CBC Music Class Challenge 2025 fall anniversary edition
Deadline: November 18, 2025
Educators from across Canada are invited to teach their students a Canadian song from this list for a chance to win MusiCounts grants for their classes. Sign up your class or community program with our registration form if you intend to enter the Challenge. Then, when it's time to submit your video entry, fill out this submission form
The top 10 will be announced on Friday, Dec. 12, and the winners and runners-up will be announced on Friday, Dec. 19.
Who can enter?
The contest is open to public schools, private schools and community programs alike. Check out our FAQs for more details.
For all K-3 performances, whether the performance is vocal or instrumental, we're looking for passion, energy and creativity. Check out this year's categories:
Category 1: Elementary Performance, Vocal or Instrumental (grades k-3)
Instrumental Categories: For ensemble performances that showcase student musicians playing instruments only, no vocals. This could include concert band, orchestra, Orff instruments, guitar groups, percussion ensembles, or any combination your class has put together. Performances must be live and unedited, with all students performing together in real time.
Category 2: Junior Instrumental (grades 4-6)
Category 3: Intermediate Instrumental (grades 7-9)
Category 4: Senior Instrumental (grades 10-12)
Vocal Categories: For submissions that feature classroom or choral singing, with a focus on vocal blend, clarity, and musical expression. Think: school choirs, classroom singing, solo vocalists or vocal ensembles performing unison or harmony parts. If it has a voice, it's in this category. Submissions may include instrumental accompaniment. Performances must be recorded live in real time.
Category 5: Junior Vocal (grades 4-6)
Category 6: Intermediate Vocal (grades 7-9)
Category 7: Senior Vocal (grades 10-12)
Contemporary Categories: For groups performing in popular or contemporary music configurations, such as rock, pop, hip hop, or indie. These ensembles typically include a mix of vocals and live instruments (acoustic or amplified). Performances must be recorded live off the floor, with all students performing together in real time.
Category 8: Junior/Intermediate Contemporary Ensemble (grades 4-9)
Category 9: Senior Contemporary Ensemble (grades 10-12)
Studio Production Category: For performances created using multitrack recording, digital layering, or editing software, perfect for classes using DAWs like Soundtrap, GarageBand, BandLab, etc. Submissions may include vocal, instrumental, and digital elements, but must feature student performance and demonstrate a clear understanding of music production techniques.
Category 10: Studio Production (all grades)
In addition to these categories, there will also be two special awards granted to submissions in any category:
Culture Award: For a submission that features non-Western musical instruments, or showcases youth celebrating their cultural identity through music.
Tuition-Based Program Award: For an outstanding submission from a program with higher participant fees.
A note on tuition-based programs:
Only public schools and registered charities that do not charge students more than $200 per year to participate in their program are eligible to be shortlisted in the top 10 for these categories. Programs that do not meet this criteria — including private schools and tuition-based programs — are still welcome to participate and may be eligible to receive the Tuition-Based Program Award, which recognizes outstanding submissions from programs with higher participant fees.
For comprehensive information, including the song list and guidelines, please visit the website: cbc.ca/musicclass
