Welcome to the online home ofJ. Chalmers Doane

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About Chalmers

J. Chalmers Doane. Educator, musician, multi-instrumentalist, ukulele virtuoso and innovator. Born in Truro, Nova Scotia, 3 November 1938; B.Mus.Ed. (Boston University), Honorary DFA (Saint Mary’s University).

Chalmers graduated in 1961 from Nova Scotia Teachers College and later went to Boston University as a trombone major, studying pedagogy (string methods) with George Bornoff, whose educational ideas greatly influenced him.

“I took a great many courses because I intended to start a full symphony orchestra when I returned to Nova Scotia, and I would be the only music teacher,” he says. Doane also studied violin, viola, cello, bass, oboe, bassoon, French horn, clarinet and piano. “At one point they said, ‘You can’t take that many instruments.’ I told them that was their problem to solve. I had 15 choices of universities. I chose theirs because of their pedagogy in all of those instruments, ‘so that’s what I have to do.’ They cooperated very well with me.”

Chalmers did return to Halifax, as Supervisor of Music for the Halifax School Board (1967–84), and he changed school music programs dramatically, using the ukulele as an inexpensive and practical teaching instrument for children and adults. His unconventional approach, vindicated by the success of Halifax school orchestras, bands, choirs and percussion ensembles in concerts and competitions across Canada, has produced a model of public music education worthy of study by educational jurisdictions elsewhere.

From 1984 to 1993, Doane was a professor of music education at Nova Scotia Teachers College. Until his retirement, he was much in demand as a consultant and leader of workshops across Canada and in the USA. In 2005, Doane was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada. He was honoured by The Learning Partnership as a champion of public education in 2008, and in 2010 received the Order of Nova Scotia.

Although his main goal was to create a full symphonic orchestra program in Nova Scotia schools, the thought of using the ukulele as a teaching tool had been percolating in Doane’s mind for a while. He wrote the first method book in 1971, began implementing the program in Halifax schools, and embarked on a national campaign to train teachers from Newfoundland to Victoria. (See Books.)

The Triangle Ukulele

Doane’s source for inexpensive ukuleles had been the Harmony Musical Instrument Company in Chicago, but a fire destroyed the factory, leaving Doane without a reliable source for his school instruments. Working with his father, Doane set out to make a cheap ukulele that played in tune. “The breakthrough came when we heard of a guy in a neighbouring town who made axe handles,” he says. “Axe handles require quite a bit of woodworking, and I thought he might be able to make necks for us.” As he and his father were driving to meet the axe-handle man, a thought came to Chalmers about how to make a ukulele without having to bend any wood.

The JCD series of triangle ukes by the Canadian company Northern was born, and was used extensively in Canadian schools.

Today

Chalmers retired from the Halifax School Board in 1984 and took a position at the Nova Scotia Teachers College for another ten years before truly retiring to teach privately and perform with the Chalmers Doane Trio.

Chalmers remains busy in his home province of Nova Scotia, where he lives with his wife, Jean, who has been an important and active part of his career from day one. Their three children, all products of the Halifax Music Department, became professional musicians: international performers, songwriters and teachers. Chalmers still teaches many students each week, plays publicly with his trio, and enjoys tennis and badminton regularly with his friends.

Chalmers acts as consultant, mentor and namesake of the Doane Music School, based in Toronto.

“Anyone can play the ukulele, and I can teach it.”