Graham McRae admits he's a bit disappointed he isn't a finalist in CBC's Hockey Night in Canada anthem challenge.

But the Surrey elementary school teacher is happy he made it so far.

"I'm able to look at the situation objectively and realize I did very well," McRae said in an interview the morning after Thursday's decision was announced.

"For over a month I was in this cloud of confusion and otherworldliness. Now I can see clearly. And it's kind of a nice feeling."

McRae – who lives in Burnaby but teaches at Surrey's David Brankin and Panorama Park elementary schools – submitted five songs for the competition and one, "Eleventh Hour", a rock anthem, made it to the semi-finals.

He appeared on national television last Saturday during a one-hour special during which the new arrangement of his entry was unveiled.

Alas, McRae's tune ultimately lost out to 13-year-old Toronto resident Robert Burke's "Sticks to the Ice," and "Canadian Gold" by Alberta elementary school teacher Colin Oberst.

The contest was launched after CBC announced it was not renewing the rights to Hockey Night in Canada's iconic theme music, which it had used for three decades.

CTV subsequently snapped up the perpetual rights to the song and plans to use it for all hockey broadcasts on TSN.

CBC's contest received nearly 15,000 entries.

The winner, voted on by the public, was revealed last night (Saturday) on Hockey Night in Canada – after The Leader's press deadline.

He will receive $100,000 in cash and 50 per cent of the royalties. The other half will be donated to minor hockey.

McRae isn't bitter about his defeat, though he does think there were factors beyond his control that helped determine his fate.

For example, he didn't think the final mix of his tune, which was re-recorded by legendary producer Bob Rock, was as "powerful" as the original version, despite the addition of a blazing solo by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson.

At the same time, he says, young Robert Burke's effort got a big boost when Rock added horns and electric guitars.

"It was a nice song, but he had a little bit of luck in that they were able to really embellish it and pump it up and give it a bunch of bells and whistles," McRae said.

And producers gave Oberst's number a twist, too – bagpipes.

"Colin's song got a bit of a bonus because those bagpipes really worked. It wasn't part of the intention. But they set his song apart."

"This is not sour grapes," McRae insisted. "It was just the luck of the draw."

Still, the elementary school music teacher, who only began dabbling with composing two summers ago, thinks this might be the start of something.

"As the dust settles, I realize what an achievement this was and I'd be foolish not to pursue (composing further)," McRae said.

"Maybe I could try to find agents who can match me up with singers and bands I could compose for."

So what does he make of his brief brush with Canadian celebrity?

"It was very surreal," he said. "And I realized it's kind of an obligation. I would go to work sometimes not up to having to do a CBC live television thing.

"But then I would see the happy faces of the kids and these happy encouraging looks from my fellow teachers, and it was contagious.

"I almost feel like I had an obligation to live up to their expectations."

In the end, though, the experience was a truly personal one.

"I learned that if you have a passion for something, you should pursue it," McRae said.

"Go against public opinion, because in all likelihood you know best."

rstarr@surreyleader.com