In Memoriam is a tribute to the members of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch who are no longer with us.
If you have a picture or a bio to add, or if you have information on a teacher who is missing from the record, please email webmaster@bcrmta.org.
Marjorie Hougham 1925-2022
Marjorie Hougham was a long time member of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch, serving in several positions on the Executive in the 1980's including President and Committee Chair for the 1985 CFMTA Convention at UBC. She taught piano and theory for 49 years before retiring to spend time with her husband George and to continue studying on her own. In her final years, she moved from Surrey to Campbell River to be closer to her family.
Click here to read In Conversation with Marjorie Hougham on our Memory Project Page.
Ailsa Zaenker 1943-2022
Ailsa was a valued member of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch and the musical community at large. She taught piano to hundreds of children and adults, and collaborated with and coached many emerging and established musicians. She knew her history and literature, and was proper, clever, generous, and very funny lady.
Click here for the full obituary as well as pictures in the Memorial Program from the celebration for Ailsa held on October 5, 2022.
Click here to view a video tribute to Ailsa.
Sheila Hardy 1940-2022
Sheila was raised and schooled in Burnaby, BC. She found her passion and career in music early at the age of 8 under the care and tutelage of her teacher, Edward Parker for 10 years. She met and married fellow piano student and neighbour, Walter Hardy. High school sweethearts, they married and raised two young boys, Kevin and Steven, while Sheila taught piano and Walter went through Science and a PhD in Physics at UBC. After a life journey which took them to Paris and California and then back to Vancouver, Sheila went back to UBC as a returning adult student in Piano Performance and received her Bachelor of Music in 1977. There she met her next mentor, Lee Kum-Sing who became a great influence on her musical life. She was invited to join the faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music, then in its early stages of development at 12th and Cambie, and afterwards in its current location near the Planetarium. A longtime member of the BCRMTA, Sheila also contributed for two decades to the success of the Vancouver Music Festival Workshop. For over 65 years, she taught and mentored developing musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of many. To view a selection of pictures, please click here.
Winfried Rompf 1941-2021
Win was active member of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch and of the general music community. He had boundless enthusiasm as well as musical knowledge and he was unfailing generously in sharing it with his students and colleagues. While he will be sorely missed, he will also be fondly remembered for the legacy he leaves behind.
Please click here to view the Winfried and Margarete Rompf Memorial video.
Please click here to read Win's article on the Memory Project page.
Linda Niamath 1939-2020
Linda was born and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. When she was five years old, she begged her parents for a piano, and started composing with the encouragement of her first piano teacher. At the age of sixteen, she composed the score for a ballet, Stanley Park Sketches, which was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. After earning her ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of British Columbia, she taught elementary school in Vancouver as a music specialist.
Linda was a kind and compassionate person with a wonderful sense of humour, and the best mother anyone could hope to have. She had many strong and enduring friendships and took great pleasure in connecting with others. She and Kent always had fun together, no matter what they were doing, but Linda especially enjoyed gardening, travelling, cooking, reading (and underlining the important parts!), listening to music, and visiting with friends and family.
Linda was a highly-regarded composer and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music; several generations of children around the world have learned to play her wonderful and expressive pieces at their piano lessons. She is best known for her eleven albums of piano music for the young pianist—her legacy for future generations.
To read A Tribute: Linda Niamath written by Tara Wohlberg, please click here.
Donna Fishwick 1938-2020
Donna was a highly respected member of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch for many years. She was a unique musical force in our community and she will be greatly missed not only by her family but by the many students, colleagues, and friends who were fortunate enough to know her. Click here to read her memorial tribute.
In November 2020, a video was recorded to celebrate Donna’s 82nd birthday, please click here to view "An Encore Tribute to Donna Fishwick”.
Darryl Downton 1938-2020
At a very young age, Darryl began piano lessons. He soon mastered the keyboard which extended to a lifetime as a pipe organist and further to voice and choice conducting. He was a graduate of the Lyell Gustin Studio and studied pipe organ with Don Forbes. He was organist at St Thomas Wesley United Church and a sought after accompanist. He moved to Vancouver in 1963 to become the organist at Canadian Memorial United Church and he joined the local RMT Branch in 1970. There he began his extensive involvement with the music community and became organist choir direction in five churches, conducting or singing with nine choirs.
Dr. Rita Steblin 1951-2019
Dr. Rita Katherine Steblin was a talented Canadian Musicologist, originally from Chilliwack, British Columbia. During her tenure with the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, she held the position of treasurer and president before moving permanently to Vienna, Austria in 1991 to pursue research on Beethoven, Schubert and other beloved composers. Rita published throughout her life and a complete list of her accomplishments is available on Wikipedia, click here to visit the site.
Please click here to read Rita's article in the Memory Project.
Edward Parker 1930- 2018
Edward J. Parker was a devoted father, husband, piano teacher and pedagogue with a professional legacy spanning over 70 years. He was a demanding individual, but always creative in his approach and generous with his time. He joined the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in 1970.
Mr. Edward took his Bachelor of Music with a major in Piano Performance at the University of British Columbia and he received his Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Washington. For his ARCT Performancers' and Teachers' diplomas he was awarded the Gold Medal for achieving the highest marks in Canada; he also held a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music and a Fellow of the Trinity College of Music, both of London, England. In addition to his university studies, Mr. Parker worked with Grant Johannsen, Boris Roubakine, Anton Kuerti, and Mme. Rosina Lhevinne of the Julliard School of Music in New York City.
At various times, Mr. Parker taught in the music departments at the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, the Victoria Conservatory, and Douglas College in New Westminster. Somehow he also managed the energy to raise his two sons, Ian and Keath, with his loving wife Eileen all while maintaining a busy piano studio in Burnaby.
Through his enthusiasm and dedication, Mr. Parker touched the lives of generations of Canadian pianists. Among his countless students, he encouraged the likes of Jon Kimura Parker, James Parker, Ian Parker, and Amanda Chan to name but a few. He will be remembered for his sense of humour, his unique approach to teaching and his wonderful ability to connect with his students, inspiring them and sharing his love of music. (T. Meyers)
Doreen Skorah 1923-2017
Doreen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and resided in Lethbridge and Calgary, before moving to Vancouver where she met and married George James Skorah. Together they raised three daughters in North Burnaby. Doreen became a well-respected piano teacher in Burnaby and continued teaching until the age of 84, when she took up residence in Langley. She joined the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in 1965.
Joan Cunningham d. 2017 - joined in 1969
Mary Tickner 1927-2016
This summer the Vancouver music community lost a beloved and distinguished member, Mary Tickner. With a career spanning more than sixty years, her philosophy and talents influenced countless students and colleagues. Her love of teaching combined with her sense of humour, her infinite patience and her deep respect for both her students and the works they played made her a truly unique educator.
Mary was born in Indiana to supportive, musically inclined parents. The family always had a piano but she did not begin lessons until they were required as therapy after an accident involving her hand and arm. She took to the instrument immediately and had various teachers until her early teens. After deciding that lessons in and of themselves were “boring”, she continued on her own, learning whatever pieces she fancied while playing for local churches and choirs.
When the time came to further her education, Mary entered a private college as a singer. In return for a scholarship and her skills as an accompanist, she was given the opportunity to study piano as well as voice. It was here, in her third year of the program that she was first introduced to pedagogy. The next semester, she started a few students . . . and she was hooked! After graduating, she made her way teaching, accompanying, and conducting before deciding to do a Masters in Education at USC.
Mary and her husband French immigrated to Canada in the early 60’s. Eager to embrace the opportunities available in her new homeland, she began teaching at UBC in 1964 where she remained until her retirement twenty-eight years later. She joined the Vancouver BCRMTA in 1980 and quickly became an invaluable resource, serving as an executive member, an advisor, and a newsletter contributor until the spring of 2014. With her sterling reputation as an adjudicator, she travelled within Canada innumerable times, and she was a featured clinician in high profile festivals in both India and Hong Kong. In July 2013, the CFMTA recognized Mary’s exceptional abilities with the Hugheen Ferguson Distinguished Teacher Award; she was both proud and deeply honoured by the acknowledgement.
In her final months, Mary’s mind remained as bright and as receptive as ever. She welcomed visitors and she was always interested in hearing about musical events or students. Even as her strength failed, she strove to articulate new ideas for her pedagogy articles. For those left behind, eighty-eight seems too early for someone with her flair for life, but with a year for each key on the piano, it was never the less an appropriate point for a pianist to take a final bow.
In 2012, Mary was interviewed by Blair Galston for the Memory Project. Please click here to read the transcript. (B.Siemens)
Robert Batt 1951-2016
Robert grew up in Montreal where he developed his deep love of music, attaining his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from McGill University and a PhD in Musicology at the UBC School of Music. Aside from his accomplished career in music his greatest achievement is in the number of students he imbued with his own love of and excellence in music. In his spare time, Robert enjoyed the great wide wilderness, hiking, camping and fighting off bears when the occasion arose.
Allison Sloan 1951 - 2015
Allison was born in Ontario, and grew up in Calgary where she began her violin studies with Dr. Lise Elson. Dr. Elson eventually recommended her to a competition in which Allison won a scholarship to study in Los Angeles and she never looked back.
Allison was a member of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for several years before moving to Vancouver to join the Vancouver Opera Orchestra in 1977 where she played for more than 30 years. Other highlights of Allison's performance career include three western Canada tours with the Winnipeg Ballet, and local performances for the National Ballet of Canada, the Bolshoi Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Northwest Ballet, and Ballet B.C.- and a gig as one of the backup musicians for a Michael Buble record.
Her many students will remember Allison as a dedicated teacher. Highlights of her teaching career include work at several Suzuki summer institutes in the United States, coaching string sections for U.B.C. summer institutes and for the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, and twenty years on the faculty of the Vancouver Academy of Music. She also gave individual lessons in her private studio beginning in 1995. Allison has former students playing professionally in Canada, the U.S., and Europe.
Allison was an accomplished vegetarian cook, a skill enjoyed by friends and colleagues over the years. She dedicated much of her spare time to rescuing feral cats in downtown Vancouver. Before her death she arranged for her own two much-loved cats, Tux and Zest, to become part of the survivor pet program at the S.P.C.A.
Josephine Wing-Kuan Leung 1968- 2015
Josephine was born in Hong Kong and started playing the piano at the age of four. She began teaching piano quite early and worked tirelessly to improve her musical skills. In 1987 she started with an LRSM and she continued with Certificates in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at Hong Kong University. After immigrating to Canada in 1989, she obtained a Fine Arts Diploma in Music from VCC and a B.A. degree from UBC, as well as the Advanced Piano Certificate from ABRSM. She became an RCM Affiliate Teacher in 1998/99 and she received a Diploma in Piano Performance from ABRSM in 2001.
Josephine maintained a busy teaching studio in the Dunbar area and over the years became well known as a piano/ theory teacher and an accompanist. She also had interests in areas and instruments including Chinese calligraphy, painting, badminton, organ, church choir, hand-bells, voice and flute lessons. Josephine joined the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in 1994 and served as the recital convenor for many years. In her quiet way, she made many valuable contributions to our branch and the musical community as a whole. (Ka May Chu 2019)
Beverly Lipsett d. 2014 - joined in 1983
Robin Keith Harrison 1932-2013
Robin was a British-born Canadian musician. Known as a composer and pianist, he served for over 20 years as head of the piano division at the University of Saskatchewan. He recorded several classical music albums, including three solo albums, and was a repeat guest performer with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. He moved in 2008 to British Columbia and performed in piano duets concerts with his wife Rachel Anderson.
John Doerksen 1946-2012
John was an accomplished cellist and teacher, a former member of the Winnipeg Symphony, a founder of the Vancouver String Trio and a longtime member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. He joined the Branch in 2005.
Joseph Robert Bayer 1941-2012
Joseph was a prominent figure on the Vancouver classical music scene for over 50 years as teacher, pianist and adjudicator. A long standing member of the B. C. Registered Music Teachers’ Association and a retired member of the National Professional Music Teachers’ Association, he was highly regarded by his colleagues for his immense talent, his professional integrity, and his ever courteous and thoughtful demeanor. Generations of music students, many of whom went on to established distinguished careers of their own in teaching or performing arts, benefitted immensely from his deep knowledge, his gentle guidance and his unfailing dedication to excellence. Outside music, Joseph travelled extensively, golfed erratically, and took much pleasure in the challenge of a good cross-word puzzle. His loyalty to family and friends, his generosity and irrepressible sense of humour made him a special person who approached life on his own terms with wit, grace, and unflappability.
Peggy Prior 1922 - 2011
Peggy was a gifted and discerning musician, who studied and continued to learn new music all her life. She taught the piano to children and adults for over 60 years, and many of her pupils became piano teachers themselves. Sought after as an accompanist, she played for the Kiwanis Glee Club for many years, and accompanied individual singers at music festivals. She Is greatly missed by the many pianists and teachers to whom she was a mentor, guide and dear friend. A tribute to Peggy was written by Carla Dodek in 2009, please click here to read the article. (Vancouver Sun 2011)
Amy Ruth Strickland 1922 -2011
Amy was born in Dauphin, Manitoba where she began to play the church organ at 12 years old. She studied piano throughout her school years, eventually moving to Winnipeg and then Toronto to attain her two degrees. After the war, Amy and husband Don relocated to Vancouver where she continued performing and teaching. She was involved in the founding of the Vancouver chapter of the BCRMTA and loved going to the conventions; she was especially pleased to be able to attend on the 60th anniversary of her membership! She also was an Honorary Life Member of the Vancouver Women's Musical Society and was involved in organizing many scholarship competitions for young performers. In 1983, Amy and Don retired to Saltair, BC, to their scenic waterfront home they called Paradise Acre". Amy soon became involved in the musical scene and was well known for playing for services at a variety of churches. She belonged to the Chemainus Seniors Center where she played piano for many senior's musicals and she ran the Choral Group that sang in many concerts over the years. (Vancouver Sun 2011)
Marguerite Echaus 1958- 2010
Marguerite M. Echaus, pianist, pedagogue, and valued member of our music community, passed away in January 2010 in the Philippines. Marguerite began her music studies at age 6 at St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, Philippines. Through the years she received much encouragement from her professors and eventually pursued her interests abroad in the USA, Canada, and Switzerland.
Her resume was impressive including a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (Magna cum laude) from The Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.), a Master of Music Education from Holy Names College (Oakland, California), and a Professional Teaching Certificate from the University of B.C. (Vancouver), as well as the Sigma Alpha Iota Honor Certificate (for academic excellence) and a listing on the Pi Kappa Lambda (National Honor Society for Musicians) and the National Dean’s List Publication. In addition to these many academic achievements, she also performed in solo and collaborative recitals in the Philippines and Vancouver.
Marguerite was an enthusiastic and generous teacher. She was thoroughly trained, not only in piano pedagogy but also in Suzuki Piano, Yamaha Group Piano, Orff and Kodaly methods as well and she was head of the Orff department at the Vancouver Academy of Music for many years. To complement her teaching activities, Marguerite volunteered with the Vancouver RMT Branch Executive. Over two decades, she served in various roles, among them the positions of Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and SPG Chairperson. Marguerite was always cheerful, professional, and thorough in her duties, and she could be counted on in difficult circumstances. She gave much to our community and will be remember always with fondness. (B. Siemens)
Dr. Cecelia "Celia" Mclean d. 2010 - joined in 1947
Eleanor Harkness 1917 - 2009
Eleanor’s passion for music was evident from a young age. Once her own training was completed, she worked tirelessly as an advocate for early childhood music education and she was revered as one of the premier Kelly Kirby Method teachers. As a 61 year member of the Vancouver Branch, she served in several executive positions including president. Eleanor continued to attend meetings and support the RMT until the seasoned age of 90. Her legacy continues in the musicians and teachers she inspired who are now active in our community.
Patricia Wilson d. 2009 - member from 1952-1983
Grace Nichols d. 2008 - joined in 1947
Robert "Bob" Rogers - 1937- 2008
Bob Rogers was a highly respected pianist and professor emeritus of the UBC School of Music. He was an active champion of Canadian composers, and an amazingly talented pianist "a real musician's musician" according to Linda Lee Thomas. He played with the Purcell String Quarter for years and was an original member of Piano Power, a hugely popular annual feature of Masterpiece Music. Bob joined the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in 1960 and was as supportive member for decades.
Mary Agnes "Nan" Gorringe 1946 - 2006
From an early age, Nan studied piano with a number of renowned teachers including Anton Kuerti and Deuardo Del Pueyo, and she received many awards along the path to herself becoming a distinguished piano teacher, examiner and adjudicator. She completed the Royal Conservatory of Toronto examinations with first class honours, and was the first student at the Banff School of Fine Arts to be awarded a full scholarship in both piano performance and pedagogy. The many awards and diplomas she earned include the A.R.C.T. Special, Performers and Teachers Diplomas and L.T.C.L. (Piano). She was a senior examiner (piano specialist) for the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). Nan graciously and generously opened her home and studio, and shared her life with the families and students she inspired over the years, as well as her treasured dogs. (Vancouver Sun 2006)
Jean Lyons 1921-2005
Lorna Jean Elderkin Lyons became a member of the Vancouver/Burnaby Branch in 1947 and never looked back. She was a vibrant, active teacher and a tireless advocate of Canadian music as well as Canadian musicians. Jean started playing piano at age 12 and taught music in Powell River, BC before moving to Vancouver. After further studies in the 1950's with Alberto Guerrero at the Royal Conservatory of Music and with Stephen Balogh at the Cornish School in Seattle, she opened the Jean Lyons School of Music in downtown Vancouver in 1963. Although it started small, the school soon expanded to included all theoretical subjects as well as piano. Many successful musicians graduated from the school including Alexina Louie who was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, in 2021. Jean made an indelible mark on Vancouver’s musical landscape and she is remember fondly by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Rosa Kellner d. 2005 - joined in 1960
Joan Hicks d. 2001 - joined in 1973
Audrey Mallinson d. 1998 - joined in 1948
Judith Alexander d. 1996 - joined in 1972
Horace Brooker d. 1992 - joined in 1951
Lola Kenmuir d. 1989 - joined in 1947
Minna McCrea d. 1989 - joined in 1947
Janice Jong d. 1988 - joined in 1982
Beatrice Cave d. 1987 - joined in 1947
Helen Gatz d. 1985 - joined in 1965
Hilda Langridge d. 1983 - joined in 1965
H. Janice Cameron d. 1982 - joined in 1977