2024 has been a year of transformation, growth, and resilience—not just for Willowdale School of Music, but for our entire community. So much has happened this year!
On a personal note, 2024 has been especially meaningful for me as my husband Tom and I welcomed a new member and future musician to our family—our daughter Gesa. This new chapter with our baby is a reminder of why the work we do at WSM matters so much. My understanding of the importance of nurturing life skills, resiliency, and appreciation for art in young lives has deepened.
I am thrilled to share that, thanks to your incredible support, WSM received the Gold Award Music Education in the Toronto Star Readers’ Choice Awards for 2024! This recognition means the world to me, especially knowing it reflects your trust and appreciation for what we do at WSM.
This year also brought challenges. The flood in June tested our resilience, but it also highlighted the strength of our community. Through collaboration, dedication, and compassion, we’ve emerged stronger than ever, with a renewed commitment to providing a safe, inspiring space for learning and growth.
It wouldn’t be a new year without something exciting to look forward to. 2025 is bringing a renewed set of core values to WSM, and I can say there are some exciting things coming up revolving around our values that your young musicians will be really excited about! Our core values at WSM are:
Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others fosters meaningful connections and builds trust.
Compassion: Compassion inspires action to alleviate the suffering of others and encourages selflessness.
Resiliency: Life is full of challenges, and resilience equips us to face setbacks with strength, determination and the ability to bounce back from adversity.
Discipline: Discipline cultivates consistency, focus, and perseverance and cultivating discipline leads to success.
Kindness: Acts of kindness create a ripple effect that inspires positivity and strengthens relationships, nurturing a culture of mutual respect.
Creativity: Creativity encourages innovation and problem-solving and allows individuals to develop solutions that drive progress and enrich our lives.
Responsibility: Taking ownership of actions and decisions is essential for personal and collective growth and enables individuals to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Confidence: Confidence empowers individuals to take risks, overcome fears, and pursue their dreams and builds self-belief and the ability to advocate for oneself and others.
Social Justice: Ensuring fairness and equality in society empowers individuals and communities to thrive by addressing systemic inequities and advocating for human rights.
Environmental Justice: Protecting the planet and addressing environmental inequities ensures a sustainable and healthy future for all, especially marginalized communities disproportionately affected by environmental harm.
Music is more than notes and rhythms—it’s a vehicle for teaching empathy, perseverance, creativity, and collaboration. WSM’s mission, “Changing the world, one music lesson and practice session at a time,” feels more relevant than ever.
Since beginning my own musical journey with violin lessons at age 6, I know firsthand how music instills life-changing skills. WSM’s core values are the skills the next generation needs to make a positive impact in our world—and music lessons are a powerful way to cultivate them.
As we step into 2025, I’m filled with excitement for what’s to come. Together, we’ll continue empowering children to make beautiful music and, in doing so, give them the tools they need to change the world for the better.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for supporting WSM’s vision. Here’s to another year of music, growth, and making a difference—together.
Warm wishes for the New Year,
Sarah Murley-Hauser
Director | Willowdale School of Music
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