The 2026 Bader-Overton National Piano Competition is inspired by the Isabel’s 2025-2026 season theme of “Extending the Rafters.” The competition will focus on ways Indigenization—Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Black Racism, and Accessibility - can be included within various aspects of the competition.
FIRST PRIZE: The Isabel Overton Bader, Clifford Overton, and Francoise Landry Prize for $20,000 CAD, a future engagement to perform a concerto with the Kingston Symphony, and a future engagement to perform a recital at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts that will be recorded by CBC Music for national broadcast.
SECOND PRIZE: The Margaret Foster and Katherine Foster Prize for $6,000 CAD.
THIRD PRIZE: The Marion Dick Memorial Prize for $4,000 CAD.
THE BADER FAMILY AUDIENCE PRIZE: $1,000 CAD.
The competition will be accepting applications starting Monday, September 8, 2025 at
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
Monday, December 8, 2025
Repertoire information, competition rules, and application available online:
Online applications only.
$100 CAD non-refundable application fee payable online.
WHO CAN ENTER? We invite pianists who are Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada and between the ages of eighteen (18) to twenty-nine (29) as of January 1, 2026 and who aspire to a professional concert career.
COMPETITION KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: Monday, December 8, 2025 at 5:00pm
Semi-Finalist Round in Kingston (6 pianists): Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, 2026
Finalist Round in Kingston (3 pianists): Saturday, May 9, 2026
All concerts are free and open to the public.