Canadian Music Class Challenge 2019: national top 10s revealed

The Canadian Music Class Challenge is CBC Music's salute to music education in this country. In association with MusiCounts, every year we invite music instructors to teach their students a Canadian song from our pre-approved list.

This year, an estimated 50,000 students from close to 1,200 music classes signed up from every province and territory to learn and perform their best version of a Canadian song on every instrument imaginable.

You can imagine how challenging it was to choose the top 10 finalists in each category, and you can check them out below. Our celebrity judges now have the difficult task of choosing the winning class in each category.

The winners will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17. 

Until then, enjoy our 2019 top 10s — and congratulations to all the classes that made it, and thank you to all the teachers, musicians and schools that have taken part in the 2019 Canadian Music Class Challenge.

Category 1: Primary Instrumental (kindergarten to Grade 3)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Blossoming at the Farm, Victoria ("Wolves Don't Live by the Rules").
• Campus View Elementary School, Victoria ("Shine").
• Cross Canada Fiddle, Nanaimo, B.C. ("I's the B'y").
• David Lloyd George Elementary School, Vancouver ("I's the B'y").
• École Honoré-Mercier, Montreal ("Walking with a Ghost").
• Victory School, Winnipeg ("J'entends le Moulin").
• Winchester J&S Public School, Toronto ("J'entends le Moulin").

Watch the videos below.

Category 2: Primary Vocal (kindergarten to Grade 3) 

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Bancroft School, Montreal ("Shine").
• Elginburg and District Public School, Elginburg, Ont. ("Scars to Your Beautiful"). 
• Humbercrest Public School, York, Ont. ("Shine").
• McKenzie Elementary, Victoria ("I's the B'y").
• École Paisley Road Public School, Guelph, Ont. ("Shine").
• Palmerston Public School, Toronto ("Shine").
• Royston Elementary, Royston, B.C. ("Shine a Light").
• St. Marguerite d'Youville School, Ottawa ("I'll be the Captain").
• Tribune Drive Public School, Brampton, Ont. ("Shine a Light").
• Sistema Winnipeg, King Edward School, Winnipeg ("I's the B'y").

Watch the videos below.

Category 3: Elementary Instrumental (Grades 4-6)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Broadlands Public School, Toronto ("C'est toi").
• Cloverdale Traditional School, Victoria ("Wolves Don't Live by the Rules").
• Dr. Annie Jamieson Elementary, Vancouver ("I's the B'y").
• Helen E. Taylor School, Wembley, Alta. ("Snowbird").
• James Whiteside Elementary, Richmond, B.C. ("I's the B'y").
• St. Joseph's Catholic Elementary Oshawa, Ont. ("Hang Ups").
• St. Kateri Tekakwitha School, Calgary ("Walking with a Ghost").
• Suzuki Simba Ensemble, Suzuki Charter School, Edmonton ("In My Blood").
• Suzuki Running Spirits and the Infinity Ensembles, Suzuki Charter School, Edmonton ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• Wye Elementary, Sherwood Park, Alta. ("Prémonition").

Category 4: Elementary Vocal (Grades 4-6)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Calgary Christian Elementary School, Calgary ("Shine").
• Edward Murphy School, Montreal ("J'entends le Moulin").
• George Webster Elementary, Toronto ("Human").
• École Honoré Mercier, Montreal ("Reflektor").
• J.P. Robarts Public School, London, Ont. ("River").
• Meadowridge School, Maple Ridge, B.C. ("Human").
• Newcastle Public School, Newcastle, Ont. ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• Scott Central Public School, Sanford, Ont. ("Shine A Light").
• St. Boniface Elementary, Edmonton ("Shine").
• Suzuki Pride Choir, Suzuki Charter School, Edmonton ("Human").

Category 5: Junior Instrumental (Grades 7-10)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Blossoming at the Farm, Victoria ("In My Blood").
• Bristol Road Middle School, Mississauga, Ont. ("Wolves Don't Live by the Rules").
• École Secondaire Daniel-Johnson, Montreal ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• David Lloyd George Elementary School, Vancouver ("J'entends le Moulin").
• Dr. Annie B. Jamieson Elementary, Vancouver ("Snowbird).
• École Élémentaire Publique Julie-Payette, Kanata, Ont. ("Prémonition").
• Quesnel Junior School, Quesnel, B.C. ("Complicated").
• Rawlinson Community School, Toronto ("In My Blood").
• Second Street Community School, Burnaby, B.C. ("Hang Ups").
• Second Street Community School, Burnaby, B.C. ("Camilo the Magician").

Category 6: Junior Vocal (Grades 7-10)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Arbutus Global Middle School, Victoria, B.C. ("J'entends Le Moulin").
• Bicentennial School, Dartmouth, N.S. ("Nowhere With You").
• Calgary Arts Academy, Calgary ("Nowhere With You").
• Centre Scolaire de la Rive-Sud, Cookville, N.S. ("River").
• Gulf Shore Consolidated School, North Rustico, P.E.I. ("Snowbird").
• Indian Creek Road Public School, Chatham, Ont. ("In My Blood").
• Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School, Scarborough, Ont. ("River).
• École élémentaire publique Julie-Payette, Kanata, Ont. ("J'entends le Moulin").
• Sir William Mulock Secondary School, Newmarket, Ont. ("Nowhere With You").
• Strive Studios Music School, Grimsby, Ont. ("Shine").

Category 7: Senior Instrumental (Grades 11-12)

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Austin O'Brien High School, Edmonton ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• École secondaire catholique Béatrice Desloges, Orleans, Ont. ("Shine).
• Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Toronto ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• Evan Hardy Collegiate, Saskatoon ("Complicated").
• Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School, Brampton, Ont. ("Nowhere With You").
• Iroquois Ridge High School, Oakville, Ont. ("Calling to Say").
• Oak Ridge Percussion, Colborne, Ont. ("Je décolle").
• Orchard Park Secondary School, Stoney Creek, Ont. ("River").
• Sound Wave Handbell Choir, Burnaby, B.C. ("Human").
• Stephen Lewis Secondary School, Mississauga, Ont. ("Walking With a Ghost").

Category 8: Senior Vocal (Grades 11-12) 

First prize: $3,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• All Saints Catholic Secondary School, Whitby, Ont. ("Nowhere With You").
• Cobequid Educational Centre, Truro N.S. ("Nowhere With You").
• Harry Ainlay High School, Edmonton ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• Holy Heart High School, St. John's ("River").
• Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School, St. Catharines, Ont. ("River").
• J. Percy Page High School, Edmonton ("In My Blood").
• Laura Secord Secondary School, St. Catharines, Ont. ("Hand Me Downs").
• Mayfield Secondary School, Caledon, Ont. ("Shine").
• St. Theresa of Lisieux, Richmond Hill, Ont. ("Scars to Your Beautiful").
• Sir William Mulock Secondary School, Newmarket, Ont. ("In My Blood").

Category 9: Top Community Music Class

First prize: $1,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.

Finalists:

• Blossoming at the Farm, Victoria ("In My Blood").
• Cross Canada Fiddle, Nanaimo, B.C. ("I's the B'y").
• Duchess School Rock Band Program, Duchess, Alta. ("Camilo The Magician").
• Music with Linda, Edmonton ("I's the B'y").
• Molly Luhta's Studio, Kingston, Ont. ("River").
• Oak Ridge Percussion, Colbourne, Ont. ("Je décolle").
• Odessa Children's Choir Program, Kingston, Ont. ("Complicated").
• Sing House Studios, Ottawa ("In My Blood").
• Strive Studios Music School, Grimsby, Ont. ("In My Blood").
• Tyler McGill Music Program, Toronto ("Complicated").

Category 10: 'Human' by Twin Flames Indigenous Languages Prize

First prize: $1,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.

• Bancroft School, Montreal.
• Britannia Singing Club, Britannia Secondary, Vancouver.
• Brooklin High School, Whitby, Ont. 
• Canadian Youth Chinese Orchestra, Thornhill, Ont.
• Kamloops School of the Arts, Kamloops, B.C.
• Pender Islands School, Pender Island, B.C. 
• St. Martha School, Calgary.
• Suzuki Pride Choir, The Suzuki Charter School, Edmonton. 
• Sound Wave Handbell Choir, Burnaby, B.C. 
• Woodroffe High School, Ottawa.  

Category 11: MusiCounts Passion Prize

First prize: $5,000 in new musical instruments and a plaque.
Second prize: plaque.
Third prize: plaque.

Finalists:

• Briar Hill School, Calgary ("Shine a Light").
• Cairine Wilson Secondary School, Ottawa (medley of all 24 song choices).
• Harwood Elementary, Vernon, B.C. ("J'entends le Moulin").
• Hawthorn Public School, Mississauga, Ont. ("Shine"). 
• Holy Family Elementary Chapel Arm, N.L. ("I's the B'y").
• Hillcrest Elementary, Salmon Arm, B.C. ("Wolves Don't Live By The Rules").
• John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute, Guelph, Ont. ("Shine").
• Rickson Ridge Public School, Guelph, Ont. ("Just Fine").
• St. Paul Elementary, Alliston, Ont. ("Nowhere With You").
• St. Roch Catholic Secondary School, Brampton, Ont. ("Shine a Light").

Good luck to all of these amazing music classes, and to all the others who registered and participated!

Questions? Please email us: [email protected].