This year’s UVic Concerto Competition celebrates exceptional musicians whose talents span genres, generations, and geographies. The competition finals were held in April 2025 and we can’t wait to hear them perform their winning concertos with the UVic Symphony Orchestra and UVic Wind Symphony in our 2025-26 concert season. Congratulations go out to School of Music students Tamsyn Klazek-Schryer, Olivia Pryce-Digby and Ethan Page!
Tamsyn Klazek-Schryer
Violinist Tamsyn Klazek-Schryer is a vibrant and versatile artist whose musical life bridges classical performance, traditional fiddle, jazz vocals, and even silver jewelry design. Currently completing her degree in violin performance under the guidance of Ann Elliott-Goldschmid, Tamsyn brings her creative spirit to every note.
Before coming to UVic, Tamsyn studied at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music and has received numerous accolades, including awards from the GVYO, Musicians Performance Trust Fund, and Early Music Vancouver. She’s participated in prestigious programs such as PRISMA, Quartet Fest West, and Victoria Baroque, and was invited to the 2024 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition in Whitehorse.
A Playful Mozart with Serious Demands
Tamsyn won the competition with Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major which she will perform with the UVic Symphony Orchestra on November 1. “I love the playfulness in Mozart’s writing,” says Tamsyn. “He was only 19 when he wrote this concerto, and you can hear his youthful spirit in every phrase. It’s a very joyful experience to perform.”
Despite its cheerful nature, the piece demands incredible finesse. “The precision required to play any Mozart concerto is always a challenging ambition. It took a lot of careful study to bring it to life. There were no answers in the ink. With the guidance of my instructor, I had to figure out how to bring meaning to the music,” she says. “I composed all my own cadenzas for the performance, which pushed my creativity even further.”
Blending Traditions, Finding Her Own Voice
At UVic, Tamsyn has found a space that nurtures artistic freedom and cross-disciplinary exploration. “I used to think classical music was about finding one ‘correct’ sound. UVic has shown me that our unique voice on our instrument is just as important. There’s deep value in blending tradition with self-expression.”
Beyond classical music, Tamsyn performs with Celtic group Aràen and folk group The Four Folks, and shares her handmade jewelry through Juliet Creatives.
On her playlist: Djaliya by Ablaye Cissoko, Hideous Towns by The Sundays, Finn’s Rescue by The Foreign Landers.
Watch her perform here or follow her creative worlds on Instagram: @araen.theband, @thefourfolks , @julietcreatives
Olivia Pryce-Digby
Whether singing in cathedrals, Off-Broadway productions, or multidisciplinary operatic showcases, soprano Olivia Pryce-Digby is a storyteller at heart. A fourth-year voice student studying with Benjamin Butterfield, Olivia brings a deep emotional sensibility to her performances, grounded in both classical training and creative curiosity.
Olivia has worked with some of Canada’s top vocal ensembles, including the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Vox Humana, and That Choir, and serves as a choral scholar at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria. Her theatrical experience includes featured roles in The Little Mermaid and Fearless, as well as a collaboration with South African dancer Gregory Maqoma in Broken Chord. Olivia also recently created March Madness, a bold, multidisciplinary work reclaiming the narrative of the “hysterical woman” through operatic performance.
Finding Depth in Barber’s Knoxville
Olivia will be performing Knoxville: Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber with the UVic Symphony Orchestra on November 28.
“I still remember the first time I heard this piece — it was enchanting and emotional from start to finish,” Olivia says of Barber’s Knoxville. “The poem is a love letter to family, to home, to the magic of the everyday. It may simultaneously break your heart and heal something deep within.”
With its lyrical complexity and emotional nuance, the work is both technically demanding and richly expressive. “My biggest challenge has been managing my breath efficiently while maintaining the effortless storytelling quality that the piece demands,” she says. “Working in small sections and using breathing exercises has been my strategy.”
Olivia came to UVic after encouragement from Professor Butterfield and says her time here has reshaped her understanding of music. “I thought I knew a lot before, but I was just scratching the surface. UVic has fostered a deep curiosity and a love of detail that will stay with me forever.”
As she prepares to graduate, Olivia is aiming for graduate studies and a future in opera and oratorio, with a growing interest in teaching and mentorship.
On her playlist: Everything from medieval troubadour dances to Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder — and she was one of the top 0.01% Mozart listeners in 2024!
Follow her journey on Instagram: @livprycedig
Ethan Page
Percussionist Ethan Page is in his fifth year of Music Performance at UVic, where he is a 4-year Entrance Scholarship recipient and a leader across ensembles. As section leader in both the Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra, Ethan plays an impressive range of instruments — from timpani and snare drum to vibraphone and marimba (his personal favourite). He has performed widely in Victoria’s music community with the Canadian College of Performing Arts, Ensemble Laude, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra.
A Rare and Radiant Marimba Voice
Ethan chose Séjourné’s Concerto for Marimba and Strings for its rare combination of neo-romantic lyricism and virtuosic brilliance. He will perform the piece with the UVic Wind Symphony on March 27.
“There aren’t many pieces like this in the marimba repertoire. I love how dynamic and colourful it is — from the melancholic and cathartic first movement to the energetic, lively second movement,” describes Ethan.
Though captivating, the concerto comes with technical hurdles. “The eleven-tuplet runs were especially tricky,” Ethan explains. “I spent many hours practicing slowly with a metronome and I’ve gotten to the point where I’m fairly comfortable with those sections now.”
Studying at UVic has been transformative for Ethan, expanding his percussive horizons beyond drum kit to mallet instruments and chamber repertoire. “Seeing my professor and peers play marimba with four mallets inspired me immediately. With my instructor, Aaron Mattock’s guidance, I’ve developed a work ethic and technique I never thought possible.”
Looking ahead, Ethan plans to continue performing and collaborating in Victoria while also pursuing a second degree in Computer Science.
All 3 concerts will take place in the Farqhar at UVic. Tickets are available through the UVic Ticket Centre and at the door. UVic students with a valid ONECard can attend for free, and special ticket pricing is available for school groups.