Now that the craziness fun of the end of year recitals and concerts has passed, it’s time to reflect back on what a fantastic year it's been - all thanks to you!

We kicked off the year with a celebration on our brand new grand piano—the piano our community came together to help us purchase last summer. The concert was also the perfect opportunity to introduce our newest faculty member, Chiao-Rou Liu, and showcase the incredible talent she brings to our Conservatory. That same day, P.S. Pianos generously donated six used upright pianos, all in excellent condition, which were auctioned off to new owners and raised more than $4,000 to support the Conservatory.

The Conservatory welcomed almost 400 students this year into private lessons and groups - including our brand new Strings for Me! program (for young beginner string students) and music appreciation classes such as Haydn Seek and Practical Theory. We also enjoyed new partnerships by offering a Piano Club to Quinson Elementary students and a music intro course to a group from the Tl'azt'en Nation in Tachie.

With continued support from the City of Prince George, the BC Arts Council, and generous donors who contributed $12,546 to our operations, we were able to keep music education affordable while ensuring our dedicated teachers were fairly compensated for the expertise and countless hours they invest in their craft.

An additional $8,930 was donated to our bursary fund, helping remove financial barriers so that more students could experience the joy of music. Donors also contributed $4,300 to our scholarship fund. Combined with the Conservatory's $1,000 contribution, we awarded a record-breaking $5,300 in scholarships to recognize and encourage the hard work, dedication, and musical achievement of our students.

This is what the parent of one bursary recipient had to say about the difference it made in her son's life: 

“Without the bursary offered by the PGCM, my son would not have been able to access music lessons this year. Music lessons have helped my son grow confidence and develop himself, he has absolutely loved to go.”

Thanks in part to a grant from the City of PG and the province of BC, we were able to continue our faculty concert series as well as sharing music beyond our walls - bringing performances to care homes, schools, and a musical story time to the PG Public Library. We offered audiences pay-what-you-can access to five faculty concerts and two concerts with visiting musicians.

Here's what we heard back from one of the care home program coordinators after Chiao-Rou Liu and Erica Skowron performed:

“I just wanted to extend my deepest thank you for coming to our home yesterday. It was such a pleasure hearing you perform. The residents loved it! I was watching them concentrating on the music, closing their eyes, and moving their arms and hands as well as their bodies, showing that they were fully absorbed in the experience. Music is an excellent relaxation tool as well as a catalyst for positive emotion which affects their mood and gives them an uplifted day that lasts much longer than their short-term memory. It was a wonderful therapeutic experience for them.”

The PG Symphony Youth Orchestra had an amazing year, thanks in part to a grant from IREN and an anonymous donation. Their collaboration with the PG Old Time Fiddlers, Twasome Highland Troupe and the Conservatory’s harp ensemble was enjoyed by many in two sold-out Celtic Christmas concerts. This Spring the PGSYO put together a new show which was performed at the Multicultural Children’s Festival and local schools as well as performing with the Two Rivers Community Orchestra.

As we celebrate everything we've accomplished together over the past year, we're also looking ahead to what's next.

We're excited to share more about Festival North (August 2–11), along with the new programs and faculty joining us this fall. Keep an eye on your inbox for all the details. In the meantime, we simply want to say a giant THANK YOU!

Everything we've accomplished this year is a reflection of a community that believes music matters.

Whether you made a donation, attended a concert, enrolled in lessons, volunteered your time, or cheered us on from afar, you have helped create opportunities for people of all ages to learn, perform, and connect through music.

As we look ahead to another exciting year, we're grateful to have you as part of the Prince George Conservatory of Music community. Thank you for helping make Music for Everyone a reality.