third
Christopher Choo
Grade 10 Bach - First
Grade 10 List D - Second
Grade 10 Concert Group - Second
January 2015 RCM Examinations
Charissa Vandikas - Licentiate Diploma (First Class Honours with Distinction)
Christopher Choo - Grade 10 (First Class Honours)
Felix Du - Grade 9 - (First Class Honours)
Sandra Wang - Grade 8 (First Class Honours)
Bahar Esfahani - Grade 6 (First Class Honours)
Sophia Joulaei - Grade 6 (First Class Honours)
Lazar Radonjic - Grade 2 (First Class Honours)
November, 2014 Arts Richmond Hill Music Festival
Ivan Hao
Gr 2 LIST B - 1st
Gr 2 Study - 2nd
Serena Hao
Gr 1 LIST A - 3rd
Gr 1 Study - 2nd
October - November ORMTA Young Artist Tour
EMA Student Charissa Vandikas was awarded the 2014 Young Artist Tour Award which included a $1000 scholarship and a 9 concert tour of the Province of Ontario under the auspices of ORMTA. The Markham Stouffville ORMTA chapter and Steinway Piano Gallery co-sponsored the Markham concert.