Reputations take years to build and a moment to destroy. MRU conservatory recent firings bring to mind the U of C marketing campaign when it advertised that you only needed a D average (60%) for admission.
D
Dorothy Sonya-Hoglund
9 years ago
We are very sad to hear of the changes at MRU and hope that this decision will be changed to keep this well-known and respected program in Canada.
S
Steve Angyalfi Calgary
9 years ago
MRU, an otherwise very ordinary, small and run-of-the-mill university, has only one claim to global recognition, the Mount Royal Conservatory. And now, in an incredible display of short sightedness and lack of insight, the leaders of MRU have decided to start dismantling this prestigious and world renowned institute for music instruction. The Board of Governors, President and Dean of Continuing Education need to hang their heads in shame. By moving forward recklessly in their "new direction", whatever that may be, and completely ignoring all the voices on this petition web page and elsewhere, they have made it clear to music students, performers and teachers everywhere that from here on in, the Conservatory will be run by bean counters, not visionary and talented leaders. What an incredibly sad state of affairs!
L
Laura McPheeters
9 years ago
Alumna of the conservatory and the MRC music credit program in the 80s. Mr. Kadz was part of an absolutely formative music education for me and many others.
X
Xinxin Li
9 years ago
Please keep this program alive.
S
Sonia Suire
9 years ago
The Mount Royal University is known world wide for its music conservatory. It is a great source for talent and creativity. Plus, it has been the first place for our future generation of Calgarians to learn to play music from top rated musicians. Please do not shut down this gem!!
A
Alex
9 years ago
I support this petition! Please keep this program alive.
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
Keep the program. Stop pouring concrete.
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
The majority of the public opinion about Calgary is that Calgary is a city with oil and gas but lack of soul. A soul of a city is the culture and it's spirit. With seeing what Mount Royal did to its master artist, it is approved that the public is no bias.
K
Kathleen Dixon
9 years ago
After shutting down the jazz program what music is going to be left? Fireside guitar???
Y
Yan Charl de la Harpe
9 years ago
I fully support this petition! I represent part of the business world, the arts need to be alive! We need people like John in this city!
J
Janet Clarke Bell
9 years ago
What an outrageous decision!
M
Marie Knowles
9 years ago
These students are the future of the arts and we dishonour them not to have strong programs for now and into the future. From what I know the Conservatory was built to enhance the arts and the Board of Governors are dismantling what it was intended for. Shame on them. They are the ones who should be replaced. How did they get there in the first place. Evidentally their beliefs have changed at the expense of the students and the programs.
Taxpayers of Calgary should be furious that they paid for something that is now a false entity.
Shame shame shame.
J
John Cockell
9 years ago
Sep 30, 2016 I am a former student of John's, having studied with him thirty years ago. I am proud to say that he was the greatest cello teacher I ever had, and I continue to play to this day, currently with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra. John is an absolutely outstanding teacher, musician and mentor. I would not have succeeded as a cellist without his teaching, and his guidance made me a better person in general. His dedication to Mount Royal has been a gift of immeasurable value to the institution. It is absolutely astonishing that Mount Royal would do anything other than plead with John to stay on for as long as he wishes. The conservatory simply wouldn't be what it is today without his vision and investment of decades of commitment. Shame on Mount Royal.
M
Megan
9 years ago
I realize that a lot of decisions have to be made last minute, but I don't think that it is fair to students to announce who is going to be teaching so soon before class starts. A lot of students have traveled from across Canada in order to study with particular teachers. If teachers were going to be let go then the decision and announcement should have come well ahead of time, so that students could weigh their options and make their decision of whether or not they wanted to be attending Mount Royal.
M
M J Collison
9 years ago
Shockingly short-sighted. The Conservatory deserves to be enhanced, not destroyed.
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
Good music teacher is the future of our children's life.
G
Gail O'Riordan
9 years ago
As a cello teacher and former member of the Victoria Symphony, I was appalled to learn of the termination of John Kadz and the abolishment of Bill van der Sloot's position. These outstanding teachers and the programs they have developed deserve your support, not the sucker punch you have just delivered
C
Carol Stevenson
9 years ago
When you are world renown why would you sacrifice that. Money can always be found for priorities. The arts make life worth living!!! Do the right thing'
Carol
A
Andrew Clayden
9 years ago
You need quality people on a full-time salary to adequately run an institution such as the conservatory. To make it flourish, you need the best people possible! Do not settle for less!
Reputations take years to build and a moment to destroy. MRU conservatory recent firings bring to mind the U of C marketing campaign when it advertised that you only needed a D average (60%) for admission.
We are very sad to hear of the changes at MRU and hope that this decision will be changed to keep this well-known and respected program in Canada.
MRU, an otherwise very ordinary, small and run-of-the-mill university, has only one claim to global recognition, the Mount Royal Conservatory. And now, in an incredible display of short sightedness and lack of insight, the leaders of MRU have decided to start dismantling this prestigious and world renowned institute for music instruction. The Board of Governors, President and Dean of Continuing Education need to hang their heads in shame. By moving forward recklessly in their "new direction", whatever that may be, and completely ignoring all the voices on this petition web page and elsewhere, they have made it clear to music students, performers and teachers everywhere that from here on in, the Conservatory will be run by bean counters, not visionary and talented leaders. What an incredibly sad state of affairs!
Alumna of the conservatory and the MRC music credit program in the 80s. Mr. Kadz was part of an absolutely formative music education for me and many others.
Please keep this program alive.
The Mount Royal University is known world wide for its music conservatory. It is a great source for talent and creativity. Plus, it has been the first place for our future generation of Calgarians to learn to play music from top rated musicians. Please do not shut down this gem!!
I support this petition! Please keep this program alive.
Keep the program. Stop pouring concrete.
The majority of the public opinion about Calgary is that Calgary is a city with oil and gas but lack of soul. A soul of a city is the culture and it's spirit. With seeing what Mount Royal did to its master artist, it is approved that the public is no bias.
After shutting down the jazz program what music is going to be left? Fireside guitar???
I fully support this petition! I represent part of the business world, the arts need to be alive! We need people like John in this city!
What an outrageous decision!
These students are the future of the arts and we dishonour them not to have strong programs for now and into the future. From what I know the Conservatory was built to enhance the arts and the Board of Governors are dismantling what it was intended for. Shame on them. They are the ones who should be replaced. How did they get there in the first place. Evidentally their beliefs have changed at the expense of the students and the programs. Taxpayers of Calgary should be furious that they paid for something that is now a false entity. Shame shame shame.
Sep 30, 2016 I am a former student of John's, having studied with him thirty years ago. I am proud to say that he was the greatest cello teacher I ever had, and I continue to play to this day, currently with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra. John is an absolutely outstanding teacher, musician and mentor. I would not have succeeded as a cellist without his teaching, and his guidance made me a better person in general. His dedication to Mount Royal has been a gift of immeasurable value to the institution. It is absolutely astonishing that Mount Royal would do anything other than plead with John to stay on for as long as he wishes. The conservatory simply wouldn't be what it is today without his vision and investment of decades of commitment. Shame on Mount Royal.
I realize that a lot of decisions have to be made last minute, but I don't think that it is fair to students to announce who is going to be teaching so soon before class starts. A lot of students have traveled from across Canada in order to study with particular teachers. If teachers were going to be let go then the decision and announcement should have come well ahead of time, so that students could weigh their options and make their decision of whether or not they wanted to be attending Mount Royal.
Shockingly short-sighted. The Conservatory deserves to be enhanced, not destroyed.
Good music teacher is the future of our children's life.
As a cello teacher and former member of the Victoria Symphony, I was appalled to learn of the termination of John Kadz and the abolishment of Bill van der Sloot's position. These outstanding teachers and the programs they have developed deserve your support, not the sucker punch you have just delivered
When you are world renown why would you sacrifice that. Money can always be found for priorities. The arts make life worth living!!! Do the right thing' Carol
You need quality people on a full-time salary to adequately run an institution such as the conservatory. To make it flourish, you need the best people possible! Do not settle for less!