2021 First-Prize Winner: Aaron Tan
Aaron Tan is a Canadian organist, engineer, and pianist. He has won numerous noteworthy contests and scholarships on both instruments including First Prize at the 2021 Canadian International Organ Competition as well as First Prize and Audience Prize at the prestigious AGO National Young Artists (NYACOP) competition in 2018. Other competition prizes and awards include the Toronto RCCO Young Organists Competition, the Osborne Organ Competition of the Summer Institute of Church Music (Ontario), the RCCO’s National Organ Playing Competition, the Charlotte Hoyt Bagnall Scholarship for Church Musicians, the Lilian Forsyth Scholarship, the West Chester University Organ Competition, the Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition, the Sursa American Organ Competition, and the XVI Poland International Piano Festival Competition. His primary musical tutelage has been with John Tuttle, David Palmer and Joel Hastings.
Mr. Tan studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York and has served as Organ Scholar at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Detroit, Michigan, Artist in Residence at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit, Assistant Organist at Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and Organ Scholar at the Church of the Resurrection, New York City. He is currently Director of Music at St. Alban’s Catholic Church in Rochester, New York.
Aaron also holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Michigan and worked there as a postdoctoral researcher after earning his degree, studying polymer thin films.
More information about Aaron’s musical interests and activities can be found at www.AaronTan.org.
Other 2021 CIOC Winners:
- 2nd Prize: Ben Bloor, United Kingdom
- 3rd Prize (ex-aequo): Bryan Anderson, United-States
- 3rd Prize (ex-aequo): Tyler Boehmer, Canada
- Raymond-Daveluy RCCO Prize: Aaron Tan, Canada
- Quarter-Final Round Audience Prize: Anastasia Stahl, Russia
- Richard-Bradshaw Audience Prize: Anastasia Stahl, Russia
- Louis-Robilliard Prize: Bryan Anderson
- Marcel-Dupré Prize: Aaron Tan
- Noël-Spinelli Prize: Ben Bloor, United Kingdom
2021 International Jury:
Jean-Willy Kunz, President of the Jury (Canada / France)
Martin Baker (United Kingdom)
Isabelle Demers (Canada)
Rachel Laurin (Canada)
William Porter (USA)
Louis Robilliard (France)
Helga Schauerte-Maubouet (Germany / France)
Dong-ill Shin (South Korea)
Patricia Wright (Canada)