Canadian pianist Élisabeth Pion has been named Gold Laureate of the 2025 Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, following a final round that showcased her versatility in chamber and orchestral performance.
At 30, Pion impressed the jury with her interpretations of César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14 with the Isidore String Quartet, and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26 with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Elias Grandy. She also participated in a public English-language interview with journalist Katherine Duncan, an integral part of Honens’ distinctive format.
As Gold Laureate, Pion receives $100,000 CAD and a three-year Artist Development Program valued at $500,000 CAD, one of the largest awards of its kind. She also earned the Audience Choice Award ($5,000 CAD). The Silver Laureate, Carter Johnson (Canada), receives $40,000, while the Bronze Laureate, Anastasia Vorotnaya (Russia), receives $20,000.
Each of the seven semifinalists—Ádám Balogh, Elia Cecino, Giorgio Lazzari, Sandro Nebieridze, Chaeyoung Park, Derek Wang and Yuanfan Yang—was awarded $2,500. Vorotnaya additionally received the $5,000 prize for the Best Performance of the Commissioned Work Fracture by Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi.
The final jury included Philippe Bianconi, Jenny Bilfield, Janina Fialkowska, Leila Getz, Anne-Marie McDermott, Roberto Plano and Awadagin Pratt.
“We are honoured to welcome Élisabeth to the Honens family,” said Amanda Smith, President & CEO. “Her integrity and humanistic perspective of what it means to be a Complete Artist are an inspiration.”
Jon Kimura Parker, Artistic Director, added: “All the participants showed passion, insight and sensitivity. We look forward to watching Élisabeth’s career blossom.”
A pianist with an enquiring mind
Born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, and now based in London, Élisabeth Pion leads what she calls an “imaginative and collaborative career.” Recent highlights include her nomination as Révélation Radio-Canada 2024/25, the release of her second album with ATMA Classique (Amadeus et l’Impératrice with Mathieu Lussier and Arion Orchestre Baroque), and a series of prizes at major international competitions in Montréal, Vigo, Blanca Uribe and Rio. A recording of Ravel’s Concerto in G major with the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières and Alain Trudel is planned for 2025.
An active soloist and chamber musician, Pion has appeared with ensembles such as the Orchestre Métropolitain, Edmonton Symphony, Brazilian Symphony, Les Violons du Roy, and the Orchestre Classique de Montréal, performing under conductors including Nicolas Ellis, Alain Trudel, and Andrei Feher. She has given recitals at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and is frequently heard on BBC Radio 3, CBC, and France Musique.
Her artistic curiosity extends beyond the keyboard: she composes for short films, teaches Tai Chi workshops to orchestras and audiences, and co-directs Festival Unisson, an immersive Canadian festival inspired by Marina Abramović’s The Artist is Present. Trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama under Ronan O’Hora, she has also studied with Benedetto Lupo, Ricardo Castro, and worked with mentors such as Imogen Cooper, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Robert Levin.
“Performance,” she says, “is a way of sharing a deep connection with others in real time, enveloped in a heightened sense of consciousness, of transcendence through art.”
The Complete Artist philosophy
Honens defines its laureates as “Complete Artists”—pianists who balance technical mastery with curiosity, imagination, and humanistic awareness. The career program accompanying the prize provides not just engagements in Berlin, London, New York and Toronto, but also mentorship, media training, and recording opportunities to sustain an authentic career in music.
Founded in 1991 by philanthropist Esther Honens, the Calgary-based competition has become one of the world’s leading piano events, known for its artist-centred approach and its focus on artistry over athleticism. Previous laureates include Minsoo Sohn, Pavel Kolesnikov, and Nicolas Namoradze.
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