June Newsletter

June 2023

The Royal Conservatory, a leading institution in music education for over 130 years, is excited to launch Smart Start, a new and transformative early childhood music program. This fun and engaging music program was created by the RCM’s Neuroscience Research Centre in collaboration with expert music educators. Tailored specifically to the developmental stages for children ages 0-3, the program’s curriculum consists of age-targeted, weekly classes delivered by a certified Smart Start teacher.

We at Semiahmoo Academy of Music are very pleased and honored to be among the very first music schools in Canada to offer this exciting new course with classes beginning in September 2023.

Please contact Cheryl at 604 518-5241 or email: semiahmooacademy@gmail.com for more information or to register.

RCM Smart Start: 0-1 years

When: Mondays 9:15 am to 10:00 am

Course Dates: September 11, 2023 to April 29th, 2024

Cost: $82.50 per month (for 8 months) + $30 (non-refundable) RCM Materials Fee

Certified Teacher: Carmen Roberts

Begin making lifelong connections with music and developing the foundations for basic cognitive skills through fun parent-child activities. A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

RCM Smart Start: 1-2 years

When: Mondays 10:15 am to 11:00 am

Course Dates: September 11, 2023 to April 29, 2024

Cost: $82.50 per month (for 8 months) + $30 (non-refundable) RCM Materials Fee

Certified Teacher: Carmen Roberts

Expand your child's musical skills through movement, and further develop cognitive skills in fun and engaging ways. A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

RCM Smart Start: 2-3 years

When: Mondays 11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Course Dates: September 11, 2023 to April 29, 2024

Cost: $82.50 per month (for 8 months) + $30 (non-refundable) RCM Materials Fee

Certified Teacher: Carmen Roberts

Develop your child's musical abilities through more independent activities, and expand cognitive skills through creativity and self-awareness. A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

RCM Smart Start: 3-4 years

When: Wednesdays 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Course Dates: September 13, 2023 to May 1, 2024

Cost: $97.50 per month (for 8 months) + $30 (non-refundable) RCM Materials Fee

Certified Teacher: Carmen Roberts

Singing, dancing, playing games - children adore this active, play-based learning environment. A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

SAM’s own Mozart & Me Preschool Class: 4 years

When: Sundays 9:00 am to 9:45 am

Course Dates: Session 1: September 10, 2023 to February 4, 2024

Session 2: February 18, 2024 to June 30, 2024

Cost: $396.00 per session (18 Classes)

Teacher: Carmen Roberts

Enjoy music through singing, movement and rhythm instruments. A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

February Newsletter

Dear Parents & Students:

As we approach the halfway mark to our 2020-21 school year, we would like to provide some updates and information relating to upcoming events.

Due to continuing COVID restrictions we have unfortunately had to cancel this year’s Gala Recital which was to take place on February 6, 2021 at The Surrey Arts Centre. We plan to return to The Surrey Arts Centre for our Gala in February 2022! All medal and trophy recipients for the 2020 exam cycle will be given their awards at their lessons since we are unable to present them publicly at the Gala Recital this year.

We are very pleased to award Medals to the following students who received First Class Honors for marks between 80-89% in their Royal Conservatory of Music Practical Piano Exams for 2020!

RCM Level 1
Aanya Sinha, Lynette Zou, Haley Dokgo, Maia Pisco

RCM Level 2
George Chen

RCM Level 3
Reina Ren, Judy Yu

RCM Level 4
Rena Chang, Jialin An, Yuvraj Tahilramani

RCM Level 5
Max Bu, Katherine Zhang, Elizabeth Weafer

RCM Level 6
Chloe Luo, Anna Sophie Hauschildt, Susan Yang, John Gau

RCM Level 7
Vicky Li, Michael Zheng

RCM Level 8
Natasha Sutanto, Lucia Chang, Aidan Scott, Kate Hwang, Matthew Wu

RCM Level 9
Caryn Chen

RCM Level 10
Bethany Poon, Andy Lu, Michaela Han

We are also very pleased to award Trophies to the following students who received Distinction for marks between 90 -100% in their Royal Conservatory of Music Practical Piano Exams for 2020!

RCM Prep B
Owen Mak 93%

Aima Zhai 90%

RCM Level 2
David Galvao 93%

William Weafer 91%

RCM Level 3
Helena Kong 92%

RCM Level 5
Laisa Cammer 92%

RCM Level 6
Max Wu 93%

RCM Level 8
Yoyo Liu 91%

Congratulations to all our students for their excellent results!

In September 2020 we began offering VOICE lessons to our students taught by Diana Nyvik. Due to popular demand we are now offering lessons on both Mondays & Thursdays! Please contact the school directly for more information or to register.

Due to COVID we continue to offer lessons both in-person and online depending on family preference and will continue to do so for the remainder of the school year. If you wish to change to either online or in-person at any time - please contact your teacher directly so alternative arrangements can be made.

Spring Break is fast approaching! Just a reminder that the school will be closed on March 15, 2020 and reopen on March 29th 2020.

We look forward to a busy and productive Spring Term!

On behalf of all the teachers at the school, I would like to thank you for choosing Semiahmoo Academy of Music!

With best regards,

Cheryl Finn,

Founding Director

Semiahmoo Academy of Music

Best Music School for 2020- Peace Arch News

Congratulations Semiahmoo Academy of Music for winning the Best Music School in Surrey/White Rock 2020 award!

10 Year Anniversary- Peace Arch News

Read about our 10th year anniversary here on Peace Arch News! Thank you to all of the wonderful students and families who have joined us on our journey thus far.

Article:
https://www.peacearchnews.com/entertainment/south-surrey-music-school-marks-muted-milestone/

Peach Arch News- Best Music School!

Peace Arch News and Surrey Now Leader have announced that Semiahmoo Academy of Music has been nominated for Best Music School! Please vote for us at:

https://whiterock.communityvotes.com/

Thank you!

September Newsletter

September 1, 2020

Dear Parents & Students:

On behalf of the teachers and staff at Semiahmoo Academy of Music, I would like to welcome all new and returning students and their families to our 2020-2021 academic year! We trust that you have all had an enjoyable and restful summer and hope everyone has kept safe and healthy.

Our academic year will get underway on Thursday September 3, 2020. Given the unique and unprecedented circumstances we face as they relate to COVID-19, we will be offering lessons to our students in a variety of formats for the foreseeable future.

Some students may wish to take their lessons online. We have found this to be an effective way to ensure our students progress and maintain good practice and study habits. The Royal Conservatory of Music went to online exams in April 2020 so taking lessons online has helped many of our students prepare for this new exam format.

We recognize that some students may wish to continue with in-person face-to-face lessons at the school. Other students may wish a combination of in-person and online – perhaps alternating face-to-face lessons with online lessons. It is a personal choice and depends on which method you and your family are most comfortable with. Please discuss your preference directly with your teachers so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

For those returning to the school for in-person lessons, we have implemented COVID-19 protocols to help ensure the health and safety of all our students, families and teachers. Please refer to the attached COVID-19 Guidelines newsletter. We are also asking all those who wish to return to face-to-face lessons to review and sign our COVID-19 Agreement to ensure everyone understands the protocols that are being implemented. The signed form can either be scanned and emailed to your teacher or brought to your first lesson.

Our annual Gala Recital at the Surrey Arts Centre has been set for Saturday February 6, 2021. It is our hope that we will be able to hold this fun and enjoyable event and will prepare those students who wish to partake. We will assess the COVID situation in January however, and determine whether it will be safe to go forward or not. More details pertaining to this decision will follow at a later date.

We are pleased to now be offering Voice lessons at the school. Our new piano and voice teacher, Diana Nyvik is accepting students on Mondays. Students can prepare for their RCM voice exams or can learn musical theatre, Broadway or POP songs for fun and recreation. Voice training is also an excellent way to improve student ear training skills for RCM exams. Please contact the school if you’d like more information or would like to register.

We are also pleased to announce that the school is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this fall! In celebration of this milestone, we will be gifting all of our students with a music bag – something we hope they will enjoy and find useful. We expect to take delivery of these in mid-September so we will be handing them out to all of our students as soon as they are received. We have also launched a new and updated website which can be found at www.semiahmooacademyofmusic.ca. There you will be able to access the school calendar, school news, contact numbers, registration forms as well as current and archived newsletters.

It has been an exciting and successful first decade. In 2010 we opened the school with 4 teachers and 50 students and offered piano, theory and guitar lessons. We have now grown to 14 teachers and 300 students and have since added violin, flute and voice training. We have had many students receive their ARCT degrees; several have won silver and gold medals for the highest RCM exam marks in BC for the year; many have won top honors and scholarships at music festivals throughout the lower mainland and several have gone on to further their music studies at University. We are very proud of ALL our students and are extremely thankful and appreciative that so many families have entrusted us and given us the honor and opportunity to contribute their child’s development and music education.

We look forward to another great decade. Thank you so much for choosing Semiahmoo Academy of Music!

With much appreciation,

Cheryl Finn, Founding Director

Covid-19 Agreement

September 1, 2020

This text contains important information about our decision as parents, students and as teachers at Semiahmoo Academy of Music (the “Academy”) to resume face-to- face lessons for students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Viral and infectious diseases including COVID-19 and Influenza are highly contagious and are believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact.

Resuming Face to Face lessons

We (the students, parents and teachers) support the restart of face-to-face lessons for some or all future lessons. However, if there is a resurgence of the pandemic or if other health concerns arise, we may have to amend this agreement.

If at any time either you or the Academy decide that we would feel safer staying with, or returning to online lessons, we will respect that decision and move forward on that basis.

We (the parents, students and teachers) understand that by resuming face-to-face lessons we are all assuming the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Although preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been put in place, the Academy cannot guarantee that you or your child(ren) will not become exposed to COVID-19 as a result of attending music lessons.

Minimizing Our Exposure

To resume face-to-face lessons, we all agree to take the following precautions which will help keep everyone (students, families and teachers ) safer from exposure and sickness:

· Students, parents and teachers will only attend lessons if they are symptom free from the coronavirus or any other illnesses.

· Lessons will be either online or cancelled should either the student, teacher or any member of each others family have a temperature of 100 Fahrenheit or more, OR if any of us have any other symptoms.

· Students and parents will wait outside the Academy in their car until their lesson time.

· Students, parents and teachers will wash their hands or use alcohol-based sanitizer when entering the Academy.

· Students, parents and teachers will wear a mask upon entry and in all areas of the Academy.

· Students, parents and teachers will maintain a 2 metre or 6 foot distance from one another and there will be no physical contact during lessons.

· Students, parents and teachers will take steps between scheduled lessons to minimize their collective exposure to COVID-19.

· In the event that any of us become exposed to someone who is infected or could be infected, we will immediately advise each other in order that appropriate precautions can be taken and lessons will return to an online format.

· If any of us test positive for COVID-19, we will immediately notify each other so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

The above precautions could change if additional local, provincial or federal orders or guidelines are published. If that happens, the Academy will inform the parents and students of any changes.

Our Commitment to Minimize Exposure

We have taken steps to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus within the Academy and these efforts are posted inside the school.

September Newsletter

September 1, 2020

Dear Parents & Students:

On behalf of the teachers and staff at Semiahmoo Academy of Music, I would like to welcome all new and returning students and their families to our 2020-2021 academic year! We trust that you have all had an enjoyable and restful summer and hope everyone has kept safe and healthy.

Our academic year will get underway on Thursday September 3, 2020. Given the unique and unprecedented circumstances we face as they relate to COVID-19, we will be offering lessons to our students in a variety of formats for the foreseeable future.

Some students may wish to take their lessons online. We have found this to be an effective way to ensure our students progress and maintain good practice and study habits. The Royal Conservatory of Music went to online exams in April 2020 so taking lessons online has helped many of our students prepare for this new exam format.

We recognize that some students may wish to continue with in-person face-to-face lessons at the school. Other students may wish a combination of in-person and online – perhaps alternating face-to-face lessons with online lessons. It is a personal choice and depends on which method you and your family are most comfortable with. Please discuss your preference directly with your teachers so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

For those returning to the school for in-person lessons, we have implemented COVID-19 protocols to help ensure the health and safety of all our students, families and teachers. Please refer to the attached COVID-19 Guidelines newsletter. We are also asking all those who wish to return to face-to-face lessons to review and sign our COVID-19 Agreement to ensure everyone understands the protocols that are being implemented. The signed form can either be scanned and emailed to your teacher or brought to your first lesson.

Our annual Gala Recital at the Surrey Arts Centre has been set for Saturday February 6, 2021. It is our hope that we will be able to hold this fun and enjoyable event and will prepare those students who wish to partake. We will assess the COVID situation in January however, and determine whether it will be safe to go forward or not. More details pertaining to this decision will follow at a later date.

We are pleased to now be offering Voice lessons at the school. Our new piano and voice teacher, Diana Nyvik is accepting students on Mondays. Students can prepare for their RCM voice exams or can learn musical theatre, Broadway or POP songs for fun and recreation. Voice training is also an excellent way to improve student ear training skills for RCM exams. Please contact the school if you’d like more information or would like to register.

We are also pleased to announce that the school is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this fall! In celebration of this milestone, we will be gifting all of our students with a music bag – something we hope they will enjoy and find useful. We expect to take delivery of these in mid-September so we will be handing them out to all of our students as soon as they are received. We have also launched a new and updated website which can be found at www.semiahmooacademyofmusic.ca. There you will be able to access the school calendar, school news, contact numbers, registration forms as well as current and archived newsletters.

It has been an exciting and successful first decade. In 2010 we opened the school with 4 teachers and 50 students and offered piano, theory and guitar lessons. We have now grown to 14 teachers and 300 students and have since added violin, flute and voice training. We have had many students receive their ARCT degrees; several have won silver and gold medals for the highest RCM exam marks in BC for the year; many have won top honors and scholarships at music festivals throughout the lower mainland and several have gone on to further their music studies at University. We are very proud of ALL our students and are extremely thankful and appreciative that so many families have entrusted us and given us the honor and opportunity to contribute their child’s development and music education.

We look forward to another great decade. Thank you so much for choosing Semiahmoo Academy of Music!

With much appreciation,

Cheryl Finn, Founding Director

Covid-19 Agreement

September 1, 2020

This text contains important information about our decision as parents, students and as teachers at Semiahmoo Academy of Music (the “Academy”) to resume face-to- face lessons for students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Viral and infectious diseases including COVID-19 and Influenza are highly contagious and are believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact.

Resuming Face to Face lessons

We (the students, parents and teachers) support the restart of face-to-face lessons for some or all future lessons. However, if there is a resurgence of the pandemic or if other health concerns arise, we may have to amend this agreement.

If at any time either you or the Academy decide that we would feel safer staying with, or returning to online lessons, we will respect that decision and move forward on that basis.

We (the parents, students and teachers) understand that by resuming face-to-face lessons we are all assuming the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Although preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been put in place, the Academy cannot guarantee that you or your child(ren) will not become exposed to COVID-19 as a result of attending music lessons.

Minimizing Our Exposure

To resume face-to-face lessons, we all agree to take the following precautions which will help keep everyone (students, families and teachers ) safer from exposure and sickness:

· Students, parents and teachers will only attend lessons if they are symptom free from the coronavirus or any other illnesses.

· Lessons will be either online or cancelled should either the student, teacher or any member of each others family have a temperature of 100 Fahrenheit or more, OR if any of us have any other symptoms.

· Students and parents will wait outside the Academy in their car until their lesson time.

· Students, parents and teachers will wash their hands or use alcohol-based sanitizer when entering the Academy.

· Students, parents and teachers will wear a mask upon entry and in all areas of the Academy.

· Students, parents and teachers will maintain a 2 metre or 6 foot distance from one another and there will be no physical contact during lessons.

· Students, parents and teachers will take steps between scheduled lessons to minimize their collective exposure to COVID-19.

· In the event that any of us become exposed to someone who is infected or could be infected, we will immediately advise each other in order that appropriate precautions can be taken and lessons will return to an online format.

· If any of us test positive for COVID-19, we will immediately notify each other so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

The above precautions could change if additional local, provincial or federal orders or guidelines are published. If that happens, the Academy will inform the parents and students of any changes.

Our Commitment to Minimize Exposure

We have taken steps to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus within the Academy and these efforts are posted inside the school.