The CMC is pleased to announce the selection of Renata van Vliet as the second winner of the Walter MacNutt Prize. For her winning proposal, Renata will write a 6 minute work based on two poems by Canadian poet E. Pauline Johnson for SATB chorus and organ accompaniment. This work is in dialogue with MacNutt’s settings of poetry with strong natural imagery. The jury was impressed with Renata’s writing for both choir and organ and appreciated her experience with community ensembles. Van Vliet’s new work will be presented as part of CMC Sponsored events in Toronto in 2026 with a possible event in Renata’s hometown of Kingston.
About Renata van Vliet
Renata is an emerging composer, living in Kingston, Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Music in organ and composition from Queen’s University (2021) and a Master of Music in composition from the University of Ottawa (2023). During her studies she was a three-time recipient of the George N. Maybee Memorial Scholarship (organ) and was also awarded the Maurice Dubin Prize in Composition, the Graham George Memorial Scholarship in Composition and the Beaudry Somcynsky Prize in Classical Music Composition. She is grateful to have studied with John Armstrong, John Burge, Dean Burry, Michael Capon and Marjan Mozetich.
Renata’s music is often inspired by the mystery and vastness of nature. Her compositions include choral music, organ and piano music, music for various chamber ensembles and orchestral works. She also enjoys electroacoustic composition and composes for visual media. Her music has been featured with the Toronto Strings Composition Workshop, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra New Generation Composers Program and the SPO New Generation Film Composers Program. Her orchestral work, Cathedral of Trees, was chosen as an alternate with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Explore the Score program and will be premiered by the Huronia Symphony Orchestra in 2026. Her publications include Cantilène, for solo organ (The Royal Canadian College of Organists) and Voice of the Sea, for a cappella SATB choir (East Chamber Music). Renata is a member of the Association of Canadian Women Composers and is an Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre.
About the Walter MacNutt Prize:
The Walter MacNutt Prize is awarded on a biennal basis. The prize recognizes a Canadian composer who is working in a community or liturgical context. The winner will create a new work for choir, art song, or keyboard improvisation that honours Walter’s warm, open, and generous spirit and his high regard for beauty, precision, and his audience, all of which radiated from his person and his music.
The Walter MacNutt prize is made possible due to the generous benefaction of Robert Maclennan.
About the Canadian Music Centre (CMC)
The Canadian Music Centre is a catalyst that connects you to the ever-evolving world of Canadian musical creation through performance, education, and promotion. The CMC provides unique resources for exploring, discovering, and performing Canadian music. We are passionate about nurturing a musical community that honours our legacy and supports the professional development of Canadian musicians and composers.