Charles Sunie, 13, is a Calgary-based musician in the Advanced Performance Program at Mount Royal University Conservatory. He began piano at the age of five and discovered his passion for cello at ten, making remarkable progress within just three years. In 2024, he debuted with the Mount Royal Conservatory Sinfonia Orchestra as a Concerto Competition winner and attended Meadowmount School of Music. He was also admitted to the Heifetz International Music Institute and trained at Orford Musique Academy.
Charles has earned numerous international awards, including Absolute Winner at the Fenix Award International Music Competition and First Prizes at the Bach International Music Competition, the World Exceptional Musicians Competition, and the Erik Satie International Music Competition (2024). He also won second place at the 2025 Camerata Artists International Competition in both Concerto and Solo categories.
Since 2019, Charles has been part of the Sunie Brothers Duo, winning First Place in the Canadian Music Competition (4-hands piano, 2022). Individually, he earned First Place in the Rocky Mountain International Piano Competition and the Calgary Performing Arts Festival Piano Concerto Competition, receiving RCM Level 10 First Class Honors with Distinction.
A dedicated composer, he won First Prize in the 2022 ARMTA Student Composer Competition. His violin solo compositions were published in Creatures (2022). Currently, he is working on a piano album and a string quartet project.
Charles was the principal cellist of the Sinfonia Orchestra and serves as a guest accompanist for both his school’s elementary choir and the Mount Royal University Children’s Choir. He also plays saxophone in his school band and takes vocal and harmony lessons to further enrich his musical development. In addition to his musical pursuits, he actively volunteers in the community and excels in math, speech, debate, and badminton.
Watch Charles Sunie perform Cello Concerto in E minor, II. Lento Allegro molto by Edward Elgar on the cello for the 2025 Winter Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.