Following in the footsteps of his father Horace Dean (WASO violinist from 1942 to his retirement in 1969), John joined the Orchestra in the violin section before moving to the viola section when a permanent position became available in 1956. He held the position of Principal Viola from 1970 to 1989 and is the longest serving Principal Viola in WASO’s history.

John’s musical journey began at the age of six, when he commenced lessons with his father. In 1952, after studying with Vaughan Hanly, he was awarded an Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Scholarship to the Melbourne Music Conservatorium. This was followed by studies at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and a ten-year engagement teaching at Perth Modern School.

In the early 1970s, John went to London to train with Cecil Aronowitz and became a member of the Mozart Players, the English Sinfonia and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Returning to Perth, his passion for chamber music led him to join the Oriel String Quartet, the first West Australian group to tour the Eastern States for Musica Viva. He was also a founding member of the Perth Chamber Soloists, and the Australian Strings Association – who annually support the AMEB’s John Dean Award for Best 7th/8th Grade Strings Candidate.

John was significantly involved in fostering the next generation of musicians, tutoring for “Saturday Morning Music” at UWA and at local music camps, and working as an AMEB examiner. His work in the community saw him travel to perform in regional communities, giving recitals for UWA, and playing for ABC broadcasts. John appeared as a soloist with WASO on several occasions, including a performance of Berlioz’s Harold in Italy.

John is fondly remembered by his former colleagues as being a true gentleman, and a wonderfully supportive colleague with a great sense of humour. He was also a very skilled ‘fix-it man’ and always seemed to have a gadget on hand to undertake emergency repairs.

Outside of his musical ventures, John had a great love of boating and fishing. His former colleague Allan Meyer (current Principal Clarinet with WASO) recalls:

John enjoyed relaxing by taking friends ocean fishing in his boat. On one occasion an invitation was offered to WASO former Guest Conductor and Conductor Laureate, Vladimir Verbitsky. Vladimir enjoyed the experience so much it became a fixture on his calendar whenever returning to Perth.

John is survived by his three children and wife, Margot Robertson, a well-known soprano who enjoyed a long association with WASO, the ABC and the UWA Choral Society. John’s legacy is continued by his daughter Amanda, the third generation of the Dean family to play with WASO, who has been a casual percussionist in the Orchestra since the 1980s.