Apply to Compete / Postuler pour concourir

Updated February 2025.

The below policy governs how the CGM invites competitors:

1. The CGM will always select competitors with quality as the paramount consideration

2. The below groups will be invited to compete in the CGM competition:

   • Category 1 (automatic): Top 5 finalists from any of the last three calendar years

   • Category 2 (automatic): Prior winners of the CGM competition

   • Category 3 (discretionary): Each year, the Board shall name a Committee to review potential competitors (“Competitor Review Committee”). The Competitor Review Committee shall review the video submissions which have been submitted that year, or, which were previously submitted in prior years. To be eligible for consideration, any video must meet the below criteria:

     • The applicant must provide the below:
       (A) Name
       (B) Have they competed at the CGM before? If so, when?
       (C) Email and mailing address
       (D) Picture
       (E) A brief description of the applicant’s past fiddle accomplishments (e.g. prior notable competition placings, prior invitations to the CGM competitions, formal music theory training, notable past public performances etc.)

     • An unedited video which includes that player performing the below:
       (A) Waltz
       (B) Jig
       (C) Reel
       (D) Tune of choice
       Applicants will be encouraged to use accompaniment in their video, but it is not required.

     • The applicant shall be asked to indicate their consent for their video to remain in the CGM records, for future consideration.

     • The applicant will be informed that their video will be kept on file, and shall be considered in future years, and thus they need not submit a new video each year.
       The Board shall discuss and set calendar dates by which all video submissions must be submitted, and the date for the Competitor Review Committee to make its final determinations.

   • Category 4 (discretionary): The Competitor Review Committee shall also extend an invitation to any fiddler who is placed on the Iconic Canadian Fiddle list. This list refers to iconic, living, and performing, players who ideally meet the below criteria:

     • Players who have become well known in Canadian fiddling, whether through numerous and significant live performances, or due to the quality of their musical ability;

     • Any Board member can nominate a player to be added to the Iconic Canadian Fiddle list, but the final decision on the list shall be up to the Competitor Review Committee;

   • Category 5 (discretionary): The Competitor Review Committee shall be permitted to consider (but is under no obligation to invite) any player who was a competitor at the last year’s competition. Such competitor at the last year’s competition is not required to submit a video submission.

As stated in the CGMFA Competition Rules, contestants must be a Canadian Citizen, or have been a permanent resident of Canada for the two years immediately preceding the competition.