Persona

Bee, Dorothy, 1910-1986

Dorothy Williamina Bee was born in Lemberg, Saskatchewan on November 1, 1910 and moved with her family to Regina when she was twelve. She began teaching piano when she was sixteen. In 1946 she became a faculty member of the Regina Conservatory of Music, and she also taught at the University of Regina Department of Music for thirty years prior to her retirement in 1979, when she was named Professor Emeritus. She continued giving piano lessons in Regina until her death on September 20, 1986. During her musical career Dorothy Bee studied with William M. Buckley (1928-1931), Lyell Gustin (1936), Rosalyn Tureck (1940), Max Parani (1944-1948), Victor Babin (1960), and Andr Previn (1970, 1971). She also played string bass in the Regina Symphony Orchestra, 1943-1971. Miss Bee was active in promoting music in Western Canada and she pioneered workshops to help rural piano teachers upgrade their skills. She was a life member of the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers Association, and served several terms as president of the organization. She was an examiner for the Western Board of Music and a well known music festival supporter and adjudicator. She served as chair of the Western Board's Syllabus Committee, 1968-1974, and was co-editor with Gordon Wallis of 'Explorations' (Leeds, 1969), three volumes of piano studies designed to resolve specific technical problems. She was editor-in-chief of eight graded volumes of piano repertoire (Leeds, 1976).