Collegium
Scroll down to see COVID-19 update for 2020-21 year
“If you dream of pursuing performance as a career, The Young Artists Collegium at the VCM will give you a distinct advantage. If you aren’t dreaming of pursuing performance as a career, the discipline, dedication, and problem solving skills learned in the Collegium will benefit you for the rest of your life. “
~Simon MacDonald
So what does the word ‘Collegium’ mean?
‘Collegium’ comes from the same Latin roots as ‘colleague’. The Collegium Musicum was one of several types of musical societies that arose in German and German-Swiss cities and towns during the Reformation and thrived into the mid-18th century. Both Bach and Telemann directed these groups in Leipzig.
The VCM Collegium program provides colleagues or peers for these exceptional young musicians, supporting and challenging them to become the best they can be, in music and in life.
The Young Artists Collegium Program
Nurturing excellence in a community of emerging musicians
Collegium is an enriched program for talented young classical musicians – singers, pianists and other instrumentalists – brought together with outstanding teachers to create a lively, collaborative educational experience devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence.
Collegium Chamber Music Concert – May 14, 2019
Collegium is designed for serious students who want to study music at the highest standard in a comprehensive setting.
Founded in 2006, the Collegium includes students studying piano, violin, viola, cello, voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, and guitar. Instrumental Collegium applicants must have achieved at least the Grade 9 RCM level; Junior Collegium is for players in Grades 6-9. Placement is based on yearly auditions.
The Collegium is an academic year program, running from September to May with auditions the previous May.
Students participate regularly in master classes, chamber music, working with accompanists, lectures and performing events.
The Collegium program is highly successful and rated among the best in the country. Our students have won top prizes in the local, provincial and national music festivals. Students’ solo playing is on a similar level, winning many local and provincial festival awards. Our graduates have earned placements at UVic, McGill University, Robert McDuffie School, New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute and at the Juilliard School of Music.
For more information contact or to become a supporter:
Simon MacDonald, Artistic Director | macdonald@vcm.bc.ca | 250.386.5311 ext. 2090
Ingrid Attrot, Voice Collegium Director | sops@shaw.ca | 250.386.5311 ext. 3080
Micki Stirling, Animateur | stirling@vcm.bc.ca | 250.386.5311 ext. 3360
Application deadline for 2020/21: May 10, 2020
Audition dates: May 26-June 1, 2020
Click HERE for information on programs and how to apply
Notice: This program does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. As such, PTIB did not review this program.
COVID-19 Update
Welcome to the 2020/21 Collegium. We have an incredible group of talented students in this remarkable Young Artists Program, and we are very happy to announce that the program is going ahead in person at the VCM for 2020/21. As well as the VCM COVID protocols we will also:
- Use only large rooms to coach collegium ensembles
- Adjust the coaching times so that some are at 4pm and others at 6:30pm on Monday, so there are fewer people in the building
- Engage local clinicians, coaches, and ensembles (Lafayette String Quartet and Emily Carr String Quartet for example)
- Create ensembles of only duos or trios (smaller ensembles in larger spaces)
- As much as possible, Woodwind and Brass players will be in separate groups, and always in the largest possible rooms
- Hold Masterclasses and Performance classes in Wood Hall or AGPH, and limiting attendees (only students, faculty)
Voice Collegium 2020-21 Cancelled
We regret to say that in spite of great efforts to make a Voice Collegium program or at least accommodate a singer or two in the Instrumental Collegium, we do not have enough registrations to make a cohort or enough large rooms on Mondays to safely accommodate the vocal aerosols. Hence we are cancelling Voice Collegium for the 2020-21 Academic Year.
We know from our annual evaluations that the Voice Collegium Program has been extremely valuable and hope to resume programming a year from now.
Do let us know if you have questions.
All the best,
Simon MacDonald, Collegium Artistic Director
Ingrid Attrot, Head, Voice Collegium
Micki Stirling, Collegium Manager