News

Sistema NB graduates among the youngest musicians selected for Canada’s premier music training institute summer program.

MONCTON, N.B.: APRIL 20, 2026: Two exceptional New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO) musicians will study this summer among the most talented young musicians in the country at the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) of Canada.

Xavier Belanger from Edmundston and Emilie Duncan from Moncton were among 500 musicians who auditioned for one of 90 National Youth Orchestra spots. Kenn Mainville, NBYO President and CEO, said exceptional achievements are the ‘raison d'être’ for Sistema NB and the NBYO.

“Our goal is to create a real pathway in which young people grow through discipline, opportunity, and musical excellence to the point where they can compete and succeed on a national stage,” Mainville said. 

Belanger and Duncan are the first Sistema NB participants accepted into the NYO. Christie Gray, CEO of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, called the selections “exciting news for New Brunswick.”  

“NYO Canada receives nearly 500 audition submissions each year for approximately 90 spots, making it one of the most competitive classical music programs in the country. Xavier and Emilie clearly demonstrated exceptional musicianship and artistic promise. At 16, both are among the youngest musicians selected to the orchestra this season, a remarkable achievement that speaks to the quality of the training they have received, including from their teachers Marie-Claude Tardiff and Lucía Rodriguez, who deserve real credit for bringing them to this level,” Gray said.

NYO Canada draws together the most talented young classical musicians from every corner of the country. 

“Xavier and Emilie's journey to NYO began with the NBYO. I have a deep personal connection to the El Sistema movement, having served as Executive Director of Sistema Toronto for seven years and continuing to serve on the boards of both Sistema Toronto and Sistema Canada. I know it takes years of sustained, high-quality programming to develop musicians to this level. The NBYO should be incredibly proud. This appointment is the result of their work as much as anything else,” Gray said.

Xavier and Emilie will join fellow NYO musicians Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON in June for a five-week summer training institute followed by a three-week tour. Participants receive individual, sectional, chamber, and orchestral instruction, including masterclasses and workshops. The summer concludes with a tour of iconic Canadian performance venues. Sponsors and donors pay for all expenses, with each orchestra member receiving a personal scholarship.

“Alumni consistently describe their NYO summer as one of the most formative experiences of their lives. They arrive as talented individuals and leave as part of a national community of peers and mentors they will work alongside throughout their entire careers. The relationships formed at NYO often last a lifetime,” Gray said. “One in three Canadian orchestral positions is filled by an NYO Canada alumnus. Our graduates also go on to careers in medicine, law, business, and STEM fields -- disciplines that value the discipline, creativity, and collaborative thinking that serious musical training develops. For Xavier and Emilie, NYO Canada opens doors to mentors, professional networks, and opportunities that will shape whatever path they choose.”

Maestro Tony Delgado, NBYO conductor and music director, said it is gratifying to see Sistema NB and NBYO musicians succeed on a national and international level. 

“It also speaks loudly about our team of teaching artists and the work they do with our students and their wisdom and dedication,” Delgado said. “This will inspire others to pursue this and other achievements, to continue their development and hopefully we’ll see a growing appreciation for our talented youth here in New Brunswick.”

Lucía Rodriguez, Sistema NB Moncton violin teaching artist, said Emilie will be a valuable asset for the youth orchestra. 

“She is extremely talented, but she has always put in the time,” Rodriguez said. “I think her love for classical music and the violin has been the motivation for all her hard work. She always shows up prepared and has never stopped being humble. She never underestimates a piece of music or a project and always strives for excellence. That attitude has really made a difference and makes her stand out.” 

Rodriguez said Emilie has led by example for many years, with younger students looking up to her. Peers respect and celebrate her achievements like she celebrates other student’s achievements. 

Sebastien Sirios, Sistema NB Edmundston Centre Director, has watched Xavier Belanger master the double bass, considered one of the most difficult musical instruments to perform. 

“One of the biggest challenges with the double bass is its physical demands—the size of the instrument, the navigation around it, and the strength required to produce sound without creating tension. Xavier approached all of this with focus,” Sirois said. “His hard work paid off when he won first place in his category among all string players at the provincial New Brunswick Music Festival. He was then accepted into the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra through audition and graduated from the Sistema program.”

Sirois said Xavier’s musicianship, awards, and experience playing with the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra—including tours to New York, Japan, Montreal, and Toronto—have made a strong impression on the younger students at Sistema NB’s Edmundston classes.

“The younger students certainly look up to him and are impressed by his trajectory. Xavier’s success brings visibility to the Sistema NB program, both locally and beyond,” Sirois said. “He shows that a student from a small community in New Brunswick can reach a national level with consistency. That kind of example is incredibly powerful for our students and our community.”

Mainville said the NYO selections will also inspire volunteers and patrons to continue supporting the program. 

“Achievements like this matter to volunteers and patrons because they show, in a very concrete way, what their support helps make possible. People give their time, advocacy, and financial support because they believe young people in New Brunswick deserve opportunity, high expectations, and a pathway to something bigger,” he said.