2026 Syllabus - Sinfonia Ancaster Performance Opportunity

In collaboration with Sinfonia Ancaster, the Hamilton Music Festival is pleased to offer a special performance opportunity for advanced amateur musicians.

This competition is open to advanced vocal and instrumental participants residing in Hamilton and the surrounding region. It is designed to provide emerging artists with the potential experience of rehearsing and performing with Sinfonia Ancaster during one of the orchestra’s 2026–27 season concerts.

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Voice Applicants

Applicants may select any work for solo voice and orchestra (symphony, chamber, or string orchestra). Eligible repertoire may include:

• A complete song cycle
• Selected movements from a song cycle
• A set of arias from opera or oratorio literature

The total performance time should not exceed 20 minutes.

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Instrumental Applicants

Applicants should prepare one movement or two contrasting movements from the concerto repertoire, with a combined duration of no more than 20 minutes.

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General Requirements

• All works must be performed in their original key and instrumentation; no arrangements are permitted.
• For festival performances, participants must perform with a collaborative pianist, using a piano reduction of the orchestral score.  Recorded accompaniment is not permitted.
• Memorization is not required.

Competition Details

• Dates: April 6 – May 1, 2026 (during the 2026 Hamilton Music Festival season)
• Adjudication: A panel of distinguished adjudicators, including Jeffrey Pollock, music director of Sinfonia Ancaster, will evaluate all performances.
• Performance Opportunity: Winner(s) will be invited to perform with Sinfonia Ancaster in the 2026–27 season.
• Scholarship may be awarded to the winner(s)

Note: This class is separate from other festival classes (for example, provincial qualifiers). Participants may use the same repertoire in other appropriate classes.