Ren Lamarche, Violin

Ren Lamarche is a 4th year violin performance major currently attending Wilfrid Laurier University under the tutelage of Jerzy Kaplanek. Ren started playing violin at age 5 and has enjoyed participating in various music festivals such as Music at Port Milford and the Orford Music Academy, as well as the Kingston Kiwanis Music Festival and OMFA Provincial competition. She has also had the opportunity to perform with numerous ensembles, including touring with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in summer of 2024, performing with both the Laurier Symphony Orchestra and the Queens University Orchestra, as well as getting to compete in youth orchestral competitions in both Vienna and Bratislava with the Montreal Suzuki String Orchestra. As a winner of the 2026 Ken Murray Concerto Competition, Ren is honored to be granted the opportunity to perform Ravel's Tzigane with both the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and the Laurier Symphony Orchestra in upcoming concerts.

Phoebe Croteau, Piano

Phoebe Croteau was born in South Korea to a Korean mother and Canadian father. Having begun piano lessons at the age of 5, Phoebe quickly excelled at her instrument and won 1st prize at the Hankook Ilbo Music Competition at the age of 7. That same year, her family moved to Canada where Phoebe continued her piano studies, taking part and garnering top prizes in the OMFA and ORMTA competitions, as well as being a national finalist at the Concours de Musique de Canada. Internationally, Phoebe has performed concerts in a variety of renowned venues across the globe in countries such as the US, Canada, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and so on. She has also participated in various international summer festivals including Oberlin Conservatory’s Summer piano festival, and the Cervo International Summer Academy in Italy, and has worked with distinguished artists such as Veronica Jochum, Tatiana Sarkissova, Leon Mccawley, and Ian Fountain. Phoebe previously studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in the class of Natalia Trull before transferring to Wilfrid Laurier University last year. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance under the tutelage of Anya Alexeyev.

Rachel Rotella, Violin

Rachel is a young violinist from Hamilton, ON. She studied with Paul Barna in high school and currently studies with the Penderecki String Quartet in Waterloo. Rachel was also proficient at other instruments including piano and clarinet but chose violin as her primary focus at 17. Rachel has participated in various festivals including Cascade Peaks Chamberfest, Festival del Lagos, Laurier Quartetfest, and Musicfest Canada. She looks forward to playing with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada this summer.