A project of / Un projet Choral Canada Choral in collaboration with / en collaboration avec
with additional support from / avec soutien supplémentaire du
A treasured Canadian choral tradition, the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs inspires choirs to strive for excellence, provides visibility for amateur choirs of all ages, and encourages the creation and performance of Canadian works. The Competition is open to all Canadian amateur choirs and attracts diverse participants from coast to coast. The finalists and winners are selected by a national jury of esteemed Canadian choral conductors. The prestigious Canada Council for the Arts Healey Willan Grand Prize is awarded to the finest overall performance in musicianship, technique, and program. Each choir that enters the Competition must perform an original Canadian piece and prizes are given for the Best Performance of a Canadian Work and the Best Performance of a Canadian Contemporary Work. Cash prizes are awarded for the top performances in each category. The national jury may also award special accolades to outstanding choirs.
2017 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: March 15, 2017
CATEGORIES:
Category 1: Children’s Choirs
Unchanged voices, singers not older than 16 years*, may be community-based or school-based
Category 2: Upper-Voice Youth Choirs
Equal-voice S/A choirs, singers not older than 23 years*, may be community-based or school-based; must not qualify for category 5
Category 3: Lower-Voice Youth Choirs
Equal-voice T/B choirs, singers not older than 23 years*, may be community-based or school-based; must not qualify for category 5
Category 4: Mixed-Voice Youth Choirs
Mixed-voice youth choirs, singers not older than 23 years*, may be community-based or school-based; must not qualify for category 5
Category 5: Collegiate Choirs
University or college choirs of mixed or equal-voice adults with a minimum of 17 singers; must not qualify for category 4
Category 6: Mixed-Voice Adult Choirs
Adult mixed-voice choirs with a minimum of 29 singers; must not qualify for category 5
Category 7: Mixed-Voice Adult Chamber Choirs
Adult mixed-voice choirs with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 28 singers; must not qualify for category 5.
Category 8: Equal-Voice Men’s Choirs
Adult equal-voice men’s choirs with a minimum of 17 singers
Category 9: Equal-Voice Women’s Choirs
Adult, equal-voice women’s choirs with a minimum of 17 singers
Category 10: Pan-cultural / Traditional Folk Music (formerly known as Pan-cultural Traditions)
Open to all choirs who perform music within a specific cultural tradition (world music, ethnic, First Nation, national folk music — does not include vocal jazz and barbershop). No limit in size
Category 11: Contemporary Music
Open to all choirs that comply with Category 11 repertoire requirements (see below). Choirs entering this category may not repeat repertoire submitted in previous categories
*Age limits are effective as of the Competition Entry Deadline on March 15, 2017.
Repertoire Requirements:
1. For all categories:
- All selections must be unaccompanied (un-pitched percussion instruments are acceptable). Failure to observe this rule will result in disqualification
- Translations in English or French should be provided for any selection performed in a language other than English or French.
- Recorded material must be no more than 12 months old at the time of submission. Date of recordings is required on the entry form.
2. For Categories 1 to 9:
- Each recording must include FOUR (4) separate and contrasting works whose total time must not exceed 18 minutes.
- The repertoire in these categories should cover as wide a range of period, style and mood as possible, while reflecting the special qualities of the category entered.
- The FOUR (4) individual works must include ONE (1) original work by a Canadian composer (in any language). Arrangements of pre-existing tunes or melodies are considered derivative works, not original.
- The FOUR (4) individual works must include at least ONE (1) selection in French and ONE (1) selection in English. (The original Canadian work may also fulfill this requirement.)
For Category 10:
- Each recording must include FOUR (4) selections whose total time must not exceed 18 minutes.
- The repertoire in this category must reflect the specific cultural tradition of the choir.
- The selections may be sung in any language(s) and should be as contrasting in mood as is possible within the cultural tradition.
- Inclusion of a Canadian work as one of the FOUR (4) individual selections is not mandatory. However, Category 10 Entrants who do include at least ONE (1) original work by a Canadian composer (in any language) will be considered for the Prize for Best Performance of a Canadian Work and the SOCAN Foundation Canada 150 Award for Best Performance of a Canadian Contemporary Work (it is a contemporary work). Arrangements of pre-exiting tunes or melodies are considered derivative works, not original.
For Category 11:
- Each recording must include TWO (2) contemporary works, one of which must be an original work by a Canadian composer, and one of which must have been written in the last ten years. Arrangements of pre-exiting tunes or melodies are considered derivative works, not original.
- The TWO (2) selections must not exceed a total time of 18 minutes.
- The selections should be contrasting works in a contemporary musical idiom, reflecting 21st-century compositional techniques. The year of composition for each selection must be indicated on the entry form.
- Choirs who enter only category 11 are not eligible for the Healey Willan Grand Award, due to the difficulty of judging a choir’s overall performance in musicianship, technique, and program with the submission of only two pieces. They do, however, remain eligible for both the Prize for Best Performance of a Canadian Work and the SOCAN Foundation Canada 150 Award for Best Performance of a Canadian Contemporary Work.
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Rules and Regulations 2017 – CLICK HERE
Online or Mail Application Form 2017 – COMING SOON
CBC Artist Page “How-To” – COMING SOON
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: March 15, 2017
For information or questions, please contact info@choralcanada.org
2015 Competition
2013 Competition
2011 Competition
2010 Competition
Sue Kember, director of Atlantic Barbershop Champions The ScotianAires Chorus, has been certified as a Singing Category Judge with international barbershop organization Harmony, Inc. at its Category Training School held in January 2017 at Greenfield NH.
Cancelled for 2017