For more than 40 years, lrene Besse has been teaching piano and supporting young people in their musical careers, but now she has decided it’s time to step back and relax a little.
“I’m sad but I need to this. I really don’t want to do this deep in my heart, because I love what I am doing , but it’s time to move on. I need to smell the roses.”
Many Calgarians know Besse from the 1980’s and 90’s, when she was the organist for the Calgary Flames, the Calgary Wranglers, the Calgary Stampeders and the Cannons baseball team.
She became the first organist to play at Olympic hockey games when Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Games, playing at 36 games over ten days.
But most of all, Besse is renowned for her commitment to young musicians, donating to scholarships, supplying pianos for student performances and supporting charities that encourage keyboard students.
Some of her students have gone on to win international acclaim.
In 1981 Besse opened a piano store in downtown Calgary, which later relocated to the city’s southeast.
Her daughter is planning to take over the store at the end of the summer and keep in open on a smaller scale.
But one key thing she can count on- her mom will be there with the same helpful advice and instruction she has given to so many people over the years.
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