This message is being sent on behalf of Jody Stark, Associate Dean (Undergrad Programs), Desautels Faculty of Music.

Dear Desautels community,

You are invited to participate in the annual St. John’s College/Desautels Faculty of Music Ensemble Competition. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The application form is attached.

This competition was initiated in 2020, a counterpart to the Annual Art competition held at St. John’s College. The Preliminary Round will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, adjudicated by a jury panel of Desautels faculty members. The audience will vote on an Audience Choice award at the Final Round; there is no jury at the Finals. The Final Round will take place on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 12:30-1:20 pm, in the St. John’s College Chapel and is part of the final event of their annual Art Competition.

Apart from limitations on the size of ensembles listed below, there are no restrictions on the type of ensemble or repertoire. This competition is open to all students in the B. Music, B. Jazz Studies, Post-Bacc, and M. Music. There are three categories: 1) Instrumental Ensemble (2-6 instrumentalists) 2) Singer with Instrumental Ensemble (1 singer, 2-6 instrumentalists) 3) Vocal Ensemble (2-6 singers with or without collaborating musicians)

At the Preliminary Round, the jurors will choose one winning ensemble from each category. These groups will each receive a prize of $300, to be split evenly between the members of the ensemble. The three winning ensembles will perform at the Final Round on March 20, 2026, the culmination of the annual St. John’s College’s Art Competition. An audience prize of $300 will be awarded to one of the three ensembles, to be split evenly between the members of the ensemble.

If your ensemble requires accommodation to perform, please inform us when sending your application.

Regards,

Jody Stark, Ph.D. Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs Associate Professor (Music Education) Desautels Faculty of Music T215 Taché Arts Complex 150 Dafoe Road Winnipeg, Manitoba ∙ R3T 2N2 ∙Canada Tel. 204∙474∙6194