Dakota Perez was born in Dallas, Texas but lived in Calgary for most of his life. Most recently, he was selected as a winner of the 2024 RBC Concerto Competition, and performed the first movement of Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He made his orchestral debut with the Calgary Civic Symphony in 2021 as a winner of the Rotary Calgary Concerto Competition, performing the first movement of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 1. For two years (2021-22 and 2023-24), Dakota was in Calgary Pro Musica’s Dick Matthew’s Young Artists Development Program.

     Dakota has studied with Katrina Thompson-Fost, Dr. Karen Gerelus, Dr. Lana Henchell, and was a student in the Academy for Young Artists at the Mount Royal University Conservatory. He received his ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music at the age of 16. He recently graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance in the studio of Dr. Jani Parsons and began a Master of Music in Piano Performance in the Fall, studying with HieYon Choi at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University. During his time in Calgary, he has found value in teaching music theory and most of all, his collaborative work with the opportunities and community that it provides.