{"id":71306,"date":"2021-06-09T11:23:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T15:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=71306"},"modified":"2021-06-10T17:56:53","modified_gmt":"2021-06-10T21:56:53","slug":"feature-how-the-royal-conservatory-avoided-a-pandemic-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2021\/06\/09\/feature-how-the-royal-conservatory-avoided-a-pandemic-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"FEATURE | How The Royal Conservatory Avoided A Disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Royal
Royal Conservatory of Music (Photo: Wikipedia \/Creative Commons Share Alike 3.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I<\/span>t\u2019s safe to say that the venerable Royal Conservatory has weathered some storms throughout its 135-year history. But no one could have predicted a once-in-a-century global pandemic that saw them virtually re-invent itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still here,\u201d Dr. Peter Simon, now notably in his 30th year as President and CEO states during a telephone interview from his Bloor Street office. \u201cRight away, our absolute focus became finding a way to keep the teaching of music intact in this national system of ours. The infrastructure is private music teachers [\u2026] it\u2019s not institutions and certainly not the public education system, so maintaining that became the basis upon which all our decisions were made,\u201d he explains of the roughly 30,000 independent teachers associated with the RCM, boasting around 500,000 students scattered throughout Canada and the US.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still here.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since Simon\u2019s appointment in 1991, he spearheaded a dramatic transformation of the RCM, culminating in the completion of the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, the opening of world-class Koerner Hall in 2009 and the formation of a new Performing Arts Division. He also created the life-changing Learning Through the Arts program in 1994, and founded the internationally recognized Glenn Gould School in 1997. Simon is now focused on guiding the pillar of Canada\u2019s private music education system into a post-pandemic age, as arguably the largest overhaul in its illustrious history.<\/p>\n

Some of his decisions have been hard pivoting RCM programming to an online format. It now offers online pedagogical\/professional development courses including its highly interactive six-module \u201cRCM Teaching Online Course<\/a>,\u201d augmented by its own RCM-produced \u201cHow to Teach Music Online\u201d webinar series for shell-shocked teachers still deeply rattled from COVID-19 related lockdowns that saw entire studios evaporating literally overnight.<\/p>\n

Students understandably vanished into the ether for a variety or reasons, with a recent study showing that nearly one in three teachers experienced a 50 percent income loss as a direct result of the pandemic. Many in the proverbial gig economy have consequently been getting by with the support of Canadian federal emergency funding, including the now-defunct Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and its offspring, the Canadian Recovery Benefit (CRB) that winds down this fall.<\/p>\n

\"Digital
Image courtesy of the RCM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another new digital channel, RoyalConservatory.Live<\/em><\/a> launched in April 2021, features streamed online concerts and events recorded in Koerner Hall to provide further inspiration to both teachers and their students adjusting to life through pixelated screens.<\/p>\n

A newly minted interview series Music of my Life<\/em><\/a>, featuring internationally renowned guest artists is also available through the channel, in addition to other already established online offerings including the popular \u201cPiano Teaching Courses\u201d for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, as well as the intriguing \u201c6Social\u201d professional learning program supporting social innovation initiatives in the classroom, created through the Learning Through the Arts division.<\/p>\n

Another top priority of Simon\u2019s became creating ways for pupils to complete their year and take theoretical and practical exams through another one of his brainchildren \u2014 the now one-year-old RCM Remote Examinations<\/a> fuelled by the power of digital technology. Examiners also needed to be trained; teachers brought up to speed and students convinced that remote exams were even doable as viable options.<\/p>\n

With now over 60,000 students having taken online practical and theoretical exams, it became a sink-or-swim moment testing RCM\u2019s ability to keep anxious students engaged and motivated.<\/p>\n

One almost prophetic advantage was that RCM had started developing a digital framework, including beta testing programs six months before the first wave hit in March 2020. This head-start allowed them to segue more naturally into an extensive, all-encompassing system.<\/p>\n

But it hasn\u2019t been smooth sailing for everyone, from students trying to learn tricky scales through pixelated tablet screens, to parents holding their breath that their Wifi connections would hold for their budding Beethovens.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody had ever done this before. Our teachers had never done this. We\u2019ve never done it before, but we’re pretty sure if we didn’t find a way, then a substantial number of students would be dropping out,\u201d Simon says, adding that many on his own team were justifiably nervous. One year later, he attests most have been pleasantly surprised by the positive results, with the RCM\u2019s ongoing, extensive research studies indicating that ever-resilient students have proven to be less nervous taking practical exams from the comfort of their own homes.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a particular boon for pianists required to quickly adapt to varying keyboard actions without (literally) missing a beat during recitals and exams. RCM remote exams now mean they can play on their own tried-and-true, familiar instruments, which has become a particularly useful advantage for settling stage jitters, and for younger, more inexperienced players \u2014 more of those increasingly prevalent silver linings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve never done it before, but we’re pretty sure if we didn’t find a way, then a substantial number of students would be dropping out.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another important tool in Simon\u2019s decision-making kit has been an ongoing series of online teacher surveys, allowing the RCM to regularly take the pulse of teachers from coast to coast to coast, assess their hopes, fears, and frankly, stark anxieties about teaching in a COVID-19 world, including the gut-punch impact the pandemic has had on their own studios.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve done a lot of research and are constantly polling teachers, and we’ve done a lot more of it this year than ever before,\u201d Simon says. He explains the research showed that students who kept going during exams were seven times less likely to stop lessons, and that they practised about 28 percent more. \u201cI thought that was really interesting, proving the theory of how important a goal and examination is to motivate students and move them along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Peter
Peter Simon (Photo courtesy of the RCM)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even pesky sound quality issues, and Internet connection quirks have not fazed the RCM. They will continue offering online exams as an alternative to an in-person experience whenever life (eventually) returns to a semblance of normalcy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only way we will be able to do that is when we get any clarity with government policy,\u201d Simon replies when asked what cues he\u2019ll be taking to re-introduce in-person exams \u2014 hopefully August 2021. \u201cWe\u2019ve been riding a wave since last year, and even had a concert in Koerner Hall last fall. However, the trouble for us is that we spend a lot of time getting ready for all these assumptions, and then something will either change or come up,\u201d he says of the unprecedented challenges in planning any kind of arts event this season \u2014 or last.<\/p>\n

Until that day comes, the \u201cpause\u201d has allowed the RCM to further hone its remote exams, including \u201cincremental\u201d improvements in sound quality, visuals, and better connectivity, Simon says, despite parents particularly in rural areas dutifully working out details including microphones and adequate lighting needs before their children\u2019s exams. A greater ease in booking exams is also being examined with modifications pending.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe handled things fairly well so far, but I need a 100% satisfaction rate,\u201d the executive states. \u201cThere are still frustrations, for example if you can\u2019t get onto the website for whatever reason to book your exam. We have to work on all that and that’s what we’re doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite all these challenges, Simon still feels positive about the future \u2014 pandemic or not. He smoothly jibs when asked about any possible retirement plans after serving 30 years at the helm, his eyes firmly fixed on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have other projects that I\u2019d like to finish, and goals that I want to reach first,\u201d he responds. \u201cI love being in this field, as it\u2019s a very privileged position. I obviously get to go to a lot of concerts, meet a lot of great people, but as with everything else, you have the good, and then you have to really work hard to push through the harder stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Needless to say, that \u201charder stuff\u201d would include a historic pandemic and the careful shepherding of the RCM these past 15 months through unprecedented challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, we very much believe in in-person lessons. All the digital programming can give you a greater context for teaching, but I would just hope that the connection between human beings is something we will never lose,\u201d he says before adding a final grace note.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a way, we avoided disaster,\u201d he shares. \u201cWe have come through this far better than what could have happened, and it’s because teachers were open to exploring the online option and embraced it, as well as the research that subsequently emerged.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very much an optimistic person, and it\u2019s been a really interesting experience for everybody this past year,\u201d he says. \u201cOur experience has been that teachers moved quickly to adapt, and we\u2019re all looking ahead to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re still here.\u201d The RCM’s Dr. Peter Simon talks about how the venerable organization has weathered the global pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":71311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[38476,35839,4967,29,63],"tags":[35697,36131,36661,27912],"yst_prominent_words":[6606,8503,12742,8282,7307,18927],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/RCM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-iy6","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71306"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71306"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71348,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71306\/revisions\/71348"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71306"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=71306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}