arl Kobylansky, a faculty

member of Capilano College’s
Music Department from 1972 to 1997,
died on March 15 in Sechelt, B.C.

During his time at the College, Karl
founded and conducted the Capilano
College Symphony Orchestra, the
Capilano College Choir, and he
instructed an enormous number of
students in Music Composition, Music
Theory, and Music History.

Karl initiated and helped develop all
three music programs. In 1972, when
he instructed a few music courses, he
quickly developed this study into a full-
fledged music program complete with
transferability to both the University of
British Columbia and the University of
Victoria music schools. In 1974, Karl
initiated the Commercial Music
Program, and in 1976, helped to
establish the Music Therapy Program.

Karl was born in St. Boniface,
Manitoba on August 4, 1932. Between
1953 and 1956, Karl studied choral and
symphonic conducting at the
Tchiakovsky Conservatory in Kiev on a
scholarship from the Association of
United Ukrainian Canadians. He earned
a master’s degree in Music
Composition and Theory from UBC in
1972.

While teaching at Capilano College
and conducting numerous choral and
symphony concerts, Karl continued to
compose, and to, again, explore music’s
many potential contexts. His
composition, Thoughts (1972) for
chorus and tape, was discussed in
George Proctor’s Canadian Music of
the 20th Century. His delight in new
experiences led him to the composition
of film scores and, in 1984, Karl’s work
was nominated for Best Original Film
Score by the Academy of the Canadian
Cinema.

In addition to his music and music-
related interests, Karl had a keen sense

Karl Kobylansky
1932 - 1997

of community and a talent for
leadership. During the course of his
teaching life at Capilano College, he co-
ordinated the Music Department before
its division, as well as its University
Transfer Program. He was the external
co-ordinator of University Transfer
Music, Commercial Music and Music
Therapy programs. Karl was also one of
the founding members of the Capilano
College Faculty Association and was
elected as its president in 1980.

Karl had a passionate interest in
gardening; an interest his wife, Dianne,
described as an “abiding appreciation of
all nature’s beauty.” This hobby
occupied most of his spare time.

He taught and mentored many
students. Some of these students are now
faculty members at Lower Mainland
colleges and music schools. A number of
his Music Composition students have
won prestigious awards for their works.
The personal characteristics, which lie at
the root of Karl’s innovations in music
education, and the esteem he is generally
held by his peers is aptly summarized by
Carolyn Kenny, a co-founder of the
Music Therapy Program:

One summer morning in June 1976, I
received a phone call from a stranger.
The stranger said that Capilano College
had been receiving phone calls about
music therapy. That stranger was Karl
Kobylansky. In the fall of that year, we
started our first group of diploma
students in Music Therapy — the first
music therapy training in Canada. Karl
didn’t remain a stranger for long. He
was enthusiastic and accommodating —
anything to get the program started.
Karl, in fact, attended many of the music
therapy classes himself in that first year.
He was infinitely curious about the
music therapy business. In these classes
he revealed himself as an intensely
sensitive, emotional and creative person

who possessed a delicious sense of humor.
Music therapists in Vancouver can be
grateful to Karl for having the vision and
being willing to take the necessary risks to
get our training and education started at a
time when very few Canadians had even
heard of music therapy.

The Capilano College Music
Department is establishing a scholarship in
Karl’s memory. If you wish to make a
donation, please submit your cheque to the
Capilano College Foundation and
designate it to the Karl Kobylansky Music
Scholarship.

Submitted by Joyce Gee

It’s Never Too L

@nformer