The Royal Conservatory of Music Honours Its Own

The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) has inducted Elaine Rusk, Vice President of Academics and Publishing of The Royal Conservatory, and Angela Elster, currently the President and CEO of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and VSO School of Music but previously with the RCM, as Honorary Fellows during Convocation ceremonies for the RCM Certificate Program.

Elaine Rusk was honoured for her outstanding contributions to The Royal Conservatory for the past 27 years. Ms. Rusk started first with the Examinations division and then worked her way up through positions of progressive leadership while always maintaining her grassroots connection to the teaching community in which she first started. Of her numerous achievements including oversight of the last four editions of the RCM’s popular piano books, the Celebration Series®, Alexander Brose, President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory, specifically commended Ms. Rusk for her role in championing the Popular Selection List for Piano, as well as for her role in the launch of Remote Examinations. It was Ms. Rusk’s initial fact-finding work that allowed the RCM to pivot to remote exams three months after the COVID lockdown began, thus enabling thousands of RCM students to continue their musical achievements at a time when many other educational efforts had come to a standstill.

Angela Elster was recognized for her contributions to not only the RCM with whom she held various teaching and leadership positions for close to 40 years, but also for expanding the impact of the arts in Canada. Prior to her current role at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO), Ms. Elster was the Vice-President of the VSO School of Music and Community Engagement where, among other things, she created the VSO’s inaugural Day of Music celebration. Two key accomplishments by Ms. Elster while at the RCM and highlighted by Shalisa Kline Ugaz, Executive Vice-President, Learning Systems of The Royal Conservatory, during her presentation included the launch of Learning Through the Arts which helped public school educators integrate arts-based activities into core subjects like math and science. Ms. Elster also played a pivotal role in the redevelopment of The Royal Conservatory’s national heaquarters – a complex multi-year project which included the restoration of the RCM’s heritage site as well as the building of Koerner Hall, regarded today as one of the world’s finest concert halls. 

Both Fellows were inducted during Convocation ceremonies which took place in October in Toronto and Vancouver for graduates of the RCM Certificate Program at the Associate Diploma level (ARCT) and the Licentiate Diploma level (LRCM). The RCM Certificate Program is the foundation of The Royal Conservatory’s mission and provides students with a recognized national standard and guided path for music study and achievement, and includes millions of alumni from around the world. The ARCT and LRCM are amongst the highest academic standings offered by The Royal Conservatory, which also offers a Bachelor of Music, Performance (Honours) through its degree-granting post-secondary Glenn Gould School.

Congratulations to our Honorary Fellows and to the Class of 2024 of The Royal Conservatory of Music!