School Description

Jean Lyons School of Music was founded in 1963 and is Vancouver’s oldest established music school, providing quality education in piano, theory, harmony and history. It was founder Jean Lyons’ goal to provide music education to children within an atmosphere of enjoyment, appreciation, and nurturing support. As a result of her philosophy and hard work, the School has built an enviable reputation of excellence in teaching and has fostered an interest in each student’s abilities and goals whether it be Grade 8 or Diploma level. Throughout the years, Jean Lyons was continually urged to start other branches of her School, but she kept it small to allow each student to participate in classes and recitals instead of just a presentation of the exceptional few. Students at Jean Lyons School of Music have been consistent winners in various music competitions held throughout the Lower Mainland and across Canada. In addition, many of the School’s graduate students are now music teachers themselves, while others have pursued careers in performance, accompanying and composing. Alumna Alexina Louie, who was named Composer of the Year by the Canadian Music Council, also went on to become a Composer in Residence at the Canadian Opera Company and the National Arts Centre, a winner of multiple JUNO awards, and a recipient of one of Canada’s most prestigious honours as she was named to the Order of Canada in 2005. We are fortunate to be situated in the heart of a community with a vibrant performing arts scene, where the fostering of musical education and development is taken just as seriously as professional performances. We therefore encourage our students to attend concerts by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Opera Society, Vancouver Recital Society, and the Chopin Society. These organizations offer tickets to students at discounted rates. Jean Lyons School of Music complements these events with regular activities, recitals and concerts for our students. We provide students with recital opportunities each month in our Chopin Room with a supportive audience. These recitals help to ease students into the more competitive city-wide festivals and exams. Performing can be seen as a stepping stone in life, preparing one to have confidence and grace under pressure. The music education we provide not only helps students in examinations and competitions, but also increases self-esteem, poise, social skills, and memory. But above all, we believe that, by cultivating musical sensibility and an understanding of the arts, one gains an awareness for culture and ultimately what makes us human. Music and culture are not merely activities that we do; they are a way we live. We encourage our students to take advantage of the School’s valuable resource pool of knowledge, talent, and guidance through a dynamic combination of private lessons, masterclasses, theory and history classes, recitals and concerts, and other opportunities for musical enrichment.