Get To Know the 2026 Concerto Competition Runners-Up

October 1, 2026 | Students, Awards

This year’s Concerto Competition showcased an exciting range of artistry, repertoire and musical perspectives. Joining winner Madison Brecht are runners-up: violinist Kira Gill, vocalist Shelby Scott and pianist Jerry Xiong. From Beethoven to Elgar and Liszt, each brought a distinctive voice and approach to their concerto, and plenty of personality off the stage. Get to know these three talented musicians through a few quick-fire questions about their music, interests and what’s next.

woman holding a violin

In the Spotlight: Meet Kira Gill

Instrument: Violin
Program: Bachelor of Music in Performance, Year 3
Competition repertoire: Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61

Gorgeous, complex and full of octaves! Kira Gill was inspired to take on Beethoven’s Violin Concerto after hearing violinist Kerson Leong perform it with the Victoria Symphony earlier this year. When her teacher, Ann Elliott-Goldschmid, suggested the concerto for the competition, Kira was ecstatic to dive in.

One of her favourite moments comes in the first movement’s second theme, when the solo violin soars through triplets while the orchestra plays the theme in full. Preparing the nearly 45-minute concerto also presented a significant challenge: maintaining the mental stamina to stay focused and communicate her musical ideas throughout the entire performance.

A third-year BMus Performance student at UVic, Kira has studied violin for 16 years and performs as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. She recently won first prize in the Canadian Music Competition National Finals and spent the summer touring with and leading the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

 

Kira’s Quick Picks
  • Practice fuel: Bananas
  • Currently listening to: Fool in the Rain by Led Zeppelin
  • Favourite hobby: Biking
  • Favourite Victoria spots: The Royal Theatre, or anywhere near the ocean
  • Looking ahead: Learning more amazing repertoire, meeting new people and enjoying many future performance opportunities!

In the Spotlight: Meet Shelby Scott

Instrument: Voice
Program: Master of Music in Staged Voice, Year 2
Competition repertoire: Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Op. 37

Expressive, expansive and buoyant—three words Shelby uses to describe Elgar’s Sea Pictures, a song cycle that captivated her with its sweeping dynamics and contrasting, dance-like passages. One of her favourite moments comes in Sabbath Morning at Sea, where a quiet, somber passage gives way to a powerful build toward the end.

Preparing the work challenged Shelby to develop the vocal stamina needed to sustain its length and intensity, carefully pacing her energy to bring the final song, The Swimmer, to life.

Originally from Hampton, New Brunswick, Shelby is a second-year graduate student studying with Anne Grimm. She performs as a choral scholar at Christ Church Cathedral and sings in the chorus of Pacific Opera Victoria. Recent highlights include singing Dido in UVic Collegium’s production of Dido and Aeneas and participating in the Orford Music Academy and St. Andrews Summer Opera Intensive.

 

Shelby’s Quick Picks
  • Practice fuel: Loads of coffee and tea
  • Currently listening to: Most of the Time by Jackie Evans
  • New hobby: Knitting!
  • Favourite Victoria spot: Mount Douglas
  • Looking ahead: Another year of learning at UVic, exploring Victoria and diving into new musical adventures.

In the Spotlight: Meet Jerry Xiong

Instrument: Piano
Program: Master of Music in Performance, Year 2
Competition repertoire: Liszt’s Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra, S.126

Cataclysmic, dark and triumphant—three words that capture Jerry Xiong’s take on Liszt’s Totentanz. The Chinese-Canadian pianist was drawn to the work’s exploration of death in all its complexities, as well as its dramatic character and extravagant musical writing.

One moment he particularly loves comes in the fourth variation, where the music seems to glitter with a kind of hysteria before an abrupt interruption pulls it back into the work’s dramatically demonic character.

Preparing Totentanz pushed Jerry outside his usual musical comfort zone. Finding the right character and connecting deeply with the work’s themes became one of his biggest challenges, ultimately shaping his interpretation of this intensely expressive piece.

Jerry holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from UVic and is currently pursuing his Master of Music under Arthur Rowe. He has earned his ARCT diploma with first-class honours, won multiple first prizes at the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival, and further developed his artistry through study and performance in Europe.

 

Jerry’s Quick Picks
  • Practice fuel: Coffee
  • Currently listening to: Gareth T
  • Favourite hobby: Hiking
  • Favourite campus spot: Finnerty Gardens
  • Looking ahead: Performing his graduating recital and bringing more of his musical ideas and interpretations to the stage.

Congratulations to the 2026 winner, runners up and all of the Concerto Competition finalists!

UVic’s 2027 Concerto Competition will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 11 in the Phillip T. Young Recital Hall. Admission is by donation. All are invited to attend.