Paige Freeborn and Adrian Dyck
Paige Freeborn and Adrian Dyck are co-founders and directors of the World Music Program, working in tandem to run the unique music program for Brockton School, an International Baccalaureate School located in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
The World Music Program features eight different performing ensembles, including an alumni ensemble. Dyck and Freeborn serve as co-directors of this unique program that uses marimbas to teach students music theory and practice, while developing community-mindedness and compassion. Their students have performed all over the world including; China, Greece, England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, New York City, and Vancouver Island – as well as every concert hall in Vancouver.
Do to the way they work closely as a duo, we’re presenting their World Music Program as one nominee.
From the Nominator:
Why do Paige and Adrian deserve this award?
Every performance by this marimba ensemble is inspiring. The audience can never resist getting to their feet whether they are performing Coldplay’s Sky Full of Stars, the Lion Sleeps tonight or a traditional African piece however this summer they are travelling to South Africa and instead of transporting their instruments there they are having them built locally and then leaving them in Africa as a donation to a local school!
From Paige and Adrian:
Why are you passionate about student travel?
Student travel is about experiential and cultural learning, and how these two areas intersect. The experiential nature of travel allows students to develop collaboration, communication, time management, and executive functioning skills in real-world contexts. Equally important, they develop an understanding of cultural diversity alongside intercultural understanding, empathy, emotional intelligence, leadership, and problem-solving.
Most importantly, student travel invites students to see, hear, and understand different perspectives, which is essential to ethical leadership. As they engage with different ways of knowing and being, they begin to reflect on their own assumptions and ask critical questions about identity, responsibility, and their role in the world.
This learning is grounded in reciprocity. Students are not only observing or experiencing other cultures, but learning with and from community partners, recognizing the knowledge, expertise, and perspectives that exist beyond their own context.
What is a major highlight from any of your student travel experiences?
Performing in extraordinary halls with exceptional acoustics is a highlight. However, the most meaningful moments on our tours happen when students are navigating new opportunities and challenges. These are the choice points, when students decide how they will show up for themselves and for others. In these moments, we see them act with empathy, take responsibility, and grow into compassionate, thoughtful leaders.
Our goal is never a perfect performance or winning a competition; rather, our focus remains on how we can navigate opportunities and challenges with others in ways that are inclusive and supportive. These moments often happen when students are challenged to listen, adapt, and engage respectfully across differences, in relationship with others.
What is the greatest lesson you or your students have learned from your trips?
The greatest lesson our students learn is to remain open-minded when encountering differences, approaching new experiences with curiosity rather than judgment, and recognizing that they have as much to learn as they do to share.
How do you try to tie your travel experiences back into the classroom?
The World Music Program is built around music as a vehicle for developing a compassionate global consciousness. In this way, travel is not a standalone experience, but rather part of an ongoing learning cycle.
When we return from a trip, our students engage in structured reflection and reflexivity exercises, examining their experiences, their assumptions, and their growth. They share these insights with our school community and apply their learning to future musical, community leadership, and academic engagements, with an emphasis on respectful, reciprocal relationships.
Photo courtesy of Paige Freeborn and Adrian Dyck.