What is the Canadian Music Class Challenge?

Every fall, CBC Music in association with MusiCounts — the charity of the Juno Awards — launches a contest to engage music classes across the country with Canadian music. It's called The Canadian Music Class Challenge. 

There are three goals to this project:

• We want kids to learn Canadian music in the classroom.
• We want to draw attention to the exceptional work music teachers are doing with children across the country.
• We want to reinforce the importance of music in a well-rounded education.

So how do we do this? Each year we pre-approve a list of Canadian songs, then ask music teachers to pick one and teach their classes a cover version. It could be a note-for-note cover, or you can make it something completely your own.

Once a class performance of the song has been recorded on video, it gets uploaded to the CBC Music. We post it on our YouTube channel, and judges choose the winners. This year, the winner will receive amazing prizes for the classroom, a gold record plaque plus a special "Passion Prize" from MusiCounts.

You can check out the 2019 song list now and sign up for the 2019 Challenge on August 27.

Last year, over one thousand music classes signed up from every province and territory in Canada.

What do we mean by 'music class'?

We mean everything from music clubs to after-school music programs to traditional school board programs from elementary school, junior high, and high school. We encourage teachers to enter the challenge no matter what the playing level of his or her class.

Categories and Prizes  

Upon registration in the fall, you'll be asked to choose which category your class will enter. There are eight main categories. Choose the one that best suits your music class, and will give your students the fairest hearing. Canadian schools are grouped differently in every province, so if one of these categories doesn't perfectly suit you, choose the one that is closest. 

The top class in each category will win $3000 in musical instruments and a gold plaque. The two runners up in each category will also receive plaques.

Additional prizes will be awarded, including $1000 in musical instruments for the top community music class, $1000 in musical instruments for the top performance of the song "Human", and $5000 in musical instruments for the MusiCounts Passion Prize for the most fun-filled and passionate performance. 

Here are the 2019 categories:

CATEGORY 1: PRIMARY  INSTRUMENTAL (K- 3)

CATEGORY 2: PRIMARY VOCAL (a cappella or w/ instruments) (K - 3) 

CATEGORY 3: ELEMENTARY INSTRUMENTAL (Gr.4 - 6)

CATEGORY 4: ELEMENTARY VOCAL (a cappella or w/ instruments)  (Gr. 4 - 6)

CATEGORY 5: JUNIOR INSTRUMENTAL (Gr. 7 - 10)

CATEGORY 6: JUNIOR VOCAL (a cappella or w/ instruments) (Gr. 7-10)

CATEGORY 7: SENIOR INSTRUMENTAL (Gr. 11 - 12)

CATEGORY 8: SENIOR VOCAL (a cappella or w/ instruments) (Gr.11-12) 

We want to help tell the story of your music class

Best of all, your class could be featured on CBC's digital, radio and television platforms, showcasing how great the music program is in your school.

Your class could receive a special visit by the artist you choose to cover

Every year, a couple of lucky and talented music classes receive surprise visits by the artists they have chosen to cover. In the past, our class room visits have involved the Arkells, Wintersleep, Lights, Ruth B, Meaghan Smith, and the Jerry Cans. 

Want some more info?

Everything you need to know about the 2019 Challenge can be found here.

For further information, please contact musicclass@cbc.ca.