GREGORY VANDIKAS
Recently winning the highest competition award at the 2019 GOCAA International Piano Competition in Boston this past August, Gregory Vandikas was awarded a concert tour and CD recording contract in the upcoming season. This award came on the heels of winning the Grand Prize at the International Music Festival and Competition held in Toronto in May 2019. He will be performing with the Kindred Spirits Orchestra's Concert Series in the 2020-2021 season. He has represented Ontario at the CFMTA National Piano Competition in Winnipeg and won the 2nd place award at the OMFA Provincial Competition in 2019. In 2020, he won the OMFA Open Concerto category in his performance of Scriabin's Piano Concerto while accompanied by his brother, Anthony Vandikas. Gregory has been awarded the Newmarket Arts Grant by the Newmarket Arts Council, as well as the RCM National Gold Medal Award for his Licentiate Diploma in Piano Performance.
Gregory has performed in masterclass for such noted artists as John O’Conor, Jean Saulnier, Ronan O'Hara, Shai Wosner, Benedetto Lupo, Suzanne Beaubien, Mari Kodama, Evelyne Brancart, William Aide, Paul Komen, Jamie Parker, Charles-Richard Hamelin, and Curtis Institute professor, Meng Chien Liu. He won first in his age division in the 2017 Crescendo International Piano Competition, which led to a live performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He played a live performance at the New Classical FM 96.3’s noon hour that same year. He has performed several solo concerts since, one of which was under the sponsorship of the Steinway Piano Gallery Concert Series.
Under the guidance of Dr. Michael Esch, he has completed both his Licentiate and Associate Diploma for Piano Performance, receiving a First Class Honours with Distinction in both. Other major influences include George Vandikas, Sheila Vandikas, and Janice Lin. Gregory has also completed his level 8 cello under cellist, Hannah Jackson. A graduate of the Arts Unionville program at Unionville High School, he performed as a soloist, duo partner, and collaborative pianist as well as playing the saxophone, bassoon, and cello in the school ensembles.
He has attended the Peter de Grote Festival in the Netherlands, as well as the Domaine Forget International Festival and Orford Musique Summer Academy in Quebec. Awarded the Davis Scholarship and the Student Excellence Award, he is currently studying under Prof. Kyoko Hashimoto at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University in Quebec for his Bachelor of Music Degree. Gregory enjoys performing a range of musical styles and is at home both in classical and jazz.
