RULES AND REGULATIONS

General

1. The Pathways Program is governed by a Board of Directors and managed by a Program Coordinator. Questions arising from any of these rules must be made in writing and they will be referred to the Board of Directors through the Program Coordinator (info@pathwaysprogram.ca).

2. The Pathways Program is open to participants whose permanent residence is within the province of Alberta, or who have studied music in Alberta for at least 6 months preceding the Pathways Program. Those taking online lessons with an Alberta based teacher are also accepted.

3. The date of birth for each registrant must be provided on the online entry form at the time of registration. Classes are grouped by age and participants should enter according to the age they will be on December 31, 2025.

4. Pathways Program reserves the right to substitute clinicians.

5. Specific rules applicable to each instrument must be observed. Please review the Syllabus carefully.

6. A student may register only once for the Pathways Program, unless they are playing in a different category than the primary instrument category (e.g., a participant in the woodwind class could also enter the piano class or a piano soloist could also enter piano duet).

7. Participants may withdraw from the program and receive a refund up until February 14, 2026, at 11:59p.m. (MT). After this deadline, no refunds will be issued.

Repertoire

8. It is the responsibility of the teachers, performers and parents to ensure that the correct information is supplied in the online registration form by the registration closing date: January 24, 2026, at 11:59p.m. (MT). Entries with errors or missing information will be considered as incomplete and may not be scheduled.

9. Participants may make changes to their repertoire until February 14, 2026, at 11:59p.m. (MT). After this deadline, no repertoire changes will be accepted.

10. Participants must follow the Pathways Recital Requirements as outlined in the instrument syllabus. Please read these carefully as the requirements may have changed for the upcoming Pathways Program.

11. To be eligible to be nominated for the CMC National Finals and/or AMFA Provincials, repertoire chosen must follow the repertoire requirements as outlined in the syllabus.

12. Date ranges for specific periods are as follows:
Baroque 1600–1750
Classical 1750–1820
Romantic 1820–1900
Modern 1900–1970
Contemporary 1970–present

Memorization

13. Memorization is required for all selections for Piano and Strings. Memorization is at the performer’s discretion for Winds. Please check the applicable program syllabus for exceptions.

Schedule

14. The online schedule is tentative and subject to change. Once the final schedule is released, participants will be notified by email, and it will be posted on the website. Participants are solely responsible for checking the final schedule and knowing their performance times.

15. Scheduling requests will be considered with substantial advanced notification but are not guaranteed. Other festivals, music lessons, school and extracurricular activities will NOT be considered. All requests for changes MUST be submitted by email to info@pathwaysprogram.ca by February 14, 2026, at 11:59p.m. (MT).

Performance Protocol

16. Participants must arrive at least 15 minutes before the beginning of their category class starts, to ensure enough time to check in and provide scores for the Clinician.

17. The Pathways Program reserves the right to disqualify a competitor who is not ready to perform when called.

18. Time limits will be strictly enforced. The Clinicians may stop the performance, should the performer exceed the time limit listed for their age category.

19. All participants will be required to remain in the performance space until the group feedback session for your class is complete.

20. At no time may a teacher, parent, or competitor engage a Clinician in conversation prior to or during any performance for that Clinician. Such contact may result in the participant’s disqualification.

Collaborative Musicians

21. Participants must supply their own collaborative pianist.

22. Works not written for a solo instrument must be performed with a collaborative pianist.

23. Accompaniments must be played as written, but cuts in the concerto tuttis are permitted.

Photocopies/Scores

24. It is the participants’ responsibility to provide SHEET MUSIC (not electronic devices) for all selections to be performed. Measures must be marked at the beginning of each line.

25. One (1) complete licensed score/edition, including solo and accompaniment music materials, must be onsite in the performance space. Works classified as Public Domain by the Copyright Act (as found on IMSLP) are acceptable as photocopies. Additionally, if the Copyright holder has provided written approval, a copy of such work may be accepted. It is the competitor’s responsibility to ensure and provide proof of their claim as to a selection’s valid use (such as a receipt for works purchased online). The Pathways Program will disqualify any entry that cannot adequately prove valid use of copyrighted material.

26. Scores for any contemporary works after 1955 must be submitted in advance by uploading it in PDF at the time of registration. You are still required to bring the sheet music of the work to the performance.

27. If the participant is to perform with their music scores, a secondary score must be provided, with the beginning of each system numbered for the Clinicians. If you have any cuts in your repertoire, please clearly mark these in your music score.

Awards and Nominations

28. The Clinicians’ decisions/recommendations regarding performances, marks, and scholarships are final.

29. Participants may be recommended by the Clinicians to participate in the CMC National Final Competition and/or the AMFA Provincial Festival. To be eligible, a participant must fulfill all requirements as outlined in the instrument syllabus. Selected participants will be notified at the conclusion of the Pathways Program.

Photography/Audio & Video Recording

30. Absolutely no flash photography is permitted. Recording is only permitted by the guardians of the participant or someone recording on behalf of the participant with his/her consent, specifically for that participant.

31. Official Pathways Program photographers and videographers are authorized to capture performances. Participants grant Pathways Program indefinite rights to all recordings, broadcasts, and images.

32. Participants agree to be available for media, sponsor, or organizer engagements, including interviews. Promotional content may be used across newsletters, websites, and social media.