Montreal International Musical Competition

The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) is an elite-level competition for classical musicians who are interested in pursuing an international career as a professional concert artist. Established in 2001 by the late André Bourbeau and by the late French-Canadian bass Joseph Rouleau, the CMIM features three disciplines - voice, violin and piano - on a rotating basis over a three-year cycle.

The CMIM is composed of four rounds: the preliminary round (based on video recordings), the first round, the semi-finals and the finals. Award winners receive prizes and grants valued at over $150,000. The 2024 edition, dedicated to the piano, will be followed by the voice edition in 2025 and the violin edition in 2026.

André Bourbeau was the president of the Competition since its first edition in 2002 and was succeeded by François R. Roy in 2018.

Since May 2004, the CMIM has been a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions.

In September 2023, Chantal Poulin and Shira Gilbert were appointed as Executive Director and Artistic Director of the CMIM.

2024
The 2024 edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. It took place from May 5 to 16 and featured 24 competitors aged 19 to 29 from twelve different countries. For the first time in its history, the competition included a Chamber Music round during the first stage of the semifinal.

Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko won the first prize of the Piano 2024 edition and became the first Canadian laureate of an instrumental edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal.

==== Laureates ====

==== Special Prizes ====

2023
The twenty-second edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. First prize was won by Dmytro Udovychenko.

2022
The twenty-first edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice and featured two divisions - aria and art song. First prize in Aria was won by Simone McIntosh. First prize in Art Song was won by Meredith Wohlgemuth.

2021
The twentieth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. First prize was won by Su Yeon Kim, from South Korea.

2020
The COVID-19 confinement and closing of international borders prevented this nineteenth edition of the CMIM to be held. Instead, every day from May 4 to May 18, 2020, from their respective locations, the selected competitors performed short recitals, in anticipation of the competition, which was postponed to 2021.

2019
The eighteenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. First prize was won by Hao Zhou.

2018
The seventeenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice and featured two divisions - aria and art song. First prize in Aria was won by Mario Bahg. First prize in Art Song was won by John Brancy.

2017
The sixteenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. The Grand prize was won by Zoltan Fejervari.

2016
The fifteenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. The Grand Prize was won by Ayana Tsuji.

2015
The fourteenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice. The Grand Prize was won by Keonwoo Kim.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Hera Hyesang Park (soprano), South Korea
 * André Bourbeau Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * France Bellemare (soprano), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Award for the Best Artist from Quebec
 * France Bellemare (soprano), Canada
 * Award for the best semi-final recital
 * Anaïs Constans (soprano), France

2014
The thirteenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. The Grand Prize was won by Jayson Gillham.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Jayson Gillham, Australia/United Kingdom
 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Jayson Gillham, Australia/United Kingdom
 * André Bourbeau Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Charles Richard Hamelin

2013
The twelfth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. The Grand Prize was won by Marc Bouchkov.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Stephen Waarts, United States
 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Luke Hsu, United States
 * Wilder & Davis Award for the best semi-final recital
 * Marc Bouchkov, Belgium

2012
The eleventh edition of the Montreal International Musical Competition was dedicated to voice. The Grand Prize was won by Philippe Sly.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Philippe Sly (bass baritone), Canada
 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Philippe Sly (bass baritone), Canada
 * Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Philippe Sly (bass baritone), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Award for the Best Artist from Quebec
 * Philippe Sly (bass baritone), Canada
 * Atma Classique Award for a CD Recording
 * Yuri Gorodetski (tenor), Belarus

2011
The tenth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. The Grand Prize was won by Beatrice Rana.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Beatrice Rana, Italy
 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Beatrice Rana, Italy
 * Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Tina Chong, Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Award for the Best Artist from Quebec
 * Steven Massicotte, Canada

2010
The ninth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. The Grand Prize was won by Benjamin Beilman.

Special prizes

 * Radio-Canada People's Choice Award
 * Benjamin Beilman, United States
 * Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Nikki Chooi, Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Award for the Best Artist from Quebec
 * Boson Mo, Canada
 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Nikita Borisoglebsky (Baritone), Russia

2009
The eighth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice. The Grand Prize was won by Angela Meade.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to André Turp" (People's Choice Award)
 * Angela Meade (Soprano), United States
 * Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Yannick-Muriel Noah (Soprano), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Charlotte Corwin(Soprano), Canada
 * Best performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work Award
 * Andrew Garland (Baritone), United States

2008
The seventh edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. The Grand Prize was won by Nareh Arghamanyan.

Special prizes

 * Award for the Best Performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work
 * Nareh Arghamanyan, Armenia
 * People's Choice Award "Tribute to Yvonne Hubert"
 * Nareh Arghamanyan, Armenia
 * Joseph Rouleau Award for the Best Artist from Quebec
 * Marie-Hélène Trempe, Canada
 * Award for the Best Canadian Artist
 * Sergei Saratovsky, Canada

2007
The sixth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice. The Grand Prize was won by Marianne Fiset.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to Leopold Simoneau" (People's Choice Award)
 * Marianne Fiset (Soprano), Canada
 * Jean A. Chalmers Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Marianne Fiset (Soprano), Canada
 * Poulenc French Song Award (Best French Song performance by a Candidate)
 * Marianne Fiset (Soprano), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Marianne Fiset (Soprano), Canada
 * Best performance of the Compulsory Canadian Work Award
 * Susanne Ellen Kirchesch (Soprano), Germany

2006
The fifth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. The Grand Prize was won by Jinjoo Cho.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to Gilles Lefebvre" (People's Choice Award)
 * Jinjoo Cho, South Korea
 * CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Nikki Chooi, Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Jean-Sébastien Roy, Canada
 * Best Interpretation of the Compulsory Canadian Work Award
 * Ye-Eun Choi, South Korea

2005
The fourth edition of the CMIM was dedicated to voice. The Grand Prize was won by Sin Nyung Hwang.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to Richard Verreau" (People's Choice Award)
 * Lauren Skuce (Soprano), United States
 * Jean A. Chalmers Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Peter McGillivray (Baritone), Canada
 * CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award (Best opera performance by a Canadian)
 * Phillip Addis (Baritone), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Phillip Addis (Baritone), Canada
 * Best Interpretation of the Compulsory Canadian Work Award
 * Elena Xanthoudakis (Soprano), Australia

2004
The third edition of the CMIM was dedicated to piano. The Grand Prize was won by Serhiy Salov.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to André Mathieu" (People's Choice Award)
 * Sergei Solov, Ukraine
 * CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Darrett Zusko, Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Matthieu Fortin, Canada
 * Best Interpretation of the Unpublished Compulsory Work Award
 * David Fray, France

2003
The second edition of the CMIM was dedicated to violin. The First Prize was won by Yossif Ivanov.

Special prizes

 * "Tribute to Arthur LeBlanc" (People's Choice Award)
 * Alexis Cardenas, Venezuela
 * CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Sarah Pratt, Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Jean-Sébastien Roy, Canada
 * Best Interpretation of the Unpublished Compulsory Work Award
 * Diana Galvydyte, Lithuania

2002
The inaugural CMIM was dedicated to voice. The First Prize was won by Measha Brueggergosman.

Special prizes

 * People's Award
 * Measha Brueggergosman (Soprano), Canada
 * Jean A. Chalmers Award (Best Canadian Candidate)
 * Measha Brueggergosman (Soprano), Canada
 * Joseph Rouleau Prize (Best Candidate from Quebec)
 * Joseph Kaiser (Baritone), Canada
 * Best Interpretation of the Unpublished Compulsory Work Award
 * Measha Brueggergosman (Soprano), Canada