Sixteen-year-old Vicky Chen of Newmarket is spending her summer performing across Ontario and Quebec as a member of the 2026 National Youth Orchestra of Canada. The Village Report indicates Chen is one of 90 young musicians participating in the six-week intensive residency that began June 21 in Waterloo.
The ensemble launched its Canadiana Tour with a July 18 performance at Koerner Hall in Toronto, according to the Village Report. During the residency, participants engage in sectionals, rehearsals, and workshops while receiving guidance from two harp coaches. Chen described the experience as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where she loves every aspect of her current life.
The National Youth Orchestra of Canada serves as the country’s premier training group for exceptional young talent, with the Village Report noting that roughly one-third of professional orchestral musicians in Canada trace their roots to the program. Chen, who moved to the Stonehaven neighbourhood from Richmond Hill, previously served as principal harpist for the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2022 until this year.
Her musical journey began after hearing a harp performance at a church, prompting her to switch from piano to harp in 2018. As she enters Grade 12, Chen plans to apply to universities in Canada and the United States to specialize in harp performance. The current tour features nine pieces, with Chen performing in six works including compositions by Sergei Prokofiev and Richard Strauss, the Village Report states.
For more information, visit villagereport.ca.