Classical Voice Competitions
The Classical Voice department offers six annual Song Competitions for current students of the Victoria Conservatory of Music to perform, compete, and receive feedback from renowned and respected adjudicators.
Competitors have the opportunity to sing one or two songs, depending on the number of competitors, at the discretion of the Voice Department Head. Singers are requested to specify on their application which of the two songs they will perform in the event that time considerations limit each competitor to one song only.
First and Second Prizes as well as Honourable Mentions are available to be awarded for each competition, and for the Annual Margaret Abbott Memorial English Art Song Competition up to $3,000 in scholarship funding is available to be awarded to participants in the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions.
How to Apply
With your instructors recommendation, submit a $20 application fee and application form for each competition. Both must be completed before the deadline (listed below).
Oratorio & Sacred Song Competition
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Application Deadline: May 14, 2025
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for registered* Conservatory students of all ages and abilities to perform an Oratorio Aria or a Classical Sacred Song from any period.
5:00pm Junior Division | 5:45pm Intermediate Division | 6:30pm Senior Division
Grand Opera Aria Competition
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Application Deadline: May 14, 2025
The Grand Opera Aria Competition is open to all singers who qualify for the Senior Division Competition level and will follow the Oratorio / Sacred Song Competition on the same evening of Wednesday May 28, 2025, starting at 8:00pm. This new competition will award two cash prizes for Best Operatic Performance: 1st place $1500 and runner-up $1000. Prize money has been generously donated by the Henwood Family Foundation, to be awarded at the discretion of the judges, Pacific Opera Victoria’s Principal Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia, and Principal Coach and Music Administrator Kimberley-Ann Bartczak.
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for registered* Conservatory students who qualify for the Senior Division to perform an Opera Aria from any period for this competition.
Exception: Intermediate Division singers who are 18 years of age and have permission of their voice instructor and the Head of Classical Voice may also compete in the Grand Opera Aria Competition.
8:00pm Opera Division
*To be eligible to compete in Conservatory Voice Competitions, participants must have been registered for a minimum of 10 weeks preceding the competition date.
Margaret Abbott Memorial English Art Song Competition
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Application Deadline: October 9, 2024
The Classical Voice department provides this opportunity for current students with their instructors recommendation to perform English Art Songs. Student participants perform in Alix Goolden Performance Hall and receive feedback from adjudicators.
First and Second Prizes as well as Honourable Mentions are available to be awarded for each competition, and for the Annual Margaret Abbott Memorial English Art Song Competition up to $3,000 in scholarship funding is available to be awarded to participants in the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions.
About Margaret Abbott
The Victoria Conservatory of Music Scholarship for the performance of English Language Art Song was established after Margaret Abbott’s death in 2003 to honour her memory and to perpetuate her high artistic standards. Soprano Margaret Abbott’s performances of concert oratorio and operatic repertoire from all the musical eras were acclaimed throughout Canada. She sang with the Victoria Symphony and the Victoria Choral Society. Her performances on CBC included solo roles in the CBC premieres of Britten’s operas Albert Herring and Peter Grimes. Her family was closely connected to the Victoria Conservatory of Music for many years. Her children, Norman, Vivienne and Jocelyn, were among the Conservatory’s first students.
2024 Results
Junior
1. Brooklyn Wright
2. Sophia Kozlov
3. Lockett Burns
Spirit of Song Award: Lauren Abhirosh
Intermediate
1. Marlo Karakas
2. Maisha Klette
3. Denisa Vanderkerkhove
Spirit of Song Award: Dominic Bartle-Clar
Senior
1. Judy Roberts
2. Hannah Morrison
3. Katrina McLaughlin | Ali Bahrani
Spirit of Song Award (2) – Alice Wolffa | Frances Rosenberg
2023 Results
Junior
1. Denisa Vandekerkhove
Spirit of Song: Nathalia Kao
Intermediate
1. Maisha Klette
2. Marlo Karakas
3. Grace Gaboury | Natalie Beilin
Spirit of Song: Amelia Croft | Kaya Crumley
Honorable Mention: Emily Bai
Senior A
1. Juhui Yoon | Anna Bigland-Pritchard
2. Katrina McLaughlin | Melissa Irvine
Spirit of Song: Alice Wolff | Jasmine Bodi
Honourable Mention: Audrey Hamilton | Elizabeth Milward | Essencia Leandro
Senior B
1. Judy Roberts
Honourable Mention: Brooke Gallupe
Musical Theatre Song Competition
Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Application Deadline: November 13, 2024
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for students of all ages and abilities to perform one Musical Theatre songs. Costume optional, but encouraged.
2024 Results
Junior
1. Amelia Hermoso | Oleksandr Tchac
2. Caris Reimer | Sophia Kozlov
3. Brooklyn Wright | Lauren Abhirosh
Spirit of Song Award: Lockett Burns
Honorable Mentions:
Alina Kuspekian
Isla Castro
Claire Wan
Janalyn Prouse
Nathalia Kao
Warner Clark
Alice McPherson
Intermediate
1. Seren Sykes
2. Dominic Bartle-Clar
3. Maisha Klette
Senior
1. David Gardiner
2. Sarah-Jane Russell
3. Nate Williams
German Lieder Competition
Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Application Deadline: January 8, 2025
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for students of all ages and abilities to perform one or two German Art Songs.
2025 Results
Junior
1: Lauren Abhirosh
2: Sophia Koslov
Honourable Mention: Alice McPherson | Alina Kuspekian | Brooklyn Wright
Intermediate
1: Marlo Karakas
2: Dominic Bartle-Clar
Honourable Mention: Natalie Beilin | Annie Huang | Betty Huang
Senior
1. Jenny Hofmeister
2. Sarah-Jane Russell
3. Judy Roberts
Honourable Mention: Cynan Thompson | Kyra Kristmanson | Audrey Hamilton
Spirit of Lieder Award: Alice Wolff | Frances Rosenberg
2024 Results
Junior
1: Warner Clark
Honourable Mention: Dannah Che | River Chen | Yiwen Miao
Intermediate
1: Natalie Beilin
Honourable Mention: Grace Lauchlan | Marlo Karakas
Senior B
1. Pam Campbell | Brooke Gallupe
Fab Awards (HM): Jill Forrester | Heather Valsangkar | Neil Marcovitz
Spirit of Lieder Award: Frances Rosenberg
Senior A
1. Melissa Irvine | Katrina McLaughlin
2. Elizabeth Milward
Honourable Mention: Juhui Yoon | Jill Goddard | Michael van der Kamp
Italian Art Song Competition
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Application Deadline: February 19, 2025
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for students of all ages and abilities to perform one or two Italian Art Songs.
2025 Results
Junior
1: Sophia Kozlov
2: Brooklyn Wright | Lauren Abhirosh
Spirit of Song Award: Natalia Kao
Honourable Mention: Claire Wan | Alina Kuspekian
Intermediate
1: Marlo Karakas
2: Betty Huang
Spirit of Song Award: Zinaeah Nash | Annie Huang
Senior
1. Hannah Morrison
2. Judy Roberts
3. Cynan Thompson
Spirit of Song Award: Amelia Croft
Honourable Mention: Angelina Holland | Melissa Irvine | Sarah Jane Russell | Alice Wolff
2024 Results
Junior Division
1. Hrithika Sompriti
2. Yoyo Lu
3. Lauren Ahbirosh
Intermediate Division
1. Marlo Karakas
2. Nateo Thompson
Honorable Mentions: Natalie Beilin | Maisha Klette
Senior B Division
1. Heather Valsangkar | Neil Marcovitz
2. Pam Campbell | Brooke Gallupe
Honorable Mention: Patricia Saavedra
Senior A Division
1. Katrina McLaughlan
2. Katie Cooper | Juhui Yoon
3. Christina Hilgartner | Kyra Kristmanson | Cynan Thompson
French Art Song Competition
Date: April 30, 2025
Application Deadline: April 16, 2025
The Classical Voice Department provides this opportunity for students of all ages and abilities to perform one or two French Art Songs.
2025 Results
Junior
1: Lauren Abhirosh
2: Kalyani Praveen
Intermediate
1: Denisa Vanderkerkhove
2: Natalie Beilin
Senior
1. Marlo Karakas
2. Judy Roberts
3. Katrina McLaughlan
Spirit of Song
Reece Young
Todd Rayson
Frances Rosenberg
Amelia Croft
2024 Results
Junior
1. Lauren Ahbirosh | Yoyo Lu
2. Hritika Sompriti
Honorable Mentions:
Sophia Koslov
Warner Clark
Amara Dunne
Intermediate
1. Marlo Karakas
2. Natalie Beilin
Honorable Mention:
Oscar Lines
Senior B
1. Frances Rosenberg | Maria Valdes
2. Jill Forester | Neil Marcovitz
Senior A
1. Melissa Irvine | Kyra Kristmanson
2. Anna Bigland-Pritchard
Application Form
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