Rising Stars Canmore-Sedona

“Tonally, technically, and musically superb,” Luka Coetzee (b. 2004) “plays sublimely, with an interpretative grasp [and] phenomenal musicianship [that] should on no account be missed” (Fanfare Magazine). Since her professional debut at age 11, Luka has appeared as soloist with orchestras worldwide including the Helsinki Philharmonic, Lahti Symphony, Cape Town Philharmonic, National Philharmonic, Stuttgart Chamber, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Hradec Kralove Philharmonic, National Orchestre de Cannes, and more.

Luka received First Prize in 7th International Paulo Cello Competition, the Pablo Casals International Award, and the 2022 Johansen International Competition in Washington, DC. As a member of the Echo Klassik-nominated LGT Young Soloists, Luka’s critically acclaimed Naxos recording of the Beethoven A Major Cello Sonata was No. 1 on the Apple Music Classical Video Charts in more than 40 countries.

Luka Coetzee is represented worldwide by Sheldon Artists. She plays on a Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andrea’ cello, c. 1712-15, with a bow by François Nicolas Voirin, both graciously provided by Canimex Inc., from Drummondville (Quebec), Canada. Luka is a Violin Channel Artist and an Endorsing Artist for Thomastik-Infeld strings (Vienna).

16 year-old violinist Jayden Yoneyama, from Phoenix, Arizona, is currently living in Vienna, Austria. He is attending the Musikgymnasium Wien and also he is a student of the pre-college program at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. He started learning the violin at the age of five.

Jayden debuted with orchestra as a soloist in 2024 and went on to perform with the Phoenix Symphony in 2026. He has received numerous awards at regional, national, and international competitions, including top prizes at the Arizona Musicfest Competition, Arizona State Solo Competition, Opus Regional and National Music Competitions, and the Arizona Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition.

Internationally, he won First Prize at the Vienna International Classic Strings Competition and was a finalist in the Anton Rubinstein International Competition. In the fall of 2025, he performed at the Rising Stars Concert in Sedona, Canmore’s sister city.

Vasylisa Nikolenko is a 17-year-old pianist originally from Dnipro Ukraine, who moved to Alberta in 2019. She began studying piano at the age of five, coming from a non-musical family. She has studied with Ukrainian teacher Natalia Klymenko since 2014 and Susanne Ruberg-Gordon since 2023.

Vasylisa is a member of the Senior Academy Program at the Mount Royal Conservatory in Calgary, where she regularly performs in masterclasses and for visiting guest artists. Vasylisa is a two-time winner of the Alberta Music Festival (2024 and 2025) in the Grade 10/ARCT category, a finalist at the RBC concerto competition in Calgary 2025, as well as a finalist at the Canadian Music Competition 2026. Vasylisa was also a part of the first Canmore–Sedona Sister Cities Arts Exchange, as part of the Rising stars Concert in Sedona 2025.

In all Ukrainian competitions, she earned the Grand Prix at the “Neygaus” competition in Kropyvnytskyi and Second Prize at the “Obriyi Classiky” Competition in Kyiv. Outside of music, Vasylisa enjoys painting, astronomy, hiking, physics and teaching.

“The performance brought out its depth of passion.... Beth Root Sandvoss has a beautiful sound, coupled with an excellent sense of harmony” - Gordon Rumson, Music and Vision

Rowan started learning piano at age five and has been playing for over 12 years, with the majority of his piano studies under Susanne Ruberg-Gordon. His favourite composer is Chopin, whose music remains a particular favourite to perform.

In addition to classical piano, Rowan is a member of his high school jazz band, where he has enjoyed the opportunity to travel and perform with the group. Transitioning from a classical background into jazz has allowed him to further develop his musicianship, creativity, and appreciation for different styles of music.

Outside of music, Rowan enjoys sports, video games, and spending time with friends. He has participated in the Alberta Provincial Music Festival on several occasions, most recently earning third-place finishes in both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 festivals. Balancing music, athletics, and academics has been an important part of his growth, and it has been a joy to watch his confidence and musicality continue to develop over the years.

May Turner lived in Pasadena until the devastating 2025 Eaton fire. She has since painted portraits of houses destroyed in the fire and gifted them to families who lost their homes. She also helped create Gallery 928’s public mural at the Sedona Arts Center. May creates across many styles and materials.

Selah Raynolds Knechtel is a local Canmore high school student with a passion for visual arts. She has explored many art forms through courses at artsPlace, from pottery and felting to drawing and animation. Inspired by nature, animals, books, and travel, Selah's artistic interests are wide ranging.