2023 Young Artist Concert Tour
Friday, June 23, 2023 at 7:30pm
Ascension Lutheran Church
8405 83 Street, Edmonton
Erich Herchen, piano
Erich Herchen started his piano studies at 3 years of age in 2008 and is currently studying with Mrs. Colleen Athparia. In Bogota, Colombia, age 12, he performed his concert debut featuring works by Albeniz and Chopin and, in collaborating with one of Colombia’s top sopranos, songs by de Falla. Erich was awarded first class Honours with Distinction for his ARCT piano diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2019 and completed his Licentiate (LRCM) in 2021. He has won or placed top 3 in a number of competitions including the national Canadian Music Competition, Calgary Performing Arts Festival, as well as the North West International Piano Ensemble Competition where he placed 1st in the duo-piano category. He has also performed solo recitals, including fundraising concerts for charity. In the fall of 2023, Erich is enrolled to begin studies in both Engineering and Music Performance at the University of Calgary.
History
The Alberta Young Artist Competition and Tour is a project of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations. The competition is open to pianists, singers and instrumentalists who are studying with a Registered Music Teacher and who are residents of Alberta or are studying in the Albertan region. A biennial event, the Competition for the Alberta Region takes place in early spring, with the Tour in late spring.
The Young Artist Series was initiated in 1942 under the direction of Saskatchewan music educator Dr. Lyell Gustin, in order to give talented young performers an opportunity to gain concert tour experience. The Young Artist Series now operates in five regions of Canada: Atlantic, Ontario, Western, British Columbia, Alberta.
Many Young Artist soloists, who had their first major concert experience through the Series, have gone on to make careers in music. Our Alberta Young Artist winners have included:
2009 Wesley Chiu, piano
2011 Quinn Gomez, piano
2013 Peter Krejcar, piano
2015 Allison Hillier, piano
2017 Louisa Lu, piano
2019 Jessica Yuma, piano
2019 Glynnis McCrostie, voice
2021 Jerry Li, piano
For more information on the Young Artist Series please visit www.cfmta.org
