Composer of new Hockey Night in Canada theme will win $100,000

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It’s come down to east versus west as the Hockey Night in Canada Challenge heads into the final round.

East York’s Robert Fraser Burke’s composition “Sticks to the Ice” faces off against Albertan Colin Oberst’s song “Canadian Gold” in voting with the winner to be unveiled this Saturday, Oct. 11, night during the Hockey Night in Canada telecast.

The two finalists were revealed Thursday night on a special edition of Hockey Night in Canada.

Robert, a 13-year-old Cosburn Middle School student, composed his song while on summer vacation in Prince Edward Island.

He kept his composition under wraps until the day he let his uncle hear it.

“I hadn’t played it for anyone else before that. He liked it and said we had to put it on the website as soon as possible,” Robert said.

His uncle recorded him playing the song on a piano and sent it off to the national competition in early August.

As soon as he heard about the challenge, it piqued his interest.

“I was interested because it was two of my favourite things combined,” he explained.

Of course, those two interests would be hockey and music.

Robert began taking piano lessons when he was four-years-old, he plays the trumpet in the school band and he plays a bit of the fiddle and guitar.

He definitely had a plan when composing his upbeat tune.

“I played in my head the old song. I really admired the power it had, two of the things that made it powerful was it was fast and motivational. And it built up to something,” he said, adding those were the two things he wanted to accomplish with his own song.

The judges must have thought it had something going for it because out of nearly 15,000 entries, Robert’s composition made it to the Top 20.

A few days after receiving that exciting phone call he got the one where he learned his song had made it to the Top 5.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was at a loss for words,” Robert said Tuesday.

His parents were in disbelief as well.

“When we found out he was in the Top 5 we couldn’t believe it. We had to keep it a secret for three weeks. It was harder for us than for Robert,” said Eugene Burke, his dad.

Robert’s younger sister Madeline didn’t even know until it was officially announced on CBC’s The Hour on Sept. 30.

Once the news was out, everyone was very supportive.

“Everyone at school is rooting for me and people I don’t know are saying congratulations in the halls,” said the Grade 8 student.

In a show of support, Robert’s school held a special assembly Tuesday afternoon where the segment from The Hour was shown and the recorded version of the song complete with a full band and orchestra was played.

No matter what happens, Robert his happy.

“Just coming this far, if I win would be incredible, but to come this far I’m satisfied with that,” he said.

His mom and everyone around him are very proud. 

“I don’t think we ever thought in our wildest dreams it would come to this,” said Anne Fraser Burke. “We were just proud of him for taking the initiative.”

For Robert the $100,000 prize is secondary.

“The neatest part about winning would be turning on the TV every Saturday and hearing the song,” he said.

To hear the Top 2 anthems and to vote for your favourite, click here.