Emerging Artists
SACMS is excited to be able to offer performance and scholarship opportunities to young local emerging artists. Each concert begins with a performance by an accomplished student musician from the St. Albert area. This gives up-and-coming performers valuable performing experience. Student performers receive an honorarium to encourage them to further their studies in music.
This season we welcome the following Emerging Artists:
Sunday, May 4, 2025 - Clara Knoefel, voice
Clara Knoefel is a 14-year-old singer, pianist, and dancer. She started dancing competitively at three, joined the Cantilon Children’s Chorus at age five, began formal voice lessons at eight, and has been playing piano ever since.
She is currently preparing for her Grade 10 Royal Conservatory of Music piano exam. Over the past seven years, she has performed regularly at the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival and received numerous awards and scholarships. She was featured in the Encore concert last year. She has also competed in voice at the provincial level, earning third, second, and first place awards in various categories, and was recommended for Nationals in both 2023 and 2024. In 2023, she performed the lead role of Edwina in Dear Edwina with Opera Nuova. Outside of performing, she enjoys reading, travelling, and spending time with her family. She is fluent in three languages: French, German and English.
Sunday, March 16, 2025 - Arden Winsor, flute
Arden Winsor, age 15, is a grade 10 student attending Paul Kane High School. She plays in her school’s band and additionally takes private lessons. She has been learning the flute for 4 years. Arden participates annually in the St. Albert Rotary Festival and has been recognized in the woodwinds junior category. Additionally, she has been awarded for the highest mark in the Edmonton region for her flute exam. In her free time, Arden enjoys dance, and baking for her friends and family. She is very excited and honoured to have this opportunity to perform for all of you!
Sunday, February 9, 2025 - Emmanuel Fraser, piano
Emmanuel, age 10, is a grade five student at Elmer S. Gish. He has been playing piano for five years and takes lessons from Cameron Watson at MacEwan University Conservatory of Music. He has performed and been recognized at the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival the last three years. He is also part of the Music Ministry at St. Albert Parish and Holy Family Parish singing and playing during Sunday mass. He enjoys Pokemon and solving Rubik's cubes.
Sunday, November 24, 2024 - Jenny Xu, violin
Jenny Xu is a grade ten student at Paul Kane High School, who moved from Winnipeg to St. Albert in 2023. She has been playing the violin for nearly five years and is currently a first violin in the senior Edmonton Youth Orchestra. A regular attendant of music festivals, Jenny has participated in the Winnipeg Music Festival, the Associated Manitoba Arts Festival, and the St. Albert Rotary Festival. She was recommended to the Manitoba Provincial music festival twice, placing second province-wide in 2022. In 2022 and 2023, Jenny played in the ARMTA scholarship competition, placing first both years. Jenny also plays the piano, trumpet, oboe and enjoys figure skating.
Sunday, October 20, 2024 - Dillan Couillard, cello
Dillan Couillard (17) has been learning and practicing cello for close to 12 years now, ever since he was a kid it has been his dream to be a cellist. This instrument has allowed him to have wonderful experiences within the music world, such as being able to play in the Edmonton Youth Orchestra, and of course, here tonight at the St. Albert Chamber Music Society.