Elgar - Cello Concerto (movement 4) (Ryan Lin, cello)
Yellow River Piano Concerto (movements 2 and 4) (Sophia Ran, piano)
Based on Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Cantata
Arranged by Yin Chengzong et al.
Brahms - Violin Concerto (Oliver Xu, violin)
Rafael Luz Conductor
Our Youth Concerto Competition Winners concert features a selection of masterworks performed with enthusiasm, passion and precision. Experience the profound emotional depth of the fourth movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, a piece renowned for its poignant beauty and technical demand.
Journey through the evocative landscapes of the Yellow River Piano Concerto, featuring the lyrical second and triumphant fourth movements.
The program culminates with the monumental Brahms Violin Concerto, a pinnacle of the repertoire. Witness the dawn of brilliant careers in this inspiring celebration of musical excellence.
7:30pm Saturday January 30, 2027
Eglinton St George's United Church, 35 Lytton Boulevard, Toronto
Reserved best seats - $45
Unreserved - $35 regular, $30 senior, $20 under 30, $10 under 13
Oliver (Zihuan) Xu, a 17-year-old violinist began playing at age six and currently studies under Marko Dreher. He was accepted into the RCM Phil and Eli Taylor Academy in 2021 and has participated in masterclasses with renowned violinists including Ida Kavafian, Gwen Hoebig, Mimi Zweig, Sibbi Bernhardsson, Martin Beaver, and William Van der Sloot.
In 2026, Oliver won the York Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and received second prize at the Oakville Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition.
In 2025, Oliver received third prize in the Canadian Music Competition age 15-18 Strings category, where he was invited to attend the Gathering with the Stars 2025 after winning first prize in the provincial category. In the same year, he won third prize and the Fondation Tonetti Award at the Geneva Junior Music Competition.
In 2023, he secured first prizes in the Canadian Music Competition and the Phil and Eli Taylor Academy Concerto Competition, alongside multiple awards at local music festivals.
Oliver recently received the Oakville Chamber Orchestra Youth Engagement Scholarship for the third year in a row, joining the orchestra for the 2026-27 season after previously playing in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 season. In addition to this, he was also a member of the Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra, from 2024-26. Oliver spent the summer of 2024 at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, studying under Nelson Lee.
Oliver is also the violinist of the Inicio Trio. In 2025, they won first prize in the age 15-18 chamber category of the Canadian Music Competition. They also received third prize at the Geneva Junior Music Competition. Additionally, they placed first in the OMFA Provincial Finals as well as in local festivals. In 2023, they won first prize in the age 15 chamber music group in the Canadian Music Competition, various awards in the Peel and Kiwanis music festivals, and the OMFA Provincial Finals.
In addition to music, Oliver enjoys reading, photography, travelling, and math.
Xinyi (Sophia) Ran began her musical journey at the age of five. She currently studies piano and voice under the guidance of Dr. Michael Berkovsky and Dr. Charlene Pauls, respectively. Sophia holds both ARCT and LRCM diplomas in Piano Performance from RCM.
An accomplished pianist and vocalist, Sophia has received numerous top prizes, grand awards, and scholarships Sophia has received numerous top prizes, grand awards, and scholarships at music festivals and competitions across Canada and internationally. Her distinctions include the Rose Bowl Award at the Peel Music Festival, the Livingston/Fair Memorial Scholarship at the Hamilton Music Festival, the Clara Bookbinder Memorial Scholarship at the Guelph Kiwanis Music Festival, top awards at the CCC Toronto International Music Festival and the International Music Festival and Competition (IMFC), multiple awards at the OMFA Provincial Finals for five consecutive years, First Place in the Piano Category at the 2026 Canadian Music Competition (CMC) National Finals, and the youngest pianist among the six National Emerging Artist Finalists at the 2023 Federation of Canadian Music Festivals (FCMF). Internationally, she received the Platinum Prize and Outstanding Technique Special Award at the Schubert International Music Competition, First Place and a scholarship at the 2026 IPPA International Piano Competition, as well as Second Prize at the 2026 WPTA Austria International Piano Competition.
Sophia has performed at numerous venues across Canada and China, including the Rose Theatre Brampton, Living Arts Centre Mississauga, Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing Music Theatre, and Zhongshan Concert Hall. In 2024, she presented a solo piano recital in Toronto.
In April 2025, she performed Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor with the Burlington New Millennium Orchestra. She will appear as piano soloist with the Seohan Orchestra in the fall of 2026. In January 2027, she will make her debut with the North York Concert Orchestra, performing the iconic Yellow River Piano Concerto.
In recognition of her artistic achievements and community contributions, Sophia received the 2025 Youth Artist Award from the Town of Oakville and performed at the award ceremony at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.
Beyond piano and voice, Sophia is a versatile performer who also plays oboe in her school band and is frequently invited to participate in cultural and community events as a pianist, vocalist, dancer, master of ceremonies, and event organizer.
Outside of music, Sophia has demonstrated excellence in debate and writing. She is a multiple-time debate champion and an award-winning speaker at provincial, national, and international tournaments, including being a semi-finalist at the Harvard British Parliamentary Debate Tournament. Her writing has been published by the Toronto Public Library’s Young Voices magazine and Polar Expressions Publishing, and she has delivered speeches at public literary events celebrating young authors.
Ryan Yin began studying piano at the age of five with Dr. Olga Chichova and cello at six with Caron Allen. A passionate young musician, he takes great pleasure in performing and sharing his love of music with others.
Ryan studies cello at The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists at The Royal Conservatory of Music, where his private teacher is David Hetherington. In addition to solo cello performance, he enjoys chamber music and composition.
At the 2023 Canadian Music Competition National Final, Ryan received scholarships and won first place in the Chamber Group category for age 15, second place in Strings for age 11, and third place in Piano for age 11. At the 2025 OMFA Provincial Finals, he won first place in Lower Strings (ARCT level) and first place in the Senior Chamber Group category. Later that year, Ryan and the Sacora Trio won the Grand Prize in the 11–14 age group at the Canadian Music Competition National Final, where Ryan also earned second place in the 11–14 Strings category for his solo cello performance.
Eglinton St. George's United Church
35 Lytton Boulevard
Toronto, ON
Parking
Street parking is available in the neighbourhood - please see this Parking Map.
There is a Green P parking lot at 6 Sherwood Avenue (550m).
Limited on-site accessible parking available only by prior arrangement.
TTC
The nearest TTC station is Eglinton station on Line 1. TTC buses go from Eglinton station north on Yonge Street. To reach the church, exit the bus at Lytton Boulevard and walk one block west on Lytton.
Scent Free Venue
To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, we kindly ask that guests refrain from wearing scented products such as perfumes, colognes, or scented lotions. Some of our attendees may have sensitivities or allergies, and we appreciate your efforts towards creating a comfortable, scent-free environment.
Seating
The auditorium will open 45 minutes before the performance.
This concert will have both reserved and unreserved seating.
In addition to on-line purchase, tickets will be available at the door from 1 hour before the performance.
