Phil Dwyer’s (JD’17) first day as a student at law school was actually his first day at any post-secondary institution…ever. His journey to UNB Law is nothing short of extraordinary. A renowned jazz musician and composer with multiple JUNO Awards, Dwyer has spent decades captivating audiences as a virtuoso saxophonist, pianist, and composer. But his story doesn’t end there.
Later in life, Dwyer took a bold step in a new direction, trading the stage for the classroom. Now a successful lawyer operating his own practice, Dwyer’s path is a masterclass in reinvention, proving that it’s never too late to pursue a new passion—or blend two seemingly contrasting careers into one remarkable life.
Born in Qualicum, BC, on Vancouver Island, Dwyer attributes the start of his musical journey to being raised in a music-friendly household by parents who exposed him to a wide variety of artists and genres at an early age.
“Most things are some combination of talent meeting opportunity. Music was very highly respected and kind of a cornerstone of my family life. My parents had very broad tastes, and I was exposed to everything from traditional classical music to slightly more contemporary classical music, a wide spectrum of jazz, and popular music. I can sing all the words to Stompin’ Tom's ‘Bud the Spud,’ and some Kris Kristofferson records.”
The soundtrack to his childhood featured an eclectic mix of musical legends, including jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson, the iconic Canadian classical pianist, Glenn Gould, and timeless composers such as Beethoven and Brahms.
“It served as an incredible foundation for my career in terms of just getting that sound in your head. When you're playing music, you're really trying ideally to express and create a sound that you have in your mind. And my head was full of the sound of great music.”
Growing up in a time without YouTube or other modern online teaching tools, Dwyer was often left to his own devices. A primarily self-trained jazz musician in his early years, he used these masters as the yardstick with which to measure his own talents.
“I was rigorous in my self-training. I would compare myself to the best, John Coltrane or Michael Brecker, whoever it was I was studying at the time. I would record myself, and compare it to them and inevitably conclude, ‘I got a lot of work to do.’”
Dwyer began studying classical piano at the age of seven—a dream his mother had cherished for herself but couldn’t pursue due to financial constraints.
“It was something that she had always wanted to do as a child, but the family didn't have enough money. She wanted to make sure I at least had that opportunity, something for which I’ll be forever grateful.”
In sixth grade, Dwyer picked up the saxophone, sparking a growing passion for jazz that would soon define his musical journey.
“Physically it was quite different than piano. In a lot of ways, it’s like a glorified recorder, the same basic three and three finger system as most woodwind instruments. I had good manual dexterity already from playing the piano so playing the sax came naturally. I took to it pretty quickly, plus I was listening to a lot of saxophone players—the instrument just kind of drew me in, probably because of its vocal quality, and it looked cool!”
By eleventh grade, Dwyer had already earned a reputation as a musical prodigy, performing professionally while still in high school. Upon graduation, he was awarded a prestigious Canada Council for the Arts grant, which allowed him to pursue private studies in New York.
His full-time music career began in 1985, and from 1989 to 2004, Dwyer became a cornerstone of Toronto’s vibrant jazz scene. A regular at the city’s premier jazz clubs, concert halls, and recording studios, he led numerous ensembles and co-led acclaimed bands alongside bassist Dave Young, multi-instrumentalist and composer Don Thompson, and pianist/organist Doug Riley. Dwyer’s musical pursuits took him across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, including tours with Canadian rocker, Gino Vannelli, famed jazz trumpeter, Ingrid Jensen and with his own groups.
When not performing live, Dwyer was a ‘first-call’ studio musician in Toronto. In the mid-1990s, he began developing his craft as a composer and arranger, studying composition and orchestration under famed Pulitzer prize-winning composer, Michael Colgrass. Dwyer’s work was commissioned and recorded by the Gryphon Trio, Amici, Roberto Occhipinti, CBC Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Hard Rubber Orchestra, the Art of Time Ensemble and Duke Trio.
A 2010 commission from Mark Fewer and McGill University led to the creation of a major work “Changing Seasons”, a 40-minute concerto for jazz and string orchestras accompanying violin soloist Fewer. The 2011 recording of that piece, featuring Fewer with the Phil Dwyer Orchestra, won a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Among other Juno-winning recordings in Dwyer’s discography are collaborations with Guido Basso, Don Thompson, Molly Johnson, Hugh Fraser, Joe Sealy, Terry Clarke, Diana Panton, and Dave Young.
When pressed about a “defining moment of his musical career,” Dwyer couldn’t pick just one, instead describing the unique feeling of being on stage with his fellow musicians.
'It’s usually the last performance I did [laughs]. In September, I brought together some amazing friends from Toronto and the U.S. for a concert in Nanaimo. It reminded me why I got into music in the first place. There’s nothing else that affects people the way music does. Onstage, there’s chemistry and magic happening in the moment—something the audience will never see or hear again. It’s an incredible feeling, and I’ve been fortunate to experience it for 40 years.'"
It’s not entirely accurate to say that UNB Law was Dwyer’s first experience in a university classroom. Between 1989 and 2001, he served as a sessional music instructor at York University, sharing his expertise with countless aspiring musicians. Teaching remained a passion during his touring years. While on the road, he would often get asked to teach workshops or be a guest lecturer at schools like the Royal Academy in London or various other conservatories in England, Denmark, and the United States.
Dwyer moved back to Vancouver Island in 2004 and, with his wife Theresa, opened the Phil Dwyer Academy of Musical and Culinary Arts the following year. This innovative program brought together some of Canada’s top young musical minds to learn from faculty comprised of many of the leading names in contemporary jazz. The program grew exponentially in the years that followed with the addition of workshops for high-school, university, and adult musicians and a full culinary program led by chef Trevor Hooper.
“We taught kids how to play music and cook. It was incredible. For my wife and I, that became a big part of our lives for many years.”
At the same time, Dwyer became quite involved in local high school music programs, eventually creating a perpetual scholarship and bursary fund for high school students.
“While running the music camp, I got to meet a lot of the kids who were in these band programs. I would spend time with the ensembles during the school year, teaching and coaching.”
In the same way that Dwyer was raised in an environment where music was a key aspect of his upbringing, so was advocacy. He watched his parents advocate for their community. He was raised to acknowledge the fact that there were different levels of injustice and historical unfairness baked into society.
“Growing up in a small town on Vancouver Island, when I was a kid, I was well aware of the civil rights movement in the U.S., and I was made well aware of the historical injustices that had been perpetrated against Canada's Indigenous people, and the issues in South Africa. These sorts of things were common topics of conversation in my house growing up. I was raised to acknowledge this and to try, if I could, to be a part of the solution.”
After thirty-five years in the music industry—the highs, lows, and everything else in between—Dwyer sought out a new challenge…law school.
“I'd always had this interest in the law, I was a big reader, and I enjoyed writing. I had a sister who was a successful lawyer as well as a couple of other family members. So, there were people in my generation of the family that had done that, and I thought I would take a swing and see what happens.”
Despite warnings that his lack of formal education would present an enormous challenge, Dwyer applied to several smaller universities across the country. Lucky for us, UNB Law was one of those schools. Following an interview with the admissions team, Dwyer was accepted, marking the beginning of his remarkable law school journey.
Law school had a bit of a standing start for Dwyer, who had never previously taken any university courses. Reflecting on this incredible moment in his life, he recounts: “Most of my classmates were formidable academically. I wasn't even that great of a high school student, so I was quite intimidated. I was working hard, trying to keep up. We did the first semester of exams, got our marks back, and I was comfortably in the middle of the pack. I thought, ‘Man, if I can keep this up for the next two and a half years, I'll be a happy camper. I knew I wasn’t going to be a ‘Mark Mancini (JD’17)’ [laughs].”
For Dwyer, the hardest part of law school was the endurance. Thanks to his many years in the music industry, he was no stranger to late nights, but it was the early mornings after 200 pages of reading he remembers most. Despite the challenges, he looks back fondly on his time at UNB Law and the connections he made during his time in Fredericton.
“I was a mature student, but my classmates treated me like anybody else. It just happened that I was alive and remembered when the Constitution was patriated in 1982. Every once in a while, they'd roll their eyes and say, ‘yeah, yeah, you were there, we know.’”
Since graduating in 2017, Dwyer has taken the next step in his evolution, opening his own law firm, Phil Dwyer Law, at home in Qualicum Beach. The general practice focuses on family law, wills and estates, IP, and civil litigation. One of his first cases in 2021 centred on the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history, the Fairy Creek old-growth logging protests, which saw over 1000 protesters arrested on site. How’s that for a welcome to the world of law?
“I was one of the first lawyers involved in that case, and it took up the next two years of my life. It was a big environmental file, a topic that I was fascinated by during my time at law school.”
During his studies, Dwyer also focused much of his attention on Aboriginal law and Indigenous legal orders and legal traditions. This has informed how he approaches many of his current files.
“I have a lot of clients from small First Nations all along the western and northern parts of Vancouver Island—places like Alert Bay and Ahousaht. It’s very interesting work and quite a privilege as well.”
Giving back to the legal community has been a priority for Dwyer since his call to the bar. In his relatively short but impactful legal career, Dwyer has actively contributed to the Law Society and CBA’s mental health advocacy committees and task forces, striving to address the challenges many lawyers encounter.
By now, it should come as no surprise that Dwyer has racked up a considerable number of awards and accolades—including being appointed a Member of the Order of Canada during his first few months of law school. 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.
This November, Dwyer was honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Canadian culture as a jazz performer, composer, educator; and as an advocate for social and environmental justice in our society. He got the call from Courtenay-Alberni Member of Parliament, Gord Johns.
“He's a fantastic parliamentarian whom I admire, so I was honored to be one of the people that he chose to receive this medal. It feels a bit like a lifetime achievement award [laughs]. I think it helps inspire other people to get out there and get active in their community.”
Four others shared the honour with Dwyer including Eva Hilborn, in recognition of her advocacy for early childhood education over seventy years of volunteerism; Mischa Oak, in recognition of a career of leadership and advocacy for systematic change to support transgender and gender-diverse individuals; Carrie Reid, in recognition of her therapeutic support for the healing of residential school survivors; and Carl Savage, in recognition of his dedication as an educator to the success of his students through nurturing a love of science.
“Everyone left their mark on the community in their own way. It was an honour to receive this award alongside such an incredible group of people.”
“When I do these types of interviews, I like to make a point of mentioning my gratitude towards UNB Law for taking a chance on someone who must have been considered a ‘boutique candidate.’ My time at UNB was incredibly rewarding, and it’s great to see all the positive things that are happening in the law faculty.”
