A passionate musician, educator, and lifelong learner, Diana Chan is entering her eighth year as the Band Director at Argyle Secondary in North Vancouver. She holds a Bachelor of Music with a concentration on oboe and a Bachelor of Education from UBC, as well as A.R.C.T. Diplomas in both Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She also has a Diploma in Special Education, and is in the final stages of completing a Masters of Arts in same field.
Working with four concert bands and two jazz ensembles, Diana feels grateful to be working in a school community that values the Arts and to be surrounded by creative and musical students who allows Ms Chan to push their musical boundaries. She also feel honoured to have had the privilege to work with master teacher, Mrs. Frances Roberts, and is excited to welcome Mr. Will Clements into Argyle’s Music Program. During her time at Argyle, Diana has led the ensembles to win awards and scholarships at local music festivals, and the Senior Jazz Band has also been invited to perform on the Sounds of Youth Stage at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Alongside with Kevin Yang, Director of Bands at Carson Graham Secondary, Diana and Kevin also worked with the district team and co-founded the North Vancouver Schools Jazz Festival in 2019. The goal of this festival is to further connect music students across the district, and provide a space for the community to celebrate the wonderful work is happening in music programs in North Vancouver. After a number of years of virtual events and recorded performances, Diana is looking forward to returning to in-person events and being able to bring students, families, and the greater community together again through music.
Outside of Argyle, Diana is on the Board of Directors and is the Education Outreach Chair of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra. She also volunteers with HirePhD Society, a non-profit organization that seeks to support talents with advanced degrees in finding career paths outside of academia. Aside from teaching, studying, and volunteering, Diana is an avid amateur chef who enjoys cooking and sharing food with others.