2025 Syllabus - Popular Voice

All selections in this category must be covers from commercial artists and/or an original composition.

General Rules
a) The maximum age is 28 years old as of December 31, 2024 for all levels except Adult.
b) One original score for each selection or purchased digital music with attached receipt showing title and fee paid (not a cover page, Pro credit or subscription to a sharing website, eg. Scribd, Everand, Musescore) for each selection must be presented to the Registration desk for the Adjudicator's use on the day of competition. If a competitor cannot purchase the original music, then they should submit printed lyrics and show a receipt for purchase of the songs from either Apple Music, Spotify or Amazon.
c) All selections must be sung from memory.
d) No announcement of name or selection is required prior to your performance.
e) All competitors must be an amateur which shall be defined as a music student, performer, or any person who does not earn significant income from performance or teaching in the discipline ($5000/year) in which they are participating or, is a member of a professional union. (Please click here for the full definition of Amateur vs Professional: omfa.ca/glossary).
f) All criteria listed in the OMFA General Rules (omfa.ca/live-festival/rules-and-regulations) must be strictly adhered to.

Song Selections
a) One of the selections must have been performed at the Local Festival, received a minimum mark of 85 and the recommendation of the local Adjudicator. The second selection is the competitor's choice but must follow the rules of this category. For the Advanced level, competitors will perform four (4) constrasting selections.
b) Competitors, with the exception of the Advanced Level, must perform two (2) contrasting selections in any of the following genres: pop, pop/ folk, R&B, soul, rock, alternative, indie, jazz or country.
c) Selections from Conservatory Canada Contemporary Idioms Voice lists and the RCM List C (Levels 1-6) and RCM List D (Levels 7-10) are eligible excluding musical theatre, operetta and contemporary selections that are not covers.
d) Competitors must choose selections that are age appropriate with lyrics that are suitable for all audiences.
e) Selections must be musically contrasting. The Adjudicator will take the choice of repertoire into consideration.

Accompaniment
a) Accepted accompaniment must only be backtracks without background vocals. *NEW* No acoustic instrumental accompaniment will be allowed. No self-accompaniment is allowed – please see Popular Voice Self-Accompanied category. Suggested resource - tracks can be purchased from www.karaoke-version.com where customization of tracks is possible (key change, removal of background vocals etc.).
b) YouTube links for backtracks are NOT ACCEPTABLE – only mp3 links will be allowed.
c) A sound system will be provided with a microphone at the venue. Competitors have the option to bring their own microphone which should use a standard XLR cable.
d) Backtracks, formatted as an mp3 only, must be submitted when registering by their local festival's deadline.

NOT Permitted
- Selections from Musical Theatre (both staged and non-staged), cabaret, revues, operetta and stand-alone songs in musical theatre style.
- Rap and Hip Hop
- Songs listed in the RCM or CC classical syllabi (Lists A and B from Levels 1-6; Lists A, B, C from Levels 7-10)
- Animated films and selections that qualify for Songs from the Screen and More (see the SSAM Song List here: omfa.ca/ssam-chart).