The winners of the CBC Music Class Challenge’s 2026 spring edition, powered by MusiCounts, have been officially announced by the judges. The prizes for the top performers include $2,000 worth of new musical instruments from MusiCounts for the first-place winners, along with plaques for the first, second, and third place winners.
In the mitêh Elementary Performance category (kindergarten to grade 4), St. Patrick Fine Arts Elementary from Lethbridge, Alta., secured the first-place spot with their rendition of mitêh by Sherryl Sewepagaham. The judges praised the students’ musical skills and pronunciation, particularly highlighting their Orff playing and vocal performance. Brown Junior Public School and Irvine Elementary School clinched the second and third place, respectively, with commendable performances of the same song.
Moving to the Intermediate Performance category (grades 5-8), École secondaire Michelle-O’Bonsawin from Toronto claimed the first place with their rendition of mitêh. The judges appreciated the trilingual performance and the students’ dedication to mastering Cree pronunciation. Sistema Toronto – Parkdale and Capitol Hill Elementary School secured the second and third place with their engaging performances.
In the Senior Performance category (grades 9-12), Saint Patrick Secondary from Toronto emerged as the first-place winner with their unique choir and rock band collaboration. The judges praised the choir’s vocal clarity and correct Cree pronunciation, along with the band’s stellar performance. Unionville High School and Dr. G.W. Williams SS secured the second and third place, respectively, with their outstanding musical performances.
Additionally, in the Original Elementary Performance category, Faraday School from Winnipeg claimed the first-place position with their original song “Rise to the Challenge.” Dr. E. W. Coffin School and Second Street Community School secured the second and third place, impressing the judges with their creative melodies and engaging performances.
The awards for the Original Intermediate Performance and Original Senior Performance categories were also announced, with Roberta Bondar PS, St. Joseph Catholic School, Central French Immersion Public School, Austin O’Brien High School, Korah Collegiate, and Father Leo J Austin CSS securing the top three positions in their respective categories.
Lastly, Rundle College and Tone Labs Music Academy were recognized as winners in the Indigenous and Original song categories, respectively, in the Tuition Based Program Awards.
Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their outstanding performances in the CBC Music Class Challenge.