Honorary Fellow of The Royal Conservatory of Music
Member of The RCM College of Examiners
RCM Certified Teacher
Elaine Rusk, B.Mus., M.A.
Elaine Rusk is a distinguished educator, pianist, and pedagogue with more than fifty years of experience teaching piano and theory. After a 28-year career at The Royal Conservatory of Music, she now focuses on teaching, mentoring students and teachers, and sharing her expertise in piano pedagogy.
Elaine looks forward to continuing to inspire teachers and students to reach their full potential through a shared joy of music.
Career at The Royal Conservatory of Music
Elaine recently retired from her role as Vice President of Academics and Publishing, where she oversaw both the Academic (Exams) and Publishing divisions.
She led the RCM College of Examiners, an esteemed group of more than 300 pedagogues across North America, and oversaw curriculum development for 22 instruments as well as Voice, Speech Arts & Drama, and Theory. She also supervised the publication of numerous resources for teachers and students, including the award-winning Celebration Series® for piano.
Workshops and Presentations
For nearly three decades, Elaine has traveled throughout North America conducting workshops for teachers on a variety of topics, including Inspiring Creativity through Improvisation, Lead-sheet Reading, and Long- and Short-term Planning for Student Success. Her sessions focus on practical teaching strategies, repertoire, improvisation, and musicianship, helping teachers inspire creativity and support student success at all levels.
Elaine has also presented numerous sessions exploring major RCM publications and pedagogical resources, including the Celebration Series® (2001, 2008, 2016, and 2022 editions), Forrest Kinney’s Pattern Play® and Chord Play, Christopher Norton’s Connections for Piano, Celebrate Theory, and Celebrate Piano!.
In addition to conference presentations, Elaine has delivered webinars and recorded instructional videos related to The Royal Conservatory Certificate Program. She has also presented keynote addresses at Celebration of Excellence recitals across Canada and the United States, including national events at The Royal Conservatory and Carnegie Hall.
Honours and Recognition
In 2025, in recognition of her significant contributions to music education, Elaine was named an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Conservatory of Music. She joins an esteemed group of recipients including Oscar Peterson and Glenn Gould.
Royal Conservatory announcement
Honorary Fellows of The Royal Conservatory
