Canadian violist EMAD ZOLFAGHARI came to international attention after winning the first prize and audience prize at the 2024 Primrose International Viola Competition. Emad was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at age 16, where he currently studies with Hsin-Yun Huang. Other major competition prizes include winning the Klein, ArsClassica, Morningside Music Bridge, Johansen, Tokyo and the OSM international competitions. He also was awarded Charlotte White’s Salon de Virtuosi Career grant in 2024, and was listed as one of CBC Music’s 30 under 30 Hot Classical Musicians.
Solo appearances include the Tokyo Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre Métropolitain, National Philharmonic, Oakville Chamber Orchestra, Peninsula Symphony and more.
Emad currently plays on a fine 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola on generous loan from the
Rachel Barton Pine Foundation, and a Eugène Sartory bow from CANIMEX, inc. His studies
are generously supported by a Sylva Gelber Foundation award