St. Patrick Fine Arts Elementary Striking the Right Note: Grade 4 Music Class Wins 1st Place Nationally in CBC Music Class Challenge
The Grade 4 Music Class at St. Patrick Fine Arts Elementary School has earned first place nationally in its category at the 2026 CBC Music Class Challenge (Spring Edition).
Under the direction of music educator Mrs. Stacy Skretting, the students won Category 1: mitêh Elementary Performance (Kindergarten to Grade 4), earning a CBC Music Gold Record Award plaque and $2,000 in musical instruments and equipment from MusiCounts.
This year’s challenge asked students across Canada to perform mitêh—the Cree word for “heart”—a modular choral work commissioned specifically for the competition.
“When we found out, it felt very exciting and joyful. Our whole class was lighting up and jumping around,” said Grade 4 student Olivia I. “It took a lot of work, but it was all worth it in the end.”
Mrs. Skretting said the class learned the news together and described the moment as emotional. She shared that she was already thrilled to be named among the national Top 10 schools, first place was a wonderful surprise for all.
Because the school is located on Blackfoot Territory, permission was sought before performing the piece in Cree, ensuring the project was approached with respect and cultural awareness.
“I’m really proud of the kids,” said Mrs. Skretting. “They worked incredibly hard.”
Composed by acclaimed Cree-Dene artist and educator Sherryl Sewepagaham, mitêh explores themes of empathy, connection, and understanding through music. Students spent months learning the piece, focusing on pronunciation, listening skills, and respectful engagement with the Cree language. Mrs. Sewepagaham praised the students for their strong pronunciation and delivery of the Cree lyrics.
The students’ performance resonated with the national panel of judges, earning them top honours across Canada.
Congratulations to Mrs. Skretting and the outstanding Grade 4 musicians on this remarkable achievement. This milestone also stands as a testament to the parents, staff, and families of the St. Patrick Fine Arts school community, whose continued support of fine arts programming truly makes accomplishments like these possible.
To view the complete list of national winners and watch the official performance submissions, visit the CBC Music Class Challenge 2026 winners announcement page.
