Salmon Arm’s Aria and Jaeden Izik-Dzurko have brought home the gold.
The siblings earned three gold medals representing the Shuswap and Okanagan at the Performing Arts B.C. Provincials in Powell River.
Aria was chosen as the top performer in both the Junior Piano Concert class and the Intermediate Canadian Composer class.
Aria was elevated to the intermediate level because she won the Junior Canadian at last year’s provincials.
“It was interesting watching her do ballet at the piano,” says mom Patricia, of her daughter’s graceful playing.
Also a talented dancer, Aria is off to a three-week intensive with the Canadian Ballet School in Kelowna this summer.
Back at Provincials, Jaeden was a runner-up in the National Canadian Composer class and earned the top spot in the National Piano Concert class.
The win qualifies him to represent B.C. this August at the 2015 National Music Festival being held in Edmonton.
Jaeden was also awarded the Linda Stobbe Memorial Scholarship for his performances.
As the National class winner, he will also be on the program for a future concert with the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra.
For the third time, the talented young pianist successfully auditioned with the internationally renowned “Morningside Music Bridge” in Calgary, a prestigious summer classical music training program for advanced students from around the world.
A Salmon Arm Secondary teacher, Patricia preaches dedication.
“My fall back is that talented is overrated and there’s no way to get there without hard work,” she says. “That’s a little saying around our house.”
Jaeden will share his talent in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 5 at First United Church featuring music by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Shostakovich.
