Don spent much of his youth sitting at a keyboard or singing with a choral book in hand. Studies in Hamilton and Stratford led him to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and later to McGill University for a music degree in voice and conducting. His career there included music theatre direction, solo work, choral conducting and arts commentary for the English CBC.

Don accepted a post at Sheridan College in 1972 and over the next 27 years co-founded the internationally known musical theatre school, established Theatre Sheridan and launched a joint theatre degree with Sheridan and the University of Toronto. Don describes his move into arts administration as, “there was a limited market for deaf conductors…and besides hearing loss can sometimes be a distinct advantage in administration.” He served 14 years as the Dean of Arts at Sheridan and the Dean of Art & Business at George Brown College.

Believing that the arts share common vision, Don has been drawn to the visual arts from childhood and his venture into landscape painting after early retirement seemed “just a natural expression of my life’s direction…Voices have colours like burnt umber, scarlet lake. Paintings dance and sing. My baton became a paint brush.” Don studied with abstract artist and teacher, Lorraine Darke, at the Dundas Valley of Art and currently paints at the Tiger Studio & Gallery with Bill Powell and John Stirling. He is a member of the Burlington Art Centre, Arts Hamilton and served as President of the Burlington Fine Arts Association. So, Don spends his time now painting, writing mystery reviews and being a husband, father and grandfather.

“I am grateful for the ongoing support and sponsorship of Mr. & Mrs. William Russell of Interprovincial Corrosion Control Ltd.”