Honens International Piano Competition Names New President & CEO

Amanda Smith, who was previously Interim CEO, has been appointed to the position

Honens, an organization encompassing the Honens International Piano Competition and Festival, has recently announced that Amanda Smith will serve as its new President & CEO. Smith already has significant experience with the organization: most recently she served as its interim CEO, having also been Director of Marketing and Communications.

Smith is also presently the Board Director and Secretary for Xenia Concerts Inc., an organization that runs performing arts experiences for those who are neurodiverse or have a disability. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Queen’s University and an MBA in Non-Profit and Charitable Organization Management from Trinity Western University.

The Honens competition offers a comprehensive and customizable three-year artistic development and career accelerator program which creates opportunities for exposure and holistic growth.

Smith will step into the new role as Honens begins the run-up to the 11th edition of the competition, the final rounds of which will run from October 16 to 24, 2025 in Calgary, Canada.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are thrilled to have Amanda in the President & CEO position," said Honens Board Chair Heather Marreck. "Her passion, strategic insight, and dedication to the organization are unmatched. We have the utmost confidence Amanda’s leadership will inspire our team and drive us toward even greater success."

"I am honored to be trusted to lead Honens," Smith said. "With its extraordinary team and vibrant community, Honens has a remarkable legacy of transforming lives through music. Honens is more than a competition; it’s a catalyst for deep impact in the communities we serve. I am eager to build on this foundation, championing innovation and collaboration to amplify its impact both here at home and around the world."