George Bishop, 81
Husband, father, grandfather, music education advocate, music industry executive. Born May 11, 1929, in Toronto. Died Oct. 8, 2010, in Richmond Hill, Ont., of kidney failure, aged 81.
George Bishop played the oboe in the orchestra at Toronto's Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute under the direction of Harvey Perrin. It was here that George, the oldest of two children of Joseph and Bessie Bishop, learned the value of a comprehensive music education delivered by a dedicated music teacher, a lesson that would shape his life and his legacy.
It was also where he met Jane Hammond, a fellow oboist. They married in 1954 and raised three children, Douglas, Bruce and Kathy. For 56 years, George and Jane enjoyed their shared love of music.
In 1951, George joined Turner Musical Instruments Ltd. as a salesman. Within 10 years, he had become president. He realized that the musical instrument industry needed a collective voice and formed the Music Industries Association of Canada, which has represented Canadian retailers and manufacturers of musical instruments and products for 40 years.
After many successful years at Turner, George started Bishop Music Ltd. with Jane at his side in 1971. He ran the company for 10 years, travelling across Canada selling musical instruments and promoting music education to school boards. George finished his career with Long & McQuade, retiring in 1996.
George loved family birthdays and holidays but most of all he loved Christmas. He was an avid history buff, especially Second World War and ancient history, and also enjoyed gardening and painting landscapes.
George passionately believed that every child deserved a quality music education at school, but provinces across the country were cutting funding to school boards, and music programs were pared back or in some cases eliminated. In response, in 1992, George rallied other equally passionate music education supporters who together formed the Coalition for Music Education in Canada.
George travelled far and wide speaking to parents and school board trustees about how they could organize to fight back and halt the damaging cuts to their children's music education.
One cold January night at a school in Whitby, Ont., he was getting ready to speak to music students and parents about the need for a music education. It was just him, a chair and table, and his box of pamphlets describing how "Making music makes you smarter." He repeated this hundreds of times across Canada and parents listened and understood.
Until the end of his life, George fought for children. His legacy continues through the organizations he founded and was affiliated with, and will continue until every child in Canada has access to a quality music education.
By Bruce Bishop, George's son.