One of Langley’s musical pioneers has died.
Leonard Woods, co-founder of the Langley Community Music School, passed away on Sept. 6.
He was 94.
Mr. Woods’ love of the arts was instilled during a childhood spent on a Manitoba farm.
Despite the fact his family was not particularly well off, said Mr. Woods, during an interview in 2001, his father insisted that he and his siblings attend each and every exhibition or production that made its way to Winnipeg.
Before moving west, Mr. Woods studied at the Winnipeg School of Art. During that time, he was a pupil of Lemoine Fitzgerald, the only prairie representative of Canada’s famed Group of Seven.
Later, he turned his hand to sculpture, studying under Emanuel Hahn in Ontario before moving to British Columbia to re-open the sculpture department at the Vancouver School of Art — a position which he held until 1954.
Mr. Woods also served as the institution’s art historian until 1969.
It was that same year that, working alongside Marilyn and Keith Lamont, Peter Ewart and Linda Bickerton-Ross, Mr. Woods helped to create LCMS — developing it as a place where teachers and students could work together to benefit from an exchange of ideas, experience and musical ability.
A true artist, he was a sculptor, musician, composer, teacher, poet and even an author — having published a book of essays reflecting on the paintings of his good friend, Langley artist Carl Hessay, in 2005.
“He had a great mind,” said Mr. Woods’ good friend of 22 years, George Le Francois.
LCMS principal Susan Magnusson, who remembers Mr. Woods as “a good friend to the school,” agrees.
His eye for architectural beauty was well respected. When the new LCMS opened in City Park in 2001, Magnusson was thrilled with his reaction to the building’s design — which was intended to unite the indoor space with the beauty of the surrounding park in which it sits.
“One of the kindest and most memorable things Leonard said to me when we opened the school (was) . . . ‘Oh, my. It just embraces you the minute you arrive,’” said Magnusson.
“I had many discussions with Leonard about the importance of community within the school,” she said.
“Rather than be a conservatory or an academy, it was very important to him to serve the community and (for the school) to be a community within itself.”
Just as he was encouraged during his own youth to embrace the arts, Mr. Woods believed it was important that the same opportunities be given to young people today.
Speaking to The Times shortly before the music school was set to open 13 years ago, he said: “I feel we should enrich our school with fine art so young people will be surrounded by beautiful things.
“There are hundreds of young people who’ve never seen an original piece of art,” he said at the time.
“They’re not to blame. There have been none around.”
In that spirit, Mr. Woods donated a number of the pieces of art which are on display in the building.
“He was unique,” said Magnusson.
“He wanted to ensure (LCMS) was a place where music was taught and art could be appreciated.”
A memorial service for Mr. Woods will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18 at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, 20955 Old Yale Rd. It will be followed by a reception at the Langley Community Music School.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Langley Community Music School will be gratefully accepted.
The school’s mailing address is 4899 207 St. Langley, BC V3A 2E4.