Introducing VSO School of Music

What happens when one of Canada’s most iconic music schools decides to take its education beyond the concert hall? 

You get VSO Learn Music—a vibrant, accessible online learning hub designed to make music education available to everyone, everywhere. Discover how the VSO School of Music partnered with Thinkific Plus to bring their vision to life—expanding access to music education and reaching new audiences beyond the concert hall. 

” At the VSO, we aim to curate and create irresistible musical experiences. We work with partners on and off stage to bring the power of music to our community, and help enrich people’s lives.”

– Natasha McEwen, Vice President, VSO School of Music and Education

Creating harmony beyond concert halls

Recognizing physical limitations and the growing demand for flexible learning, the VSO School of Music wanted to expand their reach beyond their physical space.

The goal was clear: enhance their community’s connection through accessible online music education, allowing people everywhere to experience the transformative power of music.

VSO Learn Music, their new online learning platform, was created to make high-quality music education available to anyone, anywhere. Whether you’re a complete beginner, returning musician, or seasoned professional, VSO Learn Music offers curated self-paced courses to deepen musical skills and knowledge. 

“We are at a stage in our growth, when we’re at capacity with the physical limitations of our building. What a better way to expand, grow our audience, and create community than through an online platform”

– Natasha McEwen, Vice President, VSO School of Music and Education

The VSO School of Music aimed to overcome space constraints and scheduling issues inherent to traditional, in-person music lessons. They sought a scalable platform to offer self-paced courses, ensuring accessibility for busy learners and those geographically distant from Vancouver.

Bringing music education online

Choosing Thinkific Plus, the VSO School of Music launched seven asynchronous courses taught by their expert faculty. The platform empowered educators to create engaging online content, easily integrating quizzes and downloadable resources to enhance the learner experience.

“We have recorded 7 online courses for our platform, and what’s very interesting is that because we are a school , we have lots of great faculty that are very knowledgeable and have great ideas. We chose Thinkific to host our courses because it aligns with our vision, and we like that it has a variety of features we can integrate like quizzes and PDF files.”

– Janika Mueller , VSO School of Music, Digital Strategy Officer

The VSO team had some key goals:

• Design intuitive, easy-to-navigate courses for a diverse audience to enhance student engagement and satisfaction.
• Enable busy professionals to access quality music education at their convenience.
• Expand VSO’s community reach far beyond Vancouver’s geographical limits.

Learn Music – VSO’s new online education hub

VSO Learn Music was born, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s dedicated online learning platform designed to offer flexible and enriching music education experiences for learners at any stage. The program features a range of topics, including music appreciation, practice strategies, and instrument-specific techniques. Each course is led by VSO School of Music’s expert faculty and includes engaging video lessons, downloadable resources, and interactive elements.

“As an educator, one of the biggest benefits of online learning is that it’s more accessible to a wider variety of students. Students that might not have the time for weekly personal lessons, or want to fit in a little bit of learning when they have an opening in their schedule.” 

– Christie Reside, VSO Principal Flute, VSO School of Music Faculty

The platform caters to a broad audience—from absolute beginners to working musicians—providing pathways to build foundational skills, refresh musical knowledge, or explore new areas of interest. With intuitive navigation and clear learning objectives, VSO Learn Music helps learners track their progress at their own pace.

Courses are structured into manageable modules that allow users to start and stop when needed, making it ideal for busy schedules. With a mission to make music education more inclusive, the VSO has positioned Learn Music as a modern-day extension of its School of Music, opening doors for people worldwide to experience the transformative joy of music.

Learn more at vsolearnmusic.ca

Lessons fron VSO School of Music

Early feedback from students has highlighted high learner satisfaction due to the VSO School of Music’s intuitive course design and flexible learning modules.

If your organization is looking to expand it’s reach, here’s some lessons you can learn from them: 

1. Start small, scale smartly: Leverage intuitive platforms like Thinkific Plus that allow gradual scaling as your audience grows.
2. Engage through content design: Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes and downloadable content for better learner engagement.
3. Prioritize accessibility: Ensure that courses are easy to navigate and intuitive for learners of all levels and tech familiarity.

Looking ahead

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and School of Music have opened a new chapter in its legacy of education and community engagement through the launch of VSO Learn Music. By embracing the power of online learning, they’ve transformed traditional instruction into a dynamic, accessible online experience—one that extends far beyond the walls of their concert hall and into homes around the world.

VSO Learn Music represents more than just a shift to digital—it’s a powerful reimagining of how music education can reach and inspire learners of all ages, backgrounds, and locations. 

As they continue to expand their offerings, the VSO and it’s School of Music is not only nurturing the next generation of musicians and music lovers but also setting a new standard for arts education in the digital age.

“VSO Learn Music is for folks wherever they are at in their education journey. Whether you’re starting out or a seasoned professional, there is truly something for everyone as you learn all  the joy that music can bring to your life. ”

– Natasha McEwen, Vice President, VSO School of Music and Education

Discover how to expand online today.

Monetize education to create a new revenue stream.

Platforms like Thinkific Plus are making it easier than ever for growing businesses to build and grow their online learning academies. With specialized tools for content creation, engagement, and analytics for continuous improvement, creating a standout learning experience and fostering business expansion is more achievable than ever.

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