Celebrating Our Students’ Festival Successes 2026

As we reflect on the 2025–2026 school year, we want to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of students from the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra and Sistema NB at local, provincial, and national music festivals.

Each spring, hundreds of young musicians across New Brunswick dedicate countless hours to preparing for festival performances. These events provide students with an opportunity to perform for expert adjudicators, receive valuable feedback, and celebrate their musical growth alongside peers from across the province.

This year, students from Sistema NB Centres in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John, Chaleur, and Elsipogtog represented our organization with exceptional skill and dedication.

By the Numbers

• More than 200 students from our orchestras and Sistema NB centres participated in local music festivals.
• Students earned more than 80 first-place or gold standings, along with dozens of second- and third-place finishes.
• 45 performances received special awards, recognizing outstanding musical achievement.
• More than 35 performances were invited to gala concerts, showcasing some of the strongest performances from each festival.
• 12 students advanced to the New Brunswick Provincial Music Festival, where they competed against the province’s top young musicians.
• 8 students advanced to the The Federation of Canadian Music Festivals National Music Festival (FCMC)

Shinie Wagaarachchi, Bark-Wendé Sinon, Alex Zhang, Amy Robichaud, and Kingston Beckett will represent Sistema NB and the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra in woodwind, brass, and string competitions at the 2026 FCMF National Music Festival.  They take the stage at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB, on Monday, July 27, as part of the Emerging Artist Stream, representing New Brunswick at this national event.

Elsipogtog Students Shine at the Moncton Music Festival

From the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year, students at the Elsipogtog Centre’s advanced violin group worked toward their goal of performing at the Moncton Music Festival. As the year progressed, their dedication and musical growth became clear, and their Teaching Artist encouraged them to aim high.

After months of preparation, the students took the stage at the festival and earned first place in their category.

While the award was a wonderful achievement, the most meaningful part was seeing the students recognize what they had accomplished. By the time they performed at the Gala Concert, they carried themselves with confidence and pride, celebrating the result of their hard work and commitment.

The achievement was also celebrated throughout their community, where their success became a source of pride and inspiration.

These accomplishments represent months of dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence.  Congratulations to every student who stepped onto a festival stage this year and thank you to our Teaching Artists, Centre Directors, conductors, collaborative pianists, volunteers, families, and community supporters who make these opportunities possible!