The Violin 2026 edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) will take place from May 27 through June 4, 2026.
The CMIM is an elite-level international competition open to classical violinists of all nationalities, born between 1995 and 2009, in the early stages of a professional performing career.
Applications must be submitted online via the site Muvac.com before midnight on October 31, 2025 (Montréal/New York time).An application is comprised of the following:
- A completed online application form
- A non-refundable application fee of $200 Canadian Dollars
- Two high-resolution colour photos (including one headshot) suitable for publication and CMIM promotional use
- Contact information for two musical references willing to provide upon request by the CMIM only a recommendation in support of the applicant
- A list of proposed repertoire for all rounds of the competition. (Final programs will be confirmed in January, including the respective timing of each works and the definitive order of performance.)
- Three audition videos (one video per work):
2. Any Fugue by J.S. Bach
3. A slow movement of any Beethoven Violin Sonata, except for No. 9-Kreutzer
- Videos must be of high-quality with excellent audio, shot from one angle with a single fixed camera (no zooming, tilting, or panning). The violinist’s face must remain fully visible at all times.
- Videos must not be edited, enhanced, or modified in any way.
- Videos that have been recorded from multiple angles at other competitions may be accepted, atthe discretion of the CMIM.
Awards:
First prize: $70,000
Second prize: $25,000
Third prize: $20,000
Repertoire:
First Round
The twenty-four (24) competitors selected must each present a program of 25 to 30 minutes of music with piano accompaniment.The repertoire for the First Round must comprise a minimum of three works representing at least three musical periods:
- A work by J.S. Bach, Telemann, or another Baroque composer
- A virtuosic work by Bazzini, Ernst, Paganini, Saint-Saens, Sarasate, Waxman,Wieniawski, or other composer
- A work of choice from a third style periodThe inclusion of a single movement of a work is permitted.Ten violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Semifinal Round.
The ten semifinalists must each perform a program of 50 to 55 minutes of music with piano accompaniment.The repertoire for the Semifinal round must comprise a minimum of three works, including the following elements:
- A complete sonata by composers such as but not limited to:
Bartók, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Enescu, Fauré, Franck, Janáček, Prokofiev, Ravel, Schnittke, Schumann, Schubert, or R. Strauss - A work of the candidate’s choice by any composer
- A work of the candidate’s choice by a Canadian composer. The CMIM will provide areference list of suggested works.
Five violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Final.
Final
The Final comprises two stages:
I – Mozart Final
Five violinists will present a concerto by W.A. Mozart for violin and orchestra with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, from the following list:
Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat Major, K. 207
Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major, K. 211
Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major, K. 218
Three violinists will be selected by the international jury to advance to the Grand Final.
II – Grand Final
Three violinists will present a major concerto for violin and orchestra with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The choice of concerto must be selected from the works listed in Appendix 2 of this document. Any other choice of concerto is subject to prior approval from the CMIM.
More details: https://www.concoursmontreal.ca/en/