This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Français (French)
Kristin Hoff
Mezzo-soprano Kristin Hoff is co-founding artistic and general director of Musique 3 Femmes, a Montreal opera company dedicated to creating, developing and producing new opera written by female and non-binary composers and librettists. Hoff is also executive director of Mini-Concerts Santé of Ensemble ArtChoral, a project that delivers music for social and mental health to disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Recent winner of the 2025-2028 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer, Hoff says the award allows her to deepen the impact of her two major co-founded projects. “After years of quiet dedication to building opportunities for singers, composers, librettists, and directors, this recognition feels like both a profound encouragement and an affirmation that collaboration, at its heart, is an art form of its own,” she says.
Meagan Milatz
Pianist Meagan Milatz has performed both nationally—with the Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Sherbrooke and McGill symphonies—and internationally. Milatz recently embarked on a 2025 recital tour of China with cellist Cameron Crozman. Milatz and Crozman collaborate as co-artistic directors of the HausMusique concert series in Montreal in the Grande Salle at Le 9e, Montreal’s landmark Art Deco heritage venue at the top of the Eaton Centre.
This past February, Milatz won the 2025-2028 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer. “Receiving this prize was the biggest honour,” says Milatz. “Not only has it had a major impact on my performing activities, but it has also allowed me to examine my vision as an artist—to really consider my passions, interests and voice.” The prize grants Milatz the opportunity to pursue dream projects such as working on her first solo recording of her nine-album HausMusique contract with ATMA Classique, in a self-created month’s residency in Belgium.
Francis Choinière
Artistic director of the Orchestre Philharmonique et Chœur des Mélomanes (OPCM), Francis Choinière is active as a conductor, composer and concert producer. Choinière is passionate about developing classical music audiences through the presentation of new symphonic programs with film. Choinière achieves this goal in his roles as the principal conductor and co-artistic director of l’Orchestre FILMharmonique and co-founder and president of GFN Productions.
Choinière says winning the 2023-2024 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer was a pivotal step in learning the ropes of philanthropy. “Not only did it provide critical early support for the OPCM’s fundraising efforts,” says Choinière, “but it also elevated the organization’s profile in the cultural scene.” This recognition from Mécénat Musica inspired new and long-term supporters to invest in OPCM and laid the groundwork for sustainable growth.
Nicolas Ellis
Founder and artistic director of the Orchestre de l’Agora, conductor Nicolas Ellis is committed to promoting sustainable social change through initiatives such as presenting Concert-Workshops to incarcerated individuals and offering monthly music lessons and mentorship to children from underprivileged backgrounds. Ellis is also the music director of the Orchestre National de Bretagne and the principal guest conductor of Les Violons du Roy.
Ellis says winning the 2021-2022 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer was a turning point in his career. “The Prix Goyer is not only a source of immediate assistance, but also a springboard for developing philanthropy in the organization in which the recipient is involved,” he says. With the support of Mécénat Musica, other donors were encouraged to contribute to Agora’s perpetuity fund.
Lara Deutsch
Flutist Lara Deutsch is a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She has performed alongside many Canadian orchestras including the NAC Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Deutsch has recorded three chamber music albums on the Leaf Music Label: Origins (2019, Duo Kalysta), Night Light (2022, with Philip Chiu), and Wanderlust (2023, with Adam Cicchillitti).
As the third recipient of the Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer (2019-2020), Deutsch says the prize gave her the financial stability to focus on her own creative projects, particularly her second and third albums. “It also gave me important exposure that led to new collaborations, engagements, and pedagogical opportunities,” says Deutsch. The flutist is certain that even more doors would have opened had the COVID-19 pandemic not begun six months after receiving the prize.
Marc Djokic
Concertmaster of Orchestre Classique de Montréal, Marc Djokic had a successful 2024 year with the orchestra as they received a Juno for their album Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas. The violinist is also the co-director of Art Crush | Ensembl’arts, an organization with the mission of bringing together music, dance and visual arts on stage. Djokic is currently working on his second solo album, Solo Eight.
Djokic was pleasantly surprised at winning the 2017-2018 Prix Goyer. “To be recognized by other people and deemed worthy of a prize was a total boost to my artistic morale,” he says. The prize brought increased visibility to his craft by generating remarkable press coverage. Djokic views this moment as a marker of when his career started to take shape and become what it is today.
Philip Chiu
Pianist Philip Chiu performs extensively as soloist and chamber musician, appearing in most major venues across Canada, as well as in France, Japan and the United States. Chiu has recorded for Warner Music, ATMA Classique, Analekta, Leaf Music and CBC Music. His recent solo album Fables was awarded the 2023 Juno for Best Solo Classical Album.
Inaugural winner of the Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer (2015-2016), Chiu is humbled by the honour. “The collaborative pianist is a role that often lives in the shadows, far from any spotlight, so to have that work acknowledged so thoughtfully was profoundly validating. It’s no exaggeration to say that my pursuit … of more solo, concerto, and chamber work was directly influenced by the recognition of the Prix Goyer,” says Chiu. He notes that his Juno-winning album, in particular, would not have come about without the helping hand of Mécénat Musica—“their encouragement, their faith in my artistic vision and, perhaps most importantly, the gift of time to reflect and grow.”
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Français (French)
