Kingston event offers $20,000 top prize, CBC broadcast and a chance to perform with the Kingston Symphony.
Applications open Sept. 8 for the 2026 Bader & Overton Canadian Piano Competition, a national event offering young Canadian pianists the chance to perform, compete and win major prizes at Queen’s University’s Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.
The semi-finals and finals will take place May 6 to 9, 2026, in Kingston. Six semi-finalists and three finalists will be selected by an international jury of acclaimed pianists. Prizes include $20,000 for first place, along with future concert engagements and a CBC Music broadcast.
Organizers say this year’s competition will highlight diversity and inclusion. Semi-finalists must perform a newly commissioned work by Indigenous composer Cris Derksen. Special prizes will also recognize performances of works by women and BIPOC composers.
Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, aged 18 to 29. The deadline to apply is Dec. 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST through their website.
Story by Alyssa Brush
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