B Flat Johnston, in his natural habitat.

With deepest sorrow, we announce the passing of Brian “B Flat” Earl Johnston, 82, on 10 November 2026 in Halifax. Born 24 November 1943 in Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Brian is survived by his wife, Donna; brother Donald (Sharon); son Peter; daughter Helen; beloved grandson Vincent; and many hundreds of students who passed through the Windsor Regional High School band for whom he was a mentor, father-figure, and friend; he is predeceased by his brother David.

Sharp until the end, in his last days Brian told stories about the trouble he got into with his brothers and friends in Hantsport in the 1950s. If even half these stories are true, it’s a minor miracle that he made it to 18, let alone 82. His early life was defined by three events that shaped the decades to follow. The first was a diagnosis of Type I diabetes in 1953, a chronic condition that needed constant vigilance but never slowed him down. Until it finally did. The second was his succumbing to the spirit of radio, when he tuned in to his transistor well after bedtime and heard the music of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie beamed into his childhood bedroom. His love and talent for music allowed him to build a rich and full life that can best be understood as a decades-long process of sharing the joys of music with everyone he met. The third event was meeting Donna McCully of Debert, Nova Scotia at Camp Kadimah in central Nova Scotia; they were inseparable for the next 57 laugh- and music-filled years of marriage. Donna kept him on the road despite his health challenges, and selflessly shared him with a huge community of friends and students. 

Despite – or perhaps because of – his struggles in school (he always said that he loved Grade 6 so much he did it twice), Brian found a back door into Acadia University and started on the road to becoming a teacher himself. He was hired by Windsor Regional High School as a specialist for students with learning disabilities after completing a Master of Education at Acadia University. Ever the trickster, he talked the school principal into allowing him to start a band program at WRHS, despite lacking any formal music training or credentials. That decision changed the lives of a great many people for the better, as out of nothing Brain created one of the most successful high school music programs in Canada, putting Windsor, Nova Scotia on the map as a “music town”. Countless students benefited from his gentle encouragement and high expectations, as he selflessly dedicated his life to making sure that no matter their life situations or musical ability, when a student walked into the band room, they would know they mattered. He of course wanted his students to work hard and the band to sound good, but he wanted more for each student to know what it felt like to be part of something greater than themselves. The many awards and accolades his bands earned over the years always mattered less to him than knowing that through music his students were forming friendships that would last a lifetime. To Brian, music education was not as much about acquiring a set of skills as it was about young musicians learning how to connect to other people, build community, and bring joy to an audience.

The home he made with Donna was a most welcoming place, where one could always hear some music and maybe enjoy a drink (or three…). Brian had a way of making new friends instantly feel like old friends, and his social circle just seemed to keep growing throughout his life, as he visited golf courses and curling clubs across Nova Scotia. In his final years in Falmouth, he became the de facto mayor of his subdivision, always ready to tell newcomers where they had to visit next in Nova Scotia and supplying every passing dog with a special treat. Through it all he kept playing music with his friends and conducting community bands; in his final week, he played a round of golf, eight ends of curling, and ran a band practice. He was blessed in his last days to do the thing he loved most: spending time with his friends and sharing his love of music. He passed peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his family.

Brian spent all his days in a small town, but used music to make a very big life for himself and his family. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

 The family thanks the staff at Halifax Infirmary for their care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Diabetes Canada, or to any young musician you may come across who needs money for an instrument or music lessons.