Instrumental Competition

Every year, ORMTA showcases some of the most talented advanced instrumental music students from across Ontario in this prestigious competition. Students of ORMTA members first compete locally at the branch level. A local branch winner then qualifies to compete at their regional zone competition. Winners of each zone competition across Ontario then earn the right to advance to this provincial competition. Students are expected to perform a stylistically balanced programme. Each student receives a written critique from a panel of distinguished adjudicators. Special thanks to many organizations and individuals for their ongoing support of this competition. 

If you would like to make a donation to our student scholarship fund, please click here.

2025 Prizes

Level 8 & 9

1st place - $750

2nd place - $500

Level 10 & Associate

1st place - $1,000

2nd place - $750

Other Prizes

Esther Su Memorial Scholarship Award - $250
for the best instrumental performance of a Canadian work.

Rules & Regulations

Click to download the Instrumental Competition Level 8 & 9 Rules and Regulations

Click to download the Instrumental Competition Level 10 & Associate Rules and Regulations

Click the image above to view a chart of the hierarchy of competitions from the
Branch level to the National level.

Application Forms

Online application forms will be available here on May 1st.

Adjudicators’ Signature Form

2025 Instrumental Competition Adjudicators

  • Dr. Karin Di Bella is an accomplished pianist and educator. She has appeared as a concerto soloist with orchestras in the United States and Canada, and has an active collaborative career with instrumentalists and singers around North America and in Europe. Previously on faculty at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Dr. Di Bella is currently Associate Professor of Piano at Brock University. She is also sought after as an adjudicator for music festivals across Canada and is a senior piano examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her areas of expertise include contemporary Canadian repertoire, particularly the works by Jack Behrens, and historical instruments and techniques of the 18th and 19th centuries. Her CD Variants: Solo Piano Music of Jack Behrens is available through the Canadian Music Centre (musiccentre.ca), on iTunes, or for streaming on the Naxos database.

  • Dr. Marnie Van Weelden enjoys a versatile career as a pianist, dedicated teacher, and church musician in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. She grew up in a musical family in Mississauga and received her undergraduate degree from Western University studying with Gwen Beamish. She completed both her Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Piano Performance and Pedagogy on full scholarship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Her teachers during her time there were Louis Nagel and Logan Skelton. Since 2007 she has been teaching piano and piano pedagogy at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is an active performer in her musical community playing as a solo and collaborative pianist and in her piano duo, Blondes on 88, with pianist Rebekah Jordan-Miller. She performs in the Laurier Noon Concert series, First United Noon Concert series, Laurier Academy of Music & Arts Faculty concerts, Love of Music Marathon, Open Ears Festival of new music, the Registry Theatre and the Jazz Room. She has been a frequent faculty member in the SOSI Young Artist Program in August in Waterloo, where she was delighted to perform Carnival of the Animals with the SOSI Faculty Orchestra. She strives to pursuing a meaningful connection between teaching, performing, and community engagement. She is currently serving as President for the KW-ORMTA branch and is passionate about pursuing excellence in teaching through networking opportunities, professional development, and recitals with her teaching colleagues in the community. She is a member of the College of Examiners of the Royal Conservatory and is in demand as a festival adjudicator and clinician. Her workshop, entitled Music in Motion, helps to equip pianists with a fresh approach to piano playing involving dynamic choreography and increased body awareness that can help with injury prevention. She knew from an early age that teaching piano would be a lifelong pursuit and passion. During her 30 year teaching journey, Dr. Van Weelden has had the privilege to work with all ages and levels and thinks that teaching piano is the best job in the world! In addition to being a pianist she also loves to sing, but mostly enjoys spending time with her husband and three teens!