We are thrilled to announce the 2026 winner of the Penny Turner Young Artist Award: Elly Slade! Elly received a $600 Dillon Music Gift Card, IWBC Lifetime Membership ($1,000 value), and will be featured in an article in Newsworthy as well as in our Podcast, Brass Flexibilities.
Elly Slade is a 14-year-old trumpet player from British Columbia, Canada. She has been playing the trumpet for 3 years and has accomplished much success in such a short amount of time. Her pursuits span across many different genres including classical, jazz, R&B, and composition.
This past year, Elly became a part of her local youth orchestra in Greater Victoria, won the junior category in her local performing arts festival, and not only did she join the Victoria Conservatory’s Chamber Academy, but she received a full scholarship for the program, where she participated in a brass trio. Apart from that, she has performed with Festive Brass, the University of Victoria Concert Band, and much more in the classical community.
At school, she is the section leader for both the junior and senior concert bands and is the trumpet player for the Honours R&B Band. She has played in the Jive Big Band, performed at McGill’s Summer Jazz Intensives, and is a general leader in school and jazz settings.
Elly has also composed music performed by a Victoria Symphony chamber ensemble, which premiered at the city’s art gallery in 2025, and has over 50 hours of volunteer work through the Symphony’s education outreach program.
She is grateful for her trumpet teachers Merrie Klazek and Steve Donegan and hopes to continue to be a leader, trumpet player, and composer in the years to come and can’t wait for what’s next in her musical journey.