The Pathways Program was established by the Canadian Music Competition Southern Alberta Committee and serves as the Alberta National Audition route for the CMC National Finals.
Participants must meet the current CMC age and eligibility requirements, as well as the repertoire requirements in the relevant Pathways syllabus. See Pathways to the CMC National Finals for details.
Participants do not apply directly to the CMC National Finals. They first perform at Pathways, and those selected may advance to compete with performers from across Canada.
CMC eligibility
For CMC National Finals consideration through Pathways, participants must:
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
- meet the current CMC age requirements;
- meet the relevant Pathways and CMC repertoire requirements; and
- be selected by a Pathways clinician, subject to the number of CMC finalists allotted to Pathways.
For Chamber Music and Piano Duet, one ensemble member may be a foreign student with a valid study permit. All other members must meet the CMC citizenship or permanent-resident requirement.
Eligible participants who live in a province or territory without a CMC chapter may request approval to use the Alberta route; contact Pathways before registering.
Age categories
- 7–10
- 11–14
- 15–18
- 19–25
Age is based on the participant’s age on Jan. 1 of the competition year. For Chamber Music and Piano Duet, one member may be up to one year older than the category age limit.
Pathways CMC disciplines
Pathways provides CMC discipline information for Piano, Strings, Winds (Woodwinds & Brass), Guitar, Chamber Music, and Piano Duet. Guitar registration is not yet available.
Repertoire requirements
Participants interested in CMC National Finals consideration must first follow the Pathways requirements in the relevant Pathways syllabus.
For solo disciplines at the CMC National Finals, the proposed repertoire must be a work with orchestra, one movement of a work with orchestra, or a group of movements from a work with orchestra.
Enter one or more complete works, or at least two contrasting movements. List movements from the same work together as one repertoire selection.
Important CMC National Finals repertoire rules
For Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Piano Duet and Chamber Music, repertoire performed at the CMC National Finals must differ from repertoire performed at Pathways. Different movements or different pieces from the same larger work or collection are acceptable, provided no movement or piece is repeated.
This restriction is not applicable to solo piano, as concertos and concerto movements are not permitted in the Pathways piano program.
- Selected participants will receive instructions for submitting their CMC National Finals registration. Their repertoire cannot be changed after that registration is submitted.
- Time limits depend on discipline and age category and are strictly enforced.
- Piano accompaniment and memorization are required for solo disciplines. Chamber Music and Piano Duet may use scores.
- Repeats are permitted only within the time limit.
- Cuts within a work or movement are not permitted except standard orchestral-tutti cuts in concertos. Cadenzas are mandatory where applicable.
How CMC National Finals advancement and registration work
- Register for Pathways. You do not register separately for the CMC National Finals at this stage.
- Perform at Pathways.
- If selected to advance, the Alberta Chapter coordinator will send the CMC National Finals registration instructions.
- Selected participants then complete the CMC National Finals registration and submit the required documents, scores, and fee by the deadlines provided.
2027 CMC National Finals dates and location
To be announced.
CMC requirements shown are based on the latest published rules and may change when the 2027 rules are released.