Spark to Flame Information

The annual Spark to Flame concert is presented by the Ann & George Nation Conservatory School of Classical Music. This program supports emerging artists’ development and is open to all current* students of the Victoria Conservatory of Music. The Spark to Flame orchestra is comprised of the Conservatory School’s student Chamber Orchestra, joined by members of the Conservatory’s faculty and other local professional orchestral musicians. Together they provide a high caliber experience for both the students playing in the orchestra, as well as the promising student soloists, selected through audition.

The program instills in musicians the importance of personal responsibility in creating a professional performance. During the weeks leading up to the Spark to Flame concert, participating soloists will be given the opportunity to work with Conservatory faculty and artistic staff to develop their professional and artistic skills. All student participants assist with promoting the concer.

*Some restrictions apply, please see Audition Application Policies below for details.

Updated for 2026-2027 – please read carefully!

1. Spark to Flame (S2F) is open to all students to audition in the discipline they are currently studying at the Conservatory, and are either registered in that discipline for a minimum of twelve (12) 45-minute lessons, or equivalent, during each term of the academic year (i.e. Fall 2026 and Spring 2027), OR are enrolled in one of the following full-year programs: Academy, Postsecondary Diploma or Certificate. All applicants should be performing at a level suitable for professional orchestral accompaniment.
2. S2F focuses on instrumental works and vocal arias/duets compatible for orchestral accompaniment (i.e. Conservatory Spark to Flame Orchestra with standard orchestral winds, brass, and timpani).
3. Applicants are required to audition with the concerto, or concerto movement, or aria, they wish to play in the S2F concert. Repertoire is limited to works for soloist(s) with orchestral accompaniment: one-movement concerto/aria, singular movements, or multiple movements with permission from the audition committee. Vocalists can choose more than one work if this can be done within the 10 minute timeframe and must audition with what they intend to sing on stage at the S2F concert. In cases where the S2F orchestra instrumentation does NOT allow for the performance of the work the candidate auditions with, at the discretion of the audition committee, either the final orchestral realization will be transcribed to include piano to cover missing parts, or the successful candidate(s) will be allowed to substitute another work, subject to approval by the audition committee. NOTE: All works must be approved in advance by the applicant’s department head using the form on the Conservatory website.
4. Please consult with your instructor to select appropriate-level repertoire, bearing in mind the limitation of one rehearsal and a dress. Concertos for more than one instrument will be accepted. The audition will be 10 minutes long. Candidates should bring one original copy of their audition repertoire’s piano reduction to the audition for the adjudication committee, and are responsible for submitting a digital (pdf) copy of the same piano reduction with their application.
5. Notification of final results of the 2026/27 Spark to Flame soloists will be made by Friday, November 20, 2026 or earlier. Soloists will be chosen based on the demonstrated standard of their performance at the audition. Programming and balanced representation from all applicable disciplines may be taken into consideration for final decisions regarding soloist selections. All decisions by the adjudication committee are considered final. Any disputes will be resolved by the Conservatory’s Dean.
6. Applicants must provide their own accompanist for the audition procedure.
7. Candidates must research the instrumentation for the piece they wish to present and include this information in the application.
8. The online application must be completed IN FULL to be considered eligible. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. All auditions are held in person at the VCM on the date specified. Applications must be filled either by applicant or their parent/guardian. NOTE: All works must be approved in advance by the applicant’s department head using the form on the Conservatory website. Failure to have the proposed work approved in advance will cause the application to be deemed ineligible.
9. Candidates may not perform as soloist in two consecutive annual S2F concerts. Students who successfully auditioned and performed as soloists in the most recent Spark to Flame concert (February 2026), may not reapply to audition in this year’s concert. Previously selected soloists may audition again after a ‘gap’ year, thus previous participants in the 2024/25 year or before can apply again in Fall 2026. If the audition committee is unsuccessful in completing their overall selection for the current year of qualifying candidates, the audition committee may invite, at their discretion, one or more previous year(s) winning candidates to perform in the current year S2F concert.
10. This pre-professional program is intended to showcase emerging Conservatory student artists. Established music professionals (i.e. music school instructors, including regular members of the Conservatory Faculty, and/or professional performers), are not eligible to audition.

Jury Composition and Audition Criteria

The Spark to Flame Audition Jury will be comprised of all current Department Heads within the Conservatory School of Classical Music (Keyboard, Strings, Voice, and Winds/Brass), the Associate Dean of Postsecondary Studies, the appointed guest conductor for the current Spark to Flame concert, and one other professional classical performing artist external to the Conservatory.

Audition criteria encompasses consideration of the overall level of performance and artistry, as demonstrated by the candidate through their technical ability, fullness of tone and range of expression, historically informed performance practice, and artistic interpretation. Overall presentation and delivery of the audition performance will also be considered. Memorization of music for the audition is optional, and if selected for the concert, applicants will be expected to have their music memorized before the first full orchestra rehearsal.

Submissions Final Deadline
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 4:30pm.

Live Auditions
Tuesday, November 17, 2026.

Spark To Flame Assessment Guidelines

1. Eligibility Criteria

• Spark to Flame (S2F) is an internal Conservatory Competition open to all classical music students to audition who:
• are currently studying at the Conservatory, and are either registered in that discipline for a minimum of twelve (12) 45-minute lessons, or equivalent, during each term of the academic year (i.e. Fall 2025 and Spring 2026), OR
• are enrolled in one of the following full-year Conservatory programs: Young Artists Academy, Postsecondary Diploma or Certificate.
• All applicants should be performing at a level suitable for professional orchestral accompaniment.
• Winners of the previous year (2025/26 academic year) may not apply. Candidates may not perform as soloist in two consecutive annual S2F concerts. If the audition committee is unsuccessful in completing their overall selection for the current year of qualifying candidates, the audition committee may invite, at their discretion, one or more previous year(s) winning candidates to perform in the current year S2F concert.
• Further audition policies and information are listed here: Spark to Flame – Victoria Conservatory of Music.

2. Pre- Approval

• Spark to Flame Co-ordinator will ensure that each participant:
• is a Conservatory student
• has the approval of their Conservatory instructor, and
• has selected appropriate repertoire for instrument/voice and orchestra.

3. Live Audition Jury

• Internal Jurors (6 Department Heads from Strings, Winds & Brass, Piano, Voice, and Post Secondary Studies or their faculty delegates if required)
• One to Two External Jurors and one Conductor (external)

4. Assessment

• Create a marking rubric and a short description of expectation for the auditions with categories of assessment:
• Preparation
• Musicality
• Technical proficiency
• Presentation.
• Total score submitted with achievement levels marked between 1-5 with 5 as highest.
• Initial scores are tabulated and checked.
• Jury reviews initial tabulations and have the opportunity to make adjustments after a jury panel discussion, including that of representation from strings, piano, winds/brass, and voice in the list of finalists.
• Final Scores are tabulated.
• Finalists and non-finalists are thanked and notified and finalists are publicly announced.

5. Conflict of Interest

• Jurors do not mark their own students or family members during auditions – any juror having a family (child, parent, sibling, spouse) or direct teaching relationship (e.g., is their individual lesson instructor) with an entrant must declare such relationship and will be unable to vote on the participant’s performances.
• Jury discussions are confidential – jury members are not permitted share discussions about the deliberations of individual participants’ S2F performances.

6. Disclosure and Confidentiality

• This process is published on the VCM website for all to see in order to ensure transparency of this Competition adjudication process.
• The Jury’s decisions are final and without appeal.
• Jury comments and marks will not be released to participants or members of the public.

For more information, please contact Natasha Galitzine, Spark to Flame Coordinator at Spark2Flame[at]vcm.bc.ca.

2025
Michelle George, piano
Joanne Jiang, cello
Simi Luttrell, piano
Isidora Uhlman, violin
Emilia Vozian, flute
Sylvan Wilkinson, saxophone
Jack Yang, piano

2023
Camilo Aybar, clarinet
Joanne Jiang, cello
Channing Mar, clarinet
Layla Park, violin
Walter Rees, violin
Vivian Ye, piano

2022
Tasmin Carlow-Ujiie, cello
Amy Chen, piano
Alex Chernata, clarinet
Eu-Rway Chew, piano
Max Francis, violin
Elana Lin, violin
Chloe Williams, flute

2020
Thomas Bauer, piccolo
Emily Dubois, fiddle
Taya Haldane, flute
McKenna Jennings, harp
Gina Johnson, soprano
Samuel Li, piano
Nicole Teachman, cello
Vanessa Tian, piano
Lucy Zhang, violin