Press Release
For Immediate Release
Montreal, 26 August —The Jeunesses Musicales Canada Foundation is proud to announce the finalists of the 2025 Peter Mendell Prize, a special edition marking the 20th anniversary of the Prize.
This 20th edition holds particular significance: for the first time, the prize has taken on a pan-Canadian scope, bringing together young musicians from across the country. Candidates from coast to coast answered the call for this anniversary edition. To commemorate these two decades and celebrate this milestone in style, the Foundation will award an exceptional $20,000 scholarship to this year’s laureate.
The 20th edition finalists are:
- Félix Nunes — cello
Student of Yegor Dyachkov at Université de Montréal
- Anna Stube — violin
Student of Jonathan Crow at The Glenn Gould School, The Royal Conservatory of Music
- Zhi Hao (Joseph) Tsao — violin
Student of Andrew Wan at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music
Meet the Finalists
Félix Nunes — cello
Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Félix explores new possibilities for the cello, notably through the imitation and evocation of other instruments. He is a prizewinner of several competitions, including the Safran Competition (Paris), the Canada Music Competition, and the Université de Montréal Concerto Competition.
Anna Stube — violin
Anna was the youngest winner of the OSM Competition in 2019, making her solo debut with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 13. Featured on CBC Music’s “30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30” list, Anna has been a guest artist at the 2025 Toronto Summer Music Festival, the Banff International String Quartet Festival, and the Rockport Chamber Music Festival.
Zhi Hao (Joseph) Tsao
A recipient of the prestigious Ethel Jamieson Ivey Scholarship, he recently served as Concertmaster of the McGill Symphony Orchestra in a performance at the Maison Symphonique and was a finalist in the 2024–25 McGill Concerto Competition and Chamber Music Competition.
Joseph has participated in the Aspen Music Festival, the Encore Chamber Music Festival, and Orford Music, where he has had numerous opportunities to work with distinguished artists such as Jinjoo Cho, Paul Kantor, and Kathleen Winkler.
The winner will be announced at the public final round, to be held on September 28, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Joseph-Rouleau Hall at the André-Bourbeau JMC House.
Since its creation in 2005, the Peter Mendell Prize has supported the excellence and growth of young Canadian classical musicians, offering them a unique platform to shine and gain national recognition.
