Composing a legacy at the University of Manitoba
UM alum John Greer’s path was shaped at UM, and his planned gift ensures others can follow
John Greer’s [BMus/76] relationship with music began long before conservatory recitals and professional commissions. It began in a church choir in Winnipeg, a connection that would ripple through his life.
“I started taking piano lessons very young, then began studying the violin and the cello and then I became interested in chamber music,” says Greer. “By the time I finished high school me and a classmate had even written a musical version of Hamlet. It was just sort of obvious when I graduated that I would go into music.”
When he arrived at the University of Manitoba, those sparks found structure. As a collaborative piano major, he found the technical and creative grounding that launched him into a life in music: vocal coaching, conducting, arranging, composing and performing.
“All of those disciplines were sparked while I was a student at UM, and I treasure the friendships formed there that I’ve maintained to this day,” he says. “I credit my education at the University of Manitoba for preparing me so well not only for my graduate studies at the University of Southern California but also for my career in music, which turned out to be the perfect fit for me.”
Now in his 70s, Greer is starting to think about giving back. He says it wasn’t until about a year ago that he realized he did not have an up to date will. As he began thinking about how to shape his legacy, he considered where his estate could make the most meaningful difference. He decided to channel his legacy toward the studies and disciplines that had given him purpose.
“To encourage creative musicians is maybe the best thing that I could possibly do,” he says. “I hope that one day my gift might fund an education for a young, talented composer who has all the musical skills but who can’t afford it on their own. My gift may also serve to attract top students from across the the country or even the continent and perhaps raise the profile of the department as well.”
Today Greer describes himself as semi-retired. He still teaches graduate singers at the Glen Gould Professional School, composes and arranges, and spends summers teaching abroad. His planned gift is an extension of a life-long belief in music’s power to transform: an education he once received, now a future he helps make possible for others.
“Setting this framework was about more than finances,” he says. “It was about ensuring the priorities that matter to me endure, and that the next generation of creative musicians have a chance to begin where I began.”
What does a future fueled by generosity look like? It’s in the faces of new graduates with big ideas, in bold research solutions for Manitoba and the world, and in community initiatives coming to life in collaborative ways. Here, a legacy of philanthropy is shaping the leaders, innovators and change-makers of tomorrow. Learn how you can get involved.