The Michael and Helen Lucas Instrumental Music Educator Bursary is available to applicants registering for Summer Term instrumental Teacher Education courses* at the Oscar Peterson School of Music.
Instrumental Music Summer Intensive
- Instrumental Music AQ, Part I
- Instrumental Music AQ, Part II
- Instrumental Music Specialist (Part III)
*Availability of summer courses will vary from year to year
Application Information
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Application Deadline: June 1, 2026
The Michael and Helen Lucas Instrumental Music Educator Bursary
Michael and Helen Lucas (Lukac) were both immigrants of Carpatho-Russian descent. They immigrated to Canada in 1939 and 1929 respectively. They both shared a deep love of music that they nurtured in their children, family and community. Michael’s first violin was given to him by a Roma Gypsy in the 1930’s in the Carpathian mountains in Eastern Slovakia. He started to learn Hungarian and Carpatho-Russian music from community musicians in his village of Vysna Jablonka. When he immigrated to Canada in 1939, his violin was one of his most prized possessions that he brought with him on the 3-week trans-Atlantic voyage. When his family settled in Toronto, one of the first things he did was ask for private music lessons at The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to receive formal quality music instruction. He formed his own string ensembles at Toronto’s Central Technical High School, later training to become a graphic artist but always continuing his community music-making. He progressed quickly and soon formed his own ensembles that played at dances, weddings, community celebrations, Slavic conferences and picnics over the next 50 years.
After Michael and Helen married, Helen decided to take percussion lessons at RCM and became the ensemble’s drummer. At the Society of Carpatho-Russian Canadians Cultural Centre, Michael and Helen formed numerous community orchestras, conducted choirs, directed musicals, played dances and provided members of the Toronto Slavic community with heartfelt cultural music-making bringing quality instrumental music weekly to hundreds of community members. Expressing your cultural heritage through music was highly valued by many Canadian immigrants.
Michael and Helen continued their contribution to their musical communities until well into their 70’s and they would never have been able to be the lifelong community musicians they were without the training they received at RCM.
They of course passed this love of music-making to their children who also became musicians and music educators. Michael and Helen received their instrumental training at the RCM and created incredible musical experiences for not only their families and friends but the larger community.
This bursary was developed to honour the legacy of Michael and Helen Lucas and to support RCM’s continued commitment to community music-making and the importance of quality instrumental music education and aspiring instrumental music educators.
Michael and Helen Lucas understood that music is what really connects us all.