Mary Jane founded the Calgary Music Academy Centre in 2017, the Summer Music Camp in 2017 and Performance Outreach Program in 2015.
Mary Jane studied at Eastman School of Music in New York and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. She studied under Bill van der Sloot, Zvi Zeitlin, Andrew Dawes, Gerald Stanick, Jane Coop, and Stephen Chapman. She has been teaching music for 30 years, including 20 years at Mount Royal University Conservatory, and several years at music Conservatories in Vancouver and Richmond BC.
Her experience has her recognized as one of Alberta's finest violin instructors, with students winning scholarships in the Calgary Performing Arts Festival, Contemporary Showcase and medals in RCM exams. She has taught both private classes, technique classes and masterclasses at the Victoria Summer Strings Camp, Valhalla Summer Strings Academy and Calgary's Summer Music Camp. Mary Jane is an RCM certified teacher in violin performance for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. She is also an RCM certified teacher in theory Rudiments at all levels. Mary Jane has been an RCM strings adjudicator since 2019 and continues to adjudicate RCM violin, viola and cello exams throughout the year.
Mary Jane has been a member and performed with various groups including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (under Sergiu Comissiona, Clyde Mitchell and Kazuyoshi Akiyama), BC Ballet, Calgary Opera, and Banff Opera Orchestra, Cantare Children's Choir, Bow Valley Chorus, Black Dress Quartet, and has toured with chamber ensembles to Taiwan, Spain, Germany, United States, and Canada. She has also performed on cruise lines such as Holland America and Princess Cruises to the Carribean islands and Alaska. Mary Jane has accompanied soloists such as Jane Coop, Angela Cheng, Louis Lortie, James Ehnes, the Bee Gees and Diana Krall.
Mary Jane loves to work with young people and believes in students striving for excellence in performance while sharing their talents with others. She is blessed to have a loving family with her husband and six children whom all play musical instruments.