Born in Saskatoon in 1924, John Schoen began a lifetime career in music at the tender age of 5 when he learned to play the coronet. By the age of 15, he had already conducted two or three concerts. At 17, he joined the Canadian Navy and spent the next five years as the coronet player in the 23rd Wing (Auxiliary) RCAF Band. During the late 1940s, he conducted the Saskatoon Boy's Band and the Concert Band. The Concert Band has been in existence for over 60 years and under three different names during that time. It has been called the Saskatoon Concert Band since 1964. In addition to the Concert Band, Mr. Schoen also founded the Auxiliary Band and the Saskatoon Philharmonic Orchestra. In his honour, the rehearsal hall on Avenue V North has been renamed the John H. Schoen Rehearsal Hall. We deeply mourn the passing of John Schoen on Oct. 3, 2017.