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Our office is located in Tkaronto, Dish With One Spoon territory and covered by Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. We are grateful to work, live and make music on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat.
Competition for Choral Writing
Choral Canada encourages and supports the creation of choral music for choirs and singing groups by emerging/early-career Canadian composers/music creators. Since 2000, composers and music creators from across Canada have submitted their compositions to be considered for the Diane Loomer Award. In 2018, the Stephen Chatman Student Award was introduced to support student composers.
Submissions for the 2026 Competition for Choral Writing are now open!
Entry fee: $45 ($25 for students)
Deadline: March 15, 2026
Competition Regulations and Application Guidelines for each category can be found in the drop-down menus below.
The Competition for Choral Writing includes two categories:
- The Diane Loomer Award, sponsored by Cypress Choral Music – open to any emerging/early-career* Canadian choral composer.
- The Stephen Chatman Student Award – open to any Canadian student or any student currently studying in Canada.
Winners and honourable mentions are chosen by a Selection Committee of esteemed choral artists from across the country. Representatives from the sponsoring organizations are not members of the Selection Committee and have no involvement in the specific allocation of awards.
Each submission will receive constructive written feedback from one of the members of the committee.
The Selection Committee may select up to three honourable mentions per category.
The recipient of the Diane Loomer Award receives a $1,500 cash prize, a publishing opportunity with Cypress Choral Music, and a performance by the National Youth Choir of Canada at the Podium Choral Conference & Festival. The recipient of the Stephen Chatman Student Award receives a $1,500 cash prize and a performance by a prominent choir in Canada.
*Emerging/early-career: A person who is in the early stages of their career as a music creator/composer. They self-identify as an emerging artist and are in the process of establishing their presence in the choral arts sector. An emerging artist has likely been practicing for less than 10 years, regardless of age or education.
2026 Competition Regulations + Application Guidelines
(Download TXT)
The Diane Loomer Award, sponsored by Cypress Choral Music, is open to any emerging/early-career* Canadian choral composer. The recipient will receive:
- the Diane Loomer Award of $1,500
- a publishing opportunity through Cypress Choral Music**
- a performance by the National Youth Choir of Canada, on tour and at the national Podium Choral Conference and Festival.
- a feature article about the composer in Choral Canada’s national choral journal Anacrusis
- promotion on Choral Canada’s website and social media.
*Emerging/early-career: A person who is in the early stages of their career as a music creator/composer. They self-identify as an emerging artist and are in the process of establishing their presence in the choral arts sector. An emerging artist has likely been practicing for less than 10 years, regardless of age or education.
**Copyright in all submitted works remains with the composer. Winning the Diane Loomer Award does not, in itself, transfer or assign any copyright or publishing rights. While this award includes a publishing opportunity, any exclusive publishing agreement is entered into directly between the composer and the sponsoring publisher.
About the Diane Loomer Award:
This important Choral Canada program would not be possible without the generosity of the beloved late Diane Loomer. Internationally recognized as one of Canada’s finest musicians and the first woman to conduct the National Youth Choir of Canada, Diane and Dick Loomer founded Cypress Choral Music in 1988. In 1999, they partnered with Choral Canada to present the first edition of this competition. Today, Diane’s legacy in the Canadian choral community lives on through the Diane Loomer Award, sponsored by Cypress Choral Music.
Past recipients of the Diane Loomer Award:
2000 - Allan Bevan - Ave Maria
2000 - Ramona Luengen - Mésange
2002 - Michael Unger - Sea Song
2004 - Allan Bevan - Echo
2004 - Jeff Smallman - Brier
2006 - Allan Bevan - Harp of Wild
2008 - Brian Tate - Africa
2010 - Lavinia Parker - Songs are Thoughts
2010 - Donald Patriquin - Scottish Contrasts
2012 - Elise Letourneau - Peace Prayer
2014 - Matthew Emery - The Lover’s Chant
2016 - Benjamin Bolden - Tread Softly
2018 - Sheldon Rose - Will You Fare On, My Song?
2020 - Kevin Pirker - She Walks in Beauty
2022 - Nicholas Kelly - Wind Rising in the Alleys
2024 - Katharine Petkovski - When Music Sounds
2026 Competition Regulations + Application Guidelines
(Download TXT)
The Stephen Chatman Student Award is open to any Canadian student or any student currently studying in Canada. The recipient will receive:
- the Stephen Chatman Student Award of $1,500
- a performance by a choir/singing group in Canada
- complimentary student membership with Choral Canada (valid for one year from the date of the award)
- a feature article about the composer in Choral Canada’s national choral journal Anacrusis
- promotion on Choral Canada’s website and social media
Past recipients of the Stephen Chatman Student Award:
2022 - Mari Alice Conrad - At First Light
2024 - François Lukawecki - En plein air
The Diane Loomer Award is sponsored by:
The Stephen Chatman Student Award is made possible by:
Stephen Chatman & Tara Wohlberg
Our office is located in Tkaronto, Dish With One Spoon territory and covered by Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. We are grateful to work, live and make music on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat.- ABOUT
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