Montreal-based Trio Timia took home first prize on Sunday, April 26 in the 41st edition of Ohio’s Chamber Music in Yellow Springs competition. This competition fosters the development of emerging chamber music ensembles with over 50% of its finalist ensembles still performing today. Trio Timia stands out as the only Canadian ensemble to win in the past five years.
The competition, founded in 1985, is one of the signature programs of the all-volunteer non-profit CMYS. It began with the intention of promoting new groups as performing ensembles, considering it an essential part of sustaining its chamber music concert series.
Competitors perform a 30-minute program of their own choosing, rather than being judged on comparative performances of standard repertoire. CMYS writes on their website: “In this way, we believe we are able to hear our Finalists at their best.”
Following the concert, three judges choose the winners of the $4,000 first prize and the $3,000 second prize. While they decide, attendees vote for the $500 Audience Favorite prize.
At this year’s competition, Trio Caspar, whose members hail from Germany, Greece and the UK, won Second Prize and the Audience Prize.
About Trio Timia
Trio Timia’s members—pianist Itamar Prag, violinist June Lee and cellist François Lamontagne—are all graduates from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. Last year, the ensemble won the Bronze Prize at the 2025 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in Indiana.
Trio Timia developed its voice as the ensemble-in-residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in January 2026. During their residency, Prag, Lee and Lamontagne workshopped their first project: “Second Attempts: Music of Persistence in Exile, Recovery, and Transformation,” featuring a new commissioned work by composer Yejin Kwon.
In the coming year, the trio will compete at the 2026 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition as one of only eight piano trios selected worldwide.
