Sonata / Sonatina, Concert / Recital Group, Concerto, Open Piano
Piano
April 15 – 17, 2026.
St. Michaels Cathedral




The COPAF Piano discipline invites pianists of all ages to perform at St. Michael’s Cathedral, a venue celebrated for its warm acoustics and its exceptional grand piano. Participants receive valuable feedback from expert adjudicators and have the opportunity to qualify for the BC Provincials. This is where musicianship, expression, and technical mastery take centre stage.

Meet Our Piano Adjudicator: Dale Wheeler
After more than thirty-five years of teaching piano and music courses at the post-secondary level, Dr. Dale Wheeler now enjoys life as an independent musician in Red Deer, Alberta, where he teaches part-time at Burman University and maintains a private studio. He holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, with additional degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and Trinity College of Music, London.
A long-standing member of The Royal Conservatory of Music College of Examiners, Dale has also contributed to projects such as editing repertoire for the Celebration Series books. He has appeared across Canada and the U.S. as a recitalist, accompanist, adjudicator, and lecturer, and has presented at international conferences, including the International Society for Music Education in Azerbaijan. His performances span classical to contemporary works, from Bach and Liszt to Bernstein and Messiaen.
Dale has published in Clavier, American Music Teacher, and The Journal of the American Liszt Society, and has served as president of both the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra and the Alberta Piano Teachers Association. Recipient of the Mayor’s Recognition Award for contributions to the arts, he enjoys skiing, classic cars, riding his Harley, and collecting vintage piano recordings.
Piano Categories
Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist, Twentieth Century, Twenty-First Century, Canadian Composer, Contemporary, Pop & Jazz Arrangement
Technical Studies, Études, Scales & Arpeggios, Sight Reading
Sonata / Sonatina, Concert / Recital Group, Concerto, Open Piano
Piano Duet, Piano Duo, Teacher / Student Duet, Accompaniment & Collaborative Piano
Primary (Level 1), Junior (Levels 2–3), Early Intermediate (Levels 4–5), Advanced Intermediate (Levels 6–7), Senior (Levels 8–9), Level 10, ARCT, Open Piano
Rules & Syllabus
The Piano Syllabus will be available soon. Please check back for full details, including class descriptions, time limits, adjudication criteria, and Provincial qualification requirements.
Students and teachers are encouraged to review the syllabus carefully once it’s released to ensure entries are submitted in the appropriate class and age division.
