2026 Arnold Draper Award Winners Announced!
Alexandrina Thiessen, Voice
Alexandrina Thiessen has been studying music since she was 7, and singing classically since she was 12. Her passions include piano, music theory, composition, and most importantly, voice. Outside of music, she enjoys writing, reading, paddleboarding and hiking. Alex has been a member of Candesca as well as a student voice teacher at the Vernon Community Music School for the last 4 years. One of her favourite experiences was performing the Mozart Solemn Vespers with Candesca at Carnegie Hall in a chorus of 100! In the fall, she will be attending the University of Manitoba to further her studies in voice, music, and performance.
Peter Meyrick, Violin
Violinist and Violist Peter Meyrick grew up in Kelowna studying with John Suderman, and is currently under Ann Elliott-Goldschmidt and Joanna Hood at the University of Victoria. A passionate chamber musician, Peter believes in using music to connect performers and audiences. After graduation, he hopes to teach and play chamber music professionally.
Serafim Spekhalskiy, Piano
Serafim will be attending UBC starting in September of this year for a Bachelor of Music with a major in General Studies; he is hoping to transfer or re-audition for the Composition major. Serafim has been playing piano for twelve years and is very excited to dedicate himself to music.
