Eric Guo, Zane Mallett, Jonathan Alter and Sabina Sandvoss Win the 2024-25 Robert W. and G. Ann Corc

Students from The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School (GGS) competed in the final round of the annual Robert W. and G. Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition in Koerner Hall on January 22, 2025. The finalists each received a $2,000 cash prize and an invaluable opportunity to perform as a soloist during the 2025-26 Royal Conservatory Orchestra concert season. 

After a preliminary round of performances that included 34 students, and a semi-final round of six students, there were four finalists in this year’s competition:  
 

• Jonathan Alter, BMus ‘27, piano | Studio of John O’Conor and Michael Berkovsky
• Eric Guo, ADP ‘26, piano | Studio of John Perry and James Anagnoson
• Zane Mallett, ADP ‘25, harp | Studio of Judy Loman
• Sabina Sandvoss, BMus ’25, cello | Studio of Hans Jørgen Jensen and Andrés Diaz

Eric Guo, a piano student in the Artist Diploma Program, won the prestigious Corcoran Grand Prize of $5,000 presented to him last night by Mr. Robert Corcoran. Mr. Guo played Piano Concerto in F minor, Op. 21 (1829) by Frédéric Chopin with GGS faculty member, Benjamin Smith.

“The Corcoran Concerto Competition is one of the defining opportunities every year for our students and our school,” said James Anagnoson, Dean of The Glenn Gould School. “The incredible promise of GGS can be encapsulated in this week-long event where students compete for the chance to perform in Koerner Hall as soloist with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in the 25-26 season. It is thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, Robert and his late wife Ann Corcoran, that has made this annual competition such an amazing learning and growth opportunity for our students.”


A panel of internationally acclaimed musicians adjudicated all rounds of the event. The Finalist judges included violinist and music innovator, Nicholas Kitchen;  GGS alumna, acclaimed soprano and Fellow of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, Lucy Fitz Gibbon; pianist and curator Pedja Mužijević, clarinetist, educator and three-time Grammy nominee, Todd Palmer.

Watch the Finals