Langley Community Music School principal Susan Magnusson is the winner of the H.D. Stafford Good Citizen Award for 2012.
“A word often used to describe Harold Stafford is ‘tenacious’ which certainly fits our honouree,” a press release announcing the award winner stated.
Magnusson has persisted over the years to enhance cultural development and ensure young people have opportunities to access the highest quality of education.
She is a passionate educator and advocate for music education. She joined the Langley Community Music School 40 years ago as a piano teacher. Notably, one of her former students went on to perform in Carnegie Hall.
She pioneered the Suzuki method at LCMS, making it the first school in Western Canada to offer it. She is now one of a small number of Suzuki Teacher Trainers in Canada, and she is in demand nationally. She has actively supported the local arts community, serving on many boards and committees over the years.
Magnusson is a tireless fundraiser and was the impetus for the fundraising programs which led to the current facilities the music school has today at City Park.
She has been principal of the school since 2001 and continues to oversee operations and program development.
Her other community involvement includes serving on the board of Tourism Langley and the City of Langley Recreation, Culture and Public Art Advisory Committee; co-director of ceremonies for the 2010 BC Summer Games held in Langley; Spirit of BC Community Committee; director of On-Stage Langley; member of the committee that wrote the proposal for the Langley Fine Arts School; founding member of the Langley Jazz Festival and involvement with Literacy Langley and the Township of Langley Economic Development Committee, to develop Langley as a community of educational excellence.
Magnusson was joined on stage Tuesday night at the December Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce meeting by several past Stafford award winners — David Esworthy, Jim McGregor, Marlene Grinnell, Sylvia Anderson, Tim Lounsbury and Dale Ball.
“This is truly an honour to join this prestigious group of good citizens,” she said.