Age: 20
“I enjoy all the possibilities of repertoire that I can play with the violin. There are of course incredible concertos and sonatas written for the instrument, but also string quartets that broaden your mind in a totally different manner. The violin opens so many doors to virtuosity and collaboration!”
From Orléans, Ontario, Justin Saulnier started playing the violin at the age of four and is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree with full scholarship under Andrew Wan, at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University.
Justin has received numerous awards, notably, first prizes at the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition and the Golden Violin Competition from McGill University, a Michael-Measures First Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts, and second prizes at the Concours OSM and during the Shean Strings Competition, among others. He also won the François Schubert Grand Prize at the OMNI Music Competition, and was a finalist at the London Classic Violin Competition in 2024.
Justin made his orchestral solo debut at age 12 with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra and has since performed with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the McGill Symphony Orchestra, the Pembroke Symphony Orchestra, and the Sinfonia de Montréal, having worked with prominent conductors including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Tomáš Netopil, and Alexis Hauser.
When he was 17, Justin had the opportunity to work with Sascha Goetzel, Guest Conductor of the Concours 2026, with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. “It was one of my first experiences at a summer program, and Maestro Goetzel had a great impact on my musical training. I do hope that I get the chance to work with him once more during the Concours, at the Maison symphonique!”
Justin plays a 1680 Ruggeri violin from Cremona, and a Louis Gillet bow, generously loaned to him by Canimex Inc. (Drummondville, Québec).
Contact us to sponsor a competitor:
fondation@concoursmontreal.ca
