Two young musicians from New Brunswick are striking a national chord this summer.
Xavier Belanger of Edmundston and Emilie Duncan of Moncton have been selected to join the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC), earning spots in one of the country’s most competitive music programs. Chosen from a pool of more than 500 applicants, just 90 musicians were accepted nationwide.
CEO of the NYOC, Christie Gray, says, “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.”
Their selection marks a significant milestone—not only for the two performers, but also for Sistema, New Brunswick. It’s the first time the program has seen participants reach this level, highlighting the growing impact of youth music education in the province.
The two will join fellow NYO musicians at Sir Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in June to start their five-week summer training institute followed by a three-week tour of iconic Canadian performance venues.
“Alumni consistently describe their NYO summer as one of the most formative experiences of their lives,” Gray says. “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.”
