How to Apply

Please follow the steps to apply for PRISMA 2026

Step 1:

Create a free profile on Acceptd or log in if you have an existing account.

Step 2:

Choose the instrument/discipline you wish to apply for under “Program”

Step 3:

Complete the online application form

Step 4:

Submit your biography/résumé

Step 5:

Submit the link to your YouTube audition video (YouTube links only; make sure the setting of your video is “public” or “unlisted” but not “private.” Click here for suggested audition repertoire). Please combine any separately-recorded excerpts into a single YouTube video.

Step 6:

Pay the application fee. The rates are as follows, with incentives for early registration:

• $60 USD November 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
• $85 USD January 1, 2026 – February 28, 2026.

Step 7:

When you have completed all these steps, click on Send Application. Once you press Send, you cannot go back into the application. Any additional materials can be sent to admissions@prismafestival.com.

Fees

Application Fee:

• $60 USD November 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
• $85 USD January 1, 2026 – February 28, 2026.
The application fee is paid in US dollars to Acceptd.
The application fee is required by all applicants, and it is non-refundable.

2026 Cost of Attendance:

Total: $3,285 CAD
Includes:

  • Tuition: $1,585 CAD
  • Accommodation & Meals: $1,700 CAD
  • Your PRISMA experience includes all instruction and festival activities, plus a welcome package with exclusive PRISMA swag – a t-shirt, water bottle, stickers, local tourism info, and even coupons to local businesses.

Accommodation:
June 14–28, 2026, at Powell River Town Centre Hotel (shared room, 3 per room, private bath).
Upgrade to a double or single room available with an additional cost — contact admissions@prismafestival.com.

Meals:
Lunch and dinner (Mon–Sat) included.
Breakfast and Sunday meals are the responsibility of the student.

 

The cost of attendance does not include:

  • Transportation fee from Vancouver (YVR) to Powell River and from Powell River to Vancouver.
  • International travel to/from Vancouver.
  • Personal expenses during the festival (laundry, groceries, etc.).

Please email us with any questions.

For those in need of financial assistance, see the scholarship tab.

Scholarships

Thanks to a group of generous donors, PRISMA is able to consider requests for substantial full and partial scholarships. Scholarships* are awarded on the basis of financial need, artistic merit, and the necessity of achieving the proper instrumental balance within the Festival Orchestra.

Please click here to submit a request for financial assistance. (Note: the deadline is the same as our application deadline: February 28, 2026).

*Scholarships are not available for the conducting program.
*If you are awarded a full scholarship (which includes tuition, accommodation, and meal fees), you must pay a nonrefundable down payment of $300 CAD  to secure your place in PRISMA 2026.

PRISMA reserves the right to place students receiving scholarships in homestays or shared accommodations in order to offset hotel costs and make additional scholarship support available to other students.

As a PRISMA scholarship recipient, you help build the community that supports your experience. Your participation is made possible by generous donors who believe in your artistic growth.

To thank them, all scholarship recipients will:

  1. Write thank-you cards – two or three short notes to PRISMA donors, signed with your name, instrument, and country.
  2. Share your PRISMA story – by filming and/or taking part in occasional photos, videos, testimonials, or social media features.

These simple, authentic gestures connect you with the people who make PRISMA possible and inspire future support for students like you.

Audition Requirements

Auditions for PRISMA are conducted by video, so that students from around the world are given the opportunity to present themselves at their best.

Please make your video using the requirements outlined below and upload it to YouTube under the “public” or “unlisted” (not “private”) setting. You may record your audition in one continuous session, or record movements and excerpts separately, as long as recordings are not edited.

Please ensure that any separately filmed excerpts are combined into a single YouTube video.

Audition Repertoire

Strings:

  • (part) of a movement of a standard concerto
  • a movement of unaccompanied Bach
  • a minimum of three contrasting excerpts at choice

Winds & Brass:

  • (part) of a movement of a standard concerto
  • a minimum of five contrasting excerpts at choice,
  • excerpts for auxiliary instruments at choice

Harp:

  • (part) of a movement of a standard concerto
  • a minimum of five contrasting excerpts at choice

Percussion:

  • timpani: 3 excerpts
  • snare Drum: 2 excerpts
  • xylophone: 2 excerpts
  • glockenspiel: 2 excerpts
  • tambourine: 1 excerpt
  • cymbals: 1 excerpt

String quartet:

  • two contrasting movements string quartet piece (contrasting mood/style/character)

You may use an audition video prepared for other programs, as long as it includes orchestra excerpts. Auditions without accompaniment are preferred. Below are suggested excerpts for your audition. You may choose other excerpts.

Suggested excerpts per instrument:

Age Restrictions

PRISMA welcomes musicians of all ages and stages of their careers. However, due to the rigorous performance schedule and high standards, the program is best suited for dedicated musicians. Most participants are typically between 18 and 32 years old. 

Since the age of majority in British Columbia is 19, students under 19 will be placed in a homestay arrangement and still be required to pay accommodation, tuition, and meals in full (unless a PRISMA scholarship is provided).

Visa to Canada

Canada requires visas for citizens of certain countries. To attend PRISMA, students should apply for a visitor visa (not a study visa). To check whether you require a visa, click here to see your country’s specific requirements.

If you require a visitor visa, PRISMA will provide a letter to include with your visa application. To request this letter, please email admissions@prismafestival.com.

We strongly recommend applying for your visa as early as possible, as processing times can be lengthy. Check the current processing times here to ensure you receive your visa on time.

If your visa processing time exceeds 45 days, please contact us immediately to avoid delays.

Click here to apply to PRISMA 2026