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Canadian Music Class Challenge 2023: national top 10s revealed

Check out the best national finalists from this year's entries.

Check out the best national finalists from this year's entries

CBC Music ·
Students in a music class room, sitting and standing in three rows. Instruments are hung on the walls behind them.
These students from Bishop Ryan Catholic School are top 10 finalists in the Junior Vocal (grades 7-10) category of the 2023 CBC Music Class Challenge. (Submitted by: Bishop Ryan Catholic School)

The Canadian Music Class Challenge is CBC Music's salute to music education in this country. In association with MusiCounts, every year we invite music instructors to teach their students a Canadian song from our pre-approved list.

This year, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students from coast to coast to coast signed up to learn and perform their best version of a Canadian song on every instrument imaginable. It was no easy feat to choose the top finalists in each category, but our judges have narrowed down the finalists. They now have the difficult task of choosing the winning classes in each category, which will be announced on Wednesday, Dec. 13. 

For those who competed in the challenge, but don't see their school or class names in the top 10 lists below, there is still a chance to win the MusiCounts Band Aid Passion Prize of $5,000, the MusiCounts Innovation Prize of $5,000, and the Indigenous Language Prize of $1,000. These additional categories will also be announced on Dec. 13. 

Until then, enjoy the phenomenal talent from our 2023 top 10s, with some honourable mentions. Congratulations to all the classes that made it, and thank you to all the teachers, musicians and schools that have taken part in the 2023 Canadian Music Class Challenge.

Category 1: Primary Vocal (kindergarten to Grade 3)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Honourable mentions:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 2: Elementary Instrumental (grades 4-6 )

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 3: Elementary Vocal (grades 4-6 )

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Honourable mentions: 

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 4: Junior Instrumental (grades 7-10)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 5: Junior Vocal (grades 7-10 )

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Honourable mentions:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 6: Senior Instrumental (grades 11-12 )

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 7: Senior Vocal (grades 11-12 )

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 8: Community/Independent/Private Music School

First prize: $1,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.

Finalists:

Honourable mentions:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 9: Public Library Music Program

First prize: $1,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque. 

Finalists:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Category 10: Top Non-live-off-the-floor Performance  

First prize: $1,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.

Finalists: 

Honourable mentions:

Click here for a playlist of all the videos:

Good luck to all of these amazing music classes, and to all the others who registered and participated! The winners will be announced on Wednesday, Dec 13.

Questions? Please email us: musicclass@cbc.ca.

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