CFMTA/FCAPM ESSAY COMPETITION 2025

The Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations invites your participation in the CFMTA/FCAPM Essay Competition.

The Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations has been involved in music education in Canada since its founding in 1935. We promote musical excellence through workshops, master classes and musical events held by our member provinces/territories and our branches throughout Canada and collaborate with music organizations to further music education in Canada.

The CFMTA/FCAPM Essay Competition invites submissions of essays on any topic related to music teaching, pedagogy or performance practice.

Doctorate Student prizes:

First Prize $1000.00.
Publication on the CFMTA/FCAPM website and in the Canadian Music Teacher Year in Review

University Graduate Prizes:

First Prize $750.00
Publication on the CFMTA/FCAPM website and in the Canadian Music Teacher Year in Review

University Undergraduate:

First Prize $500.00
Publication on the CFMTA/FCAPM website and in the Canadian Music Teacher Year in Review

High School: (Minimum Grade 9)

Prize $250.00
Publication on the CFMTA/FCAPM website and in the Canadian Music Teacher Year in Review

Entries will be judged by nationally recognized scholars in the fields of music pedagogy and performance. There is no fee to enter. Deadline: May 1, 2025

 

Application Guidelines

  1. The competition is open to Canadian residents.
  2. Submissions will be considered from high school, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in all disciplines studying full time at a Canadian high school or university.
  3. Entries must include a previously unpublished typed essay. Word lengths (please include word count on entry form) exclude footnotes and bibliographies.
  4. Length: 5,000 to 7,000 words (no thesis or capstone papers please) for Masters and Doctoral level; minimum 3000 words for Undergraduate papers and minimum 1500 - 2000 words for high school papers. Be sure you adhere to word count requirements. If not, this could result in disqualification.

    *** High school students please note - The high school student can research and write about a particular event and the process of getting to the performance level; what they felt about an adjudication or how the adjudication helped them improve; a discussion on what the student would like to see in the curriculum and why; a particular method of their current teacher and how they feel it is effective, how it has impacted them or why they would like to become teachers themselves. Essays that are written for RCM history exams can be modified and expanded to qualify for the competition.

  5. Name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, and age, University and major should all be included on the entrance form. Do not include a title page or identifying information in the document, file name or in the references.
  6. Format and layout: Digital submissions only.
  7. Entries will be accepted in English or French.
  8. If using references from academic sources, the complete reference must be included. Any academically acceptable referencing style may be used.
  9. Entries must be submitted by email as a pdf file.
  10. One entry per person.
  11. Entries will be judged in a blind review process by nationally recognized scholars in the field of music pedagogy and/or performance. Criteria will focus on originality, clear expression of ideas and understanding of the subject.
  12. All entries become the property of the CFMTA. In addition to receiving cash scholarships, winning essays will be published on the CFMTA/FCAPM website and in the CFMTA year in review.
  13. For High School and Undergraduate entrants: Please acknowledge the mentor/professor with whom you consulted for this submission.
  14. Winners of any particular level in the CFMTA/FCAPM essay competition, cannot enter that same level in subsequent competitions.
  15. Any form of plagiarism in the submissions will result in disqualification.
  16. Please read over the guidelines carefully. Those who do not adhere to the guidelines will be disqualified.
  17. The winners of prizes of $500.00 and over will be required to submit additional information to the treasurer to complete T4 slips.