A student praises his teacher — Phil Dwyer remembers Bill Cave

First published on Facebook

[Phil Dwyer] When I was a youngster, my parents attended many local dances, and I heard repeatedly about how great a dance band Bill Cave and “The Cavemen” was. When I was in grade 7, Bill took over the music program at what was then Qualicum Middle School. From day one, he took a promising program (thanks to Audrey Bailey) and by the time I was graduating Grade 8 had transformed it into one that was known province-wide as one to watch. It was simply incredible.

While not a trained teacher in the formal sense, Bill had a beautiful and natural gift for teaching, often teaching by example, pure inspiration, or musical parable, or all three. I didn’t have Bill as a school teacher again until my last half of Grade 12, but he remained a significant presence in my life. I had the good fortune to be in a trio with Bill’s son Rich, and Pat Collins. Aside from our exploits at various band festivals across the country, we played locally at many events and dances, and Bill’s advice was invaluable, especially when it came to things like pacing sets and introducing some ‘show-biz’ to the proceedings. Whatever skills I may have in this respect were forged at an early age through my interactions with Bill.

My cohort was just the first of many that Bill taught, both at the middle school and then later the high school. Over the years the music programs in the district flourished, and provided a source of joy and pride to countless young musicians. Bill also enthusiastically led the local Arrowsmith Big Band (still going) which gave many of us kids the chance to step up our game and he was regularly involved in other pursuits (musical and otherwise; he was a man of many talents).

Bill was widely and very well loved and respected in the community, both local and farther afield. If you can leave the world a better place than the one you came into then you’ve given a special gift. Bill did that, and much more. He will be missed, but his legacy lives on in the community of musicians who he inspired over the years.

Thanks for everything Mr. Cave.

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More on Phil Dwyer

On Dec. 30, 2013 Phil Dwyer was appointed as a Member of the Order Of Canada. He was cited for “his contributions to jazz as a performer, composer and producer, and for increasing access to music education in his community.” In January 2015 he was recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music as an Honorary Fellow.

These distinctions arise from an illustrious thirty year career collaborating with a storied roster of great musical artists, crossing stylistic and geographic borders. Phil has appeared on ten Juno Award-winning recordings, and over thirty nominated recordings. He is also a recipient of the prestigious K.M. Hunter Prize, for excellence in the arts.

Phil is a practicing lawyer, with his own firm in Qualicum Beach. Phil is a litigator, working primarily in family, estate, and environmental law, and appears regularly in Provincial and Supreme Courts. He is currently a member of the Law Society of British Columbia mental health task force.

Prior to being called to the bar he participated in a pilot project with Toronto-based social services agency Sound Times and Legal Aid Ontario and assisting noted activist lawyer Peter Rosenthal. As a musician he remains an active performer, writer, and recording artist. He curates “Phil Dwyer’s Jazz Canada” for CBC Radio Music, programs music for The Old School House, in Qualicum Beach, and is a partner in SeaWind Musical Instruments.

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