Who was Denise Gagne? Tributes pour in as beloved Musicplay teacher passes away 

On February 23, 2024, Denise Gagne, a beloved teacher at a music-based education facility called Musicplay, passed away in North Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. She succumbed to cancer and was surrounded by her family during her last moments.

The news was shared on Facebook by Musicplay. The post stated how Denise Gagne “fought her battle with unwavering courage and strength until the end.” The statement also mentioned how the late music teacher and author was always full of ideas that are part of the Musicplay curriculum and are “aimed at supporting teachers globally.”

“Her dedication to evolving Musciplay, taking it online as MusicplayOnline, and the various workshops she led will be her lasting impact in elementary education. This week has been incredibly challenging for us. In response, our office will operate with reduced capacity to allow our team the space to initiate the grieving process,” the post added.

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Denise Gagne was a music specialist

According to her LinkedIn bio, Denise Gagne was a music specialist with over three and a half decades worth of experience in teaching inside classrooms, to choirs, and bands. Her primary focus was on music education for the K12 group.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in music with a flute major from the University of Victoria in 1977, followed by a B.Ed. degree in music education from the University of Saskatchewan in 1980.

Later, Denise Gagne also obtained a PG diploma in fine arts (Kodaly level 1,2,3, and Orff level 1) in the mid-1990s from the University of Calgary. She finally attended the University of Kentucky to get her diplomas in Orff levels 2 and 3, as well as the Orff curriculum class.

Apart from being associated with Musicplay, Denise Gagne was also the senior managing editor at Themes & Variations. From preschoolers to adolescents, parents to grandparents – Ms. Garge taught everyone and was part of the Musicplay Family Curriculum from 2014.

She also held frequent workshops to boost music education, along with writing and editing extensively on the topic. Some of her publications include Rhythm Instrument Fun, Primary Dances & Singing Games, Christmas Favorites, and Actions Songs Children Love (3 volumes), among nearly 80 others.

Denise Gagne also attended music education conferences in Canada, the USA, Australia, Asia, and Europe. She won awards at many music festivals and performed at local and national sporting events, on the radio, and even for royal families.

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Internet showers tribute on Denise Gagne in the wake of her demise

Last Friday, beloved Canadian music educator Denise Gagne passed away. In the aftermath of his death, social media was flooded with tributes. For instance, Musicplay wrote on Facebook that they are “grieving this huge loss” and requested “understanding and respect for the privacy” of Ms. Gagne’s close friends and family.

They also urged the music education community to contribute to her memorial foundation to honor her memory, preserve her legacy, and empower “future generations of music students and teachers.” A link to donate was also provided.

A colleague and friend named John Jacobson, who met Denise Gagne four decades ago, also shared his condolences via Facebook. Here’s what he wrote.

“We are devastated today by the grievous news that our dear friend and business partner Denise Gagne has passed away… Denise was a true leader in our music education world. With her tireless dedication, she brought music education to millions of teachers and their students all over the world."

Jacobson added that it was an honor to work closely with Ms. Gagne, whom he tagged as encouraging and full of spirit, who endowed wisdom and positivity till her last breath.

“Denise, in your honor, we promise, we will try. Denise will always be a part of us as her music lives on and she will always hold a warm spot in the hearts of all who benefitted from her remarkable time on this planet,” he wrapped.

Susie and Phil, the founders of Welcome to Music, also remembered Denise as “a friend, a mentor, our publisher, and all-round amazing human,” and said they were “absolutely devastated” at the news of her demise.

"She was such an incredible mover and shaker as a teacher, music educator, mentor, and entrepreneur. She has made a huge difference in the lives of so many of us through her MusicPlay Online Program and website, her countless resources, webinars, and fabulous professional development workshops" the statement added.

They also shared memories of staying at Denise’s home, traveling together for work, and dedicated a song they made titled This One’s For You in honor of the late educator.

Here are some other tribute messages from social media.

As per Musicplay and music expert John Jacobson, Ms. Gagne is survived by her husband Ken, children Allyson, Stacy, and Bryan, and several grandkids.