John Dean was the longest-serving principal viola in the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra’s history from 1970 to 1989
John Dean, a former long-standing member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) died on 6 August 2024, aged 90. Dean was a member of WASO for 33 years and was the longest-serving principal viola in the orchestra’s history.
Dean began studying the violin at the age of six with his father, Horace Dean, who was a WASO violinist from 1942 to 1969. In 1952, after studying with Vaughan Hanly, he was awarded an Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Scholarship to the Melbourne Music Conservatorium, where he studied with Boris Stupel.
In 1956, he returned to Perth to explore employment opportunities. Upon a viola position becoming vacant in WASO, he learnt alto clef and passed the audition. He served as principal viola from 1970 to 1989, becoming the longest serving musician in that position in WASO’s history. He was honoured by WASO with the title of emeritus musician for his 33 years of service to the orchestra.
Dean pursued further studies in London with Cecil Aronowitz in the early 1970s and became a member of the Mozart Players, the English Sinfonia and the Philharmonic Orchestra.
After returning to Perth, he joined the Oriel Quartet, the first West Australian group to tour the Eastern States for Musica Viva. He was also a founding member of the Perth Chamber Soloists, and the Australian String Teachers’ Association (AUSTA) – which annually supports the AMEB’s John Dean Award for Best 7th/8th Grade Strings Candidate.
As an educator, he held a ten-year teaching engagement at Perth Modern School and taught in Bunbury, as well as theory at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He tutored for the University of Western Australia’s (UWA) Saturday morning music programme, as well as at local music camps and working as an AMEB examiner.
His work in the community saw him travel to perform in regional communities, giving recitals for UWA, and playing for ABC broadcasts. Dean appeared as a soloist with WASO on several occasions, including a performance of Berlioz’s Harold in Italy.
Dean is survived by his three children and wife, soprano Margot Robertson.
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