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The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) says it will launch an independent, third-party investigation following allegations of historical sexual abuse dating back decades.
Survivors have recently come forward with accounts of abuse that allegedly occurred when they were children and young adults at the institution in the 1970s and 1980s, according to a statement Friday from the organization.
The Toronto-based conservatory, founded in 1886, is known as one of the world’s leading music education and performance institutions.
In a first-person essay published in the Toronto Star in February, music teacher Lusiana Lukman accused former RCM instructor Boris Berlin of sexually abusing her during piano lessons when she was 15 years old.
Berlin, a famed pianist and Order of Canada recipient, died in 2001.
The Star also published a story last month about a woman who had told her daughters before her death in 2023 that she was abused by Berlin during piano lessons.
Separately, on its website, the conservatory said it has been “deeply shaken” by the sexual abuse allegations, adding it has been made aware that others may also come forward with similar accounts.
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The conservatory added in a news release that it has heard “the distress, hurt, anger and concern” within its community, as questions are raised about student safety, accountability and transparency.
The RCM said it has completed an internal review and is now examining additional historical records, including through ongoing engagement with the University of Toronto, which owned and operated the conservatory prior to 1991.
The organization said the allegations date back roughly 40 years and acknowledged the review process is complex.
Once that process is complete, the RCM said its board of directors has unanimously agreed to launch an external investigation.
“We have heard the calls for action clearly from our community, and we are committed to responding with transparency as this work progresses,” said Tim Price, chair of the board of directors, in the news release on Friday.
Price added that the “complexity and historical nature” of the allegations has reinforced both the urgency and the need for an independent approach.
“While our response to date may have felt distant or slow, please know that the heart of this institution is devastated,” said Rayla Myhal, vice-chair of the board in the release.
“We have not been hiding behind silence but deciding on a path that will bring meaningful action and answers for any survivors of sexual abuse. We are committed to creating lasting, systemic change,” Myhal added.
The board said it is working to identify appropriate experts to lead the third-party investigation, with the goal of providing a safe and confidential space for individuals to share their experiences.
The conservatory said it will work with relevant partners to determine the final scope of the investigation and will update the community once a plan is finalized.
With files from The Canadian Press
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