The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Victoria Conservatory of Music to pull the plug on a major fundraising event.
The Mother’s Day Musical Garden Tour has been a treasured annual event in the community since 1982, bringing music lovers together to enjoy beautiful private gardens and delightful music from students of the Victoria Conservatory of Music (VCM).
For the first time in its 38-year history, the VCM must cancel its most important annual fundraising event as advised by the Ministry of Health in the fight against COVID-19.
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The event raises necessary funding to ensure the VCM can continue to provide the exceptional teaching, innovative programming, music therapy, children’s outreach programs, and quality performances.
To celebrate Mother’s Day, pay tribute to your mother or someone special or an essential service provider by making a donation in their name in lieu of buying Garden Tour tickets ($35 each). For each donation of $35 or more, your tribute will be posted on the VCM website and for every $140 (four tickets) the VCM will “grow” their virtual garden. Although you may not be able to visit gardens this Mother’s Day, you can still celebrate those special people in your life with a gift to music.
To learn more about this special campaign, visit vcm.bc.ca/victoria-garden-tour/. To donate at Canada Helps, visit canadahelps.org/en/dn/t/48241.
The VCM is dedicating this “virtual” garden in memory of Ann Nation who, along with her husband George, combined their shared love of both gardening and music to create the Mother’s Day Garden Tour in 1982 to raise funds for the VCM. Alix Goolden, Ann’s mother, founded the Victoria Conservatory of Music in 1964.
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For two decades, the dedicated couple, along with a committed group of friends and volunteers, organized every aspect of the tour – coordinating the gardens, publicity, sponsorship, plant sale, and offering tea and music to the hundreds and thousands of visitors who have attended the Garden Tour over these many years.
This year, the VCM planned to feature the garden of Chris Nation (Ann’s son) in the Musical Garden Tour. As a part of the “virtual” garden tour, Chris’s garden, and the Alix Goolden Rose will be available to view on the VCM website this year and again, in person, during the 2021 Garden Tour.
Also, follow the VCM Facebook page every Sunday in the month of May, to enjoy current and past student and faculty performance videos. Turn up the sound and enjoy in your backyard or patio garden.