With little idea of what was to come, 2020 began with the January Annual General Meeting. This was followed in February by a workshop entitled "Detecting and Preventing Issues Affect Musical Performances” with Registered Massage Therapist and pianist Rachel Shiu; for two hours we moved and stretched to learn how to ease tension in order to play in a more relaxed manner. Our usual “Introductory Alexander Technique Lessons” with Martha Hunter were held in February; these are four subsidized sessions and have been very popular with members wanting to know more about the technique. March started with the "Celebration of Excellence Recital” at the Shadbolt Centre where high achievements in the 2019 exam season were recognized with certificates, medallions, and scholarships. A few days later, the Branch hosted a 4 hour workshop on Dalcroze Eurhythmics with Jared Ballance of Washington State; the afternoon gave us a fascinating glimpse into this innovative method of developing musicianship in students through rhythmic movement, ear-training and improvisation. We were lucky with the timing of the event as Covid restrictions came into effect shortly after and the remainder of our Spring events had to be cancelled including the SPG Festival, the Student Recitals, and a workshop on tempo indications with Dr. Irene Setiawan.
In April, online teaching become the only option to continue running our studios. After the initial shock of going into lock down, the Executive began meeting on Zoom where we formulated how to best help our members adapt. We forwarded information via email as much as possible and then hosted "Virtual Coffee Breaks” in May and June. These turned out to be a great way for teachers to submit questions, exchange ideas on virtual teaching, and just visit with colleagues. In May, auditions for our BC Piano Competition performer were held via video with Allen Reiser adjudicating; Ivy Lin went on to represented the Branch at the Provincial level.
Over the summer, we were surprised to discover that 2020 marked the 100th Anniversary of the Branch! Since then, we have updated the website to reflect this substantial milestone. Additions include: AGM minutes and Financial Statements as far back as possible (1982) on the “Members Only” page; four articles on prominent Branch members on the “Memory Project” page; and a page entitled "Our History" where all relevant archival material is listed. More will be added to this last page once we have a chance to visit the Provincial Archives in Victoria. A large celebration is being planned for December 2021 at which time we hope to see as many current and past members as possible.
In September, we were extremely fortunate to meet the incomparable Jon Kimura Parker in a zoom interview/ Q&A; his equalling entertaining sister Elizabeth Parker as well as their mother and BCRMTA member, Keiko, were also in attendance. In honour of our 100th anniversary, all Provincial members were invited to join us - it was a wonderful way to launch the teaching year. For October, we met again in a Virtual Coffee Hour. November was another busy month, starting with the Celebration of Excellence Recital; the performances were live on Zoom and the awards as well as certificates were distributed via the teachers afterwards. Next, there was a collaborative workshop with Müzewest presented by Dr. Laszlo Memes of Hungary; his dynamic lecture on teaching rhythm in Baroque pieces was very helpful and we were happy to take advantage of the opportunity. For CMW, the Festival was cancelled and replaced by an afternoon with three Canadian composers: Christine Donkin, Alexina Louie and David L. McIntrye. They each participated in a 60-minute zoom interview where they gave a fascinating glimpse into their process of composition and their thoughts on music. Once again, we invited all BCRMTA members and their students to tune in, the audience was very enthusiastic. In December, we held one last virtual meeting, this time as an evening cocktail hour!
In late 2020, there was much discussion about exam systems. To give our members a broader perspective, a series of six 1 hour presentations was scheduled for early 2021. January was focused on Canadian systems (Conservatory Canada, BC Conservatory of Music, Canadian National Music Conservatory) and February continued with international systems (Associated Board, Trinity College Of Music and London College of Music). It was encouraging to realize how many varied and valuable options exist for our students.
At the direction of the membership at the 2020 AGM, three surveys were sent to members to gather information. The first dealt with the possibility of a "Teachers’ Performance Group”; the response was very positive and the group will likely start meeting in the Fall of 2021. The next survey was on “Policies for Missed Lessons”. Members were interested in developing a suggested Branch policy to support them in their studios and give parents a frame of reference; the results are posted on the “Find a Teacher" page. Finally, there was a survey on the rates members charge for private instrumental/vocal instruction. Using the information from the survey, the Branch Executive decided to create a tiered system of suggested fees that balances years of experience with educational background; this document is posted on the “Members Only” page.
Despite the challenges experienced over the year, the Branch was able to maintain most of our activities, albeit in a modified form. We intend to continue taking advantage of the newly discovered digital/virtual opportunities but in general, we very much look forward to returning to some kind of normal.