52 Years of Music History, Education and Excellence
Entering into its 52nd year, MusicFest Canada “The Nationals” brings thousands of students and educators from across the country together, over a one-week period, to celebrate excellence in musical performance. With an average attendance of 7,000 young musicians, it is the largest educational music convention in Canada. Not only does MusicFest Canada showcase the talent and knowledge of esteemed clinicians and adjudicators from across North America, it also showcases Canada’s own landscape by hosting the festival in a different metropolitan city each year.
Initially founded in 1972 as the Canadian Stage Band Festival (CSBF), the festival was a major force in the development of the stage band (an institutionally-based jazz ‘big band’) in Canadian high schools and universities. The CSBF added vocal and concert band components in 1981 and 1986 respectively and String/Orchestras in 2008. MusicFest Canada, originally introduced in 1987, embraced the the original Canadian Stage Band Festival as well as the Concert Band and Choral/Vocal divisions. MusicFest Canada has enriched the level of music education across the nation, while providing Canadian students a truly measurable goal: that of musical excellence.
Here are the adjudicators and clinicians from the past 51 years. It is a who’s-who of music educators, performers and clinicians that MusicFest has been able to bring together with thousands of young musicians across Canada.
Revisit the festival by clicking on the boxes below
Richmond welcomed MusicFest Canada for a special 39th anniversary festival. Highlights included the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performances at The Chan Centre UBC, plus the unveiling of the Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra which welcomed Dr. Gillian MacKay as the co-director and featured Larry Knopp and Maestro Bram Tovey from the VSO.





2006 Participants List and Official Results





The Adjudicators’ Jazz Orchestra once again blew the roof off the Showcase Stage, directed by Frank Mantooth and featuring Phil Nimmons, Steve Houghton, Bob Breihaupt, and many other jazz legends.





- 1979: Vancouver
- 1978: Winnipeg – View the Recording 1978
- 1977: Toronto
- 1976: Toronto
- 1975: Toronto
- 1974: Toronto
- 1973: Toronto
- 1972: Toronto