Richard Haack

I began my music studies in Saskatoon with Lyell Gustin and Murray Adaskin. I started teaching as an assistant at the United Conservatory in Saskatoon. Upon moving to Vancouver, I resumed studies with Dr. Dale Reubart and Dr. Harold Zabrack. In 1981, I co-founded the Western Conservatory of Music in Langley. Eighteen years later, I co-founded the Fraser Valley International Music Festival, which has since grown from 2000 to over 6500 participants. I have also been the RCM centre representative in Langley for 27 years. My students have won numerous awards, scholarships, and medals in examinations and festivals, such as receiving First Class Honours with Distinction on RCM exams, Alumni Awards from the RCM, and one of my many ARCT students received the highest mark in BC for the ARCT Teacher's Degree in Advanced Pedagogy. I continue to enjoy my teaching career of over 50 years. In 2019, I was awarded the prestigious Teacher of Distinction award by the Royal Conservatory of Music, which is given to only 10 teachers in Canada each year.