The Federation of Canadian Music Festivals is a cultural network, which engages, educates and encourages amateur musicians in their pursuit of excellence.

Who We Are:

Volunteers in a festival movement in Canada involving 475,000* participants at various levels.
The umbrella organization for affiliated local and provincial festivals.
A charitable, not-for-profit Canadian organization of volunteers from across the country.

*based on 2019 submitted statistics

What We Do:

RECOGNIZE AND FOSTER EMERGING TALENT - All local music festivals affiliated with the Federation through their Provincial Association share the mutual objectives of recognizing and fostering emerging, young Canadian musicians.

NATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL - We deliver an annual National Music Festival, providing an opportunity for amateur musicians to compete on a national stage.

EDUCATE - We educate through feedback, workshops and masterclasses conducted by professional adjudicators at every level

SUPPORT EXCELLENCE in musicianship from grass roots to elite levels through our affiliated local and provincial festival associations.

The Festival Movement in Canada

Local Festivals

Local community festivals are the grassroots of the three-tiered classical music festival movement in Canada. They are located right across the country, in small towns as well as urban centres. Larger festivals may run for several weeks, while smaller ones may take only a day or two. Every local festival engages professional adjudicators who critique performances, offer help and guidance, and select winners for honours and scholarships when requested. Adjudicators also select students to advance to Provincial level festivals.

Provincial Festivals

The top competitors from local festivals gather annually in each participating province, attending their respective Provincial Finals competitions and festivals. At these provincial festivals adjudicators help students of varying levels and backgrounds, and they recommend the very best to attend the National Music Festival.

The National Festival

The FCMF National Music Festival is held annually in Canada. This festival of classical music brings together the top students from every participating province, to perform in academic venues in the country, to interact and hear and learn from each other, to have workshop sessions with Canada's best adjudicators, and to compete for the prizes. It is a truly unique Festival that enriches the lives of both performers and audiences alike!