Music Niagara, a performance group in Niagara-on-the-Lake, has receive a $9,000 Investment in Culture grant from the Niagara Region to hold its Inaugural Young Musicians of Niagara Competition.

Atis Bankas, artistic director for Music Niagara, said the organization hopes to make the competition a recurring event to “foster and develop young musicians in the Niagara Region, and to prepare them for bigger concert stages.”

“For many artists, competitions are an important developmental tool that lead to greater recognition.” 

The competition, to be held in NOTL, will be judged by “professional musicians from the Toronto area,” and is open to all classical music students up to age 18 who are currently studying violin, piano or voice in the Niagara region.

Judging for the preliminary rounds will take place at the Market Room of the Old Courthouse in Niagara on the Lake on June 22 and 23 and the final rounds on June 29 and 30.

Information and applications are available at, musicniagara.org.

Applications are due by May 31.