Application and Rules
VOIce 2025 – INFORMATION, RULES AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
The Voice 2025 edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) will take place from May 25 through June 6, 2025.
The CMIM is seeking high-level, versatile singing artists, ready to meet today’s demands for a successful career on the international stage.
ELIGIBILITY
The CMIM is an elite-level international competition open to classical singers of all nationalities, born between 1992 and 2005 inclusive, at the beginning of a professional career.
Finalists from previous voice editions of the CMIM are ineligible for Voice 2025.
All selected competitors are required to be free of all engagements and available to perform in Montreal between May 24 and June 6, 2025, inclusive.
INTERNATIONAL JURY
The jury for the Voice 2025 edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) will be chaired by Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka. The complete Voice 2025 jury will be announced at a later date.
OFFICIAL ORCHESTRA
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) is the official orchestra of the CMIM. The OSM accompanies the competitors at Maison symphonique de Montréal for the Semifinal on June 3 and 4, and for the Final on June 6, 2025.
IMPORTANT DATES
Application period: September 1 to November 1, 2024
Confirmation of participation by the invited competitors: December 13, 2024
Transmission of final programs: January 17, 2025
Official announcement of Voice 2025 competitors: February 3, 2025
Arrival of the candidates in Montreal: May 23, 2025
First Round: May 25 to 29, 2025
Arts Song Prize Final: May 31, 2025
Semifinal with orchestra: June 3 and 4, 2025
Final with orchestra: June 6, 2025
Closing ceremony: June 6, 2025
PRIZES AND GRANTS*
More than $150,000 CAD in prizes, awards, and grants will be awarded to the laureates and winners of the Voice 2025 edition, including:
- First prize: $70,000 +
Grand cash prize: $30,000
Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant: $40,000
- Second prize: $25,000
Cash prize: $15,000
Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant: $10,000
- Third prize: $20,000
Cash prize: $10,000
Joseph-Rouleau Career Development Grant: $10,000
Special prizes
- Art Song Prize: $10,000
- An engagement with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal for a concert or recital in a subsequent season: Value to be determined
- ICI Musique Audience Choice Award: $5,000
- Best performance of a Canadian work: $2,500
- André Bourbeau Award for the Best Canadian Artist: $5,000
- CMIM Grants for unranked finalists: $3,000 each
- Junior Jury Prize: $1,000
* Notes: Additional prizes and details will be announced in the coming months. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications must be submitted online via the site Acceptd (https://getacceptd.com) between September 1 and November 1, 2024, before midnight (Montreal / New York time).
An application is comprised of the following:
- A completed online application form
- A non-refundable application fee of $150 USD
- Two high-resolution colour photographs suitable for publication and promotional use by the CMIM
- Contact information for two musical references willing to provide, upon request by the CMIM only, a letter of recommendation in support of the applicant
- A list of proposed repertoire for all rounds of the Voice 2025 edition (the two stages of the First Round, the Art Song Prize final, Semifinal, and Final), with timings
- Four audition videos (one video per work):
1. One opera aria
2. One oratorio or opera aria in a contrasting style and language
3. One German lied
4. One French mélodie
Technical standards for videos*
- All recordings must have been made after 1 July 2023.
- All audition videos must be of high quality with excellent sound recording.
- The videos must be filmed with a single fixed camera, without zooming, tilting or panning.
- Videos must not be edited, enhanced, or modified in any way.
- The candidate’s face must be visible at all times.
* Exception: Videos recorded at other reputable competitions that were recorded live from multiple angles may be accepted, at the discretion of the CMIM.
TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATION OFFERED BY THE CMIM
The CMIM will provide a return economy-class flight to Montreal for all selected candidates, in accordance with the conditions established by the competition.
The fee for one checked baggage will be assumed by the CMIM.
Fees for Visas or other required travel documents are the responsibility of the candidate.
The CMIM will arrange free accommodation with a host family in the Montreal area for all competitors. Those wishing to make other arrangements for travel and/or accommodation may do so at their own expense.
Travel expenses and accommodation for any person accompanying a competitor will not be assumed by CMIM.
PIANISTS
A CMIM official pianist will be assigned to each competitor for all rounds with piano.
Competitors may choose to perform for the two stages of the First Round and in the Art Song Prize Final with their own pianist. These pianists will be provided with accommodation free of charge with host families in the Montreal area. Travel expenses for these pianists are the sole responsibility of the competitors and/or their pianist.
SELECTION PROCESS
The CMIM management will review all applications to ensure that they are complete and that the videos submitted meet the required technical standards. The CMIM reserves the right to disqualify any applicant who does not meet the application requirements.
A preliminary jury will view and evaluate the audition videos and review the applications.
A maximum of 24 applicants will be selected to take part in the Voice 2025 edition in Montréal.
Selected competitors, as well as all applicants, will be notified of the results of the preliminary selection no later than December 13, 2024.
ROUNDS
All singers taking part in Voice 2025 are required to prepare works from the opera, art song, and oratorio repertoires.
The repertoire chosen for the competition may include works recorded for the audition videos. No other repeated repertoire is permitted during the Competition rounds (First Round, Art Song Prize final, Semifinal, and Final).
The jury will consider the difficulty and artistic merit of the programs for each round.
The final programs for all rounds must be submitted by January 17, 2025, and are subject to approval by the CMIM.
First Round
The First Round of Voice 2025 is presented with piano at Salle Bourgie.
The First Round of Voice 2025 comprises two stages. All competitors must sing two separate programs: Aria and Art Song.
Competitors may choose to include a work by a Canadian composer in their program for the First Round (Aria or Art Song). Competitors who do so will be eligible for the prize for the Best Performance of a Canadian work.
At the end of the two stages of the First Round:
- The ten singers who receive the best results from the international jury will advance to the Semifinal with orchestra.
- Five singers will be invited to compete for the Art Song Prize.
First Round: Stage I ― Aria
May 25, 26 and 27, 2025
The 24 competitors selected for the First Round of Voice 2025 each present a program of three opera arias with piano, of a maximum duration of 18 minutes of music.
The choice of arias in the First Round-Stage I must include:
- a contemporary aria written in 1975 or later*
- works sung in at least two different languages
*Competitors may select a contemporary aria of their choice. To help with this choice, a list of potential contemporary arias will be made available to selected competitors in December 2024. The CMIM will assist in obtaining these vocal-piano scores.
First Round: Stage II ― Art Song
May 28 and 29, 2025
The 24 competitors selected for the First Round of Voice 2025 each present an Art Song program with piano, of a maximum duration of 15 minutes of music.
The choice of repertoire in the First Round-Stage II must include at least one German lied and one French Mélodie. The languages of the other works in this stage are at the discretion of the competitor.
CMIM On the Road
At the conclusion of the First Round, competitors who have not advanced in the competition will present their Semifinal program as part of “CMIM On the Road,” at a concert venue in the Greater Montreal area.
Art Song Prize – Final
May 31, 2025
The final of the Art Song Prize is presented with piano at Salle Bourgie.
The five competitors selected for the Art Song Prize final will present a free art song program, of a maximum duration of 20 minutes of music.
Competitors may choose to include a work by a Canadian composer in their program for the Art Song Prize final. Competitors who do so will be eligible for the prize for the Best Performance of a Canadian work.
Semifinal
June 3 and 4, 2025
The Semifinal is presented with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, official orchestra of the CMIM, at Maison symphonique de Montréal.
The ten semifinalists must present a program of three arias lasting a maximum of 18 minutes of music.
The choice of arias for the Semifinal round must include:
- one aria selected from the oratorio repertoire (Appendix II – List A)
- two arias selected from the operatic or orchestral repertoire (Appendix II – List B)
- works sung in at least two different languages.
The five competitors who receive the highest scores from the Voice 2025 international jury will advance to the Grand Final.
Grand Final
June 6, 2025
The Grand Final is presented with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, official orchestra of the CMIM, at Maison symphonique de Montréal.
The five finalists must present a program of three arias from the operatic or orchestral repertoire, lasting a maximum of 18 minutes of music, in at least two languages.
All works performed in the Final must be selected exclusively from the Voice 2025 repertoire list (Appendix II – List B).
