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Description
Vancouver International Music Festival Competition 2026
This year's classical music competition is the fourth edition of the Vancouver International Music Competition, returning at the culmination of its three-year artistic cycle. Founded to celebrate artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and the next generation of musical voices, the competition brings young musicians from around the world to perform on an international stage in the heart of Vancouver. Through rigorous adjudication and inspiring performances, it has become a recognized platform for emerging talent in piano, strings, woodwinds, and voice.
- When: October 9–11, 2026
- Where: VSO School of Music, Tom Lee Music, and the Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, BC
- Cost: Ticketed. See the ticket links below.
- Hosted by: Vancouver International Music Festival
- Website: Vancouver International Music Festival Competition
Competition Schedule: Final Round, Masterclasses & Gala Concert
Final Round at the VSO School of Music
Friday, October 9, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
VSO School of Music, 843 Seymour St, Vancouver, BC. Watch the competition's finalists perform in the final round. Buy Final Round tickets.
Masterclasses at Tom Lee Music
Saturday, October 10, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tom Lee Music, 728 Granville St, Vancouver, BC. A full day of educational masterclasses connecting performance and learning for young musicians and music lovers.
Gala Concert & Awards Ceremony at the Orpheum Theatre
Sunday, October 11, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Orpheum Theatre, 601 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC. The festival closes with a gala concert and the awards ceremony. Buy Gala Concert tickets.
About the Vancouver International Music Festival
As part of the broader Vancouver International Music Festival, the 2026 edition connects performance, education, and community, honouring tradition while looking ahead to the future of classical music.
The festival acknowledges that its events take place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples: the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
