Marylou Dawes was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, She was a pianist, harpsichordist, chamber musician, soloist, teacher, adjudicator and examiner studied under Dorothy Hare, Terrance Fullerton and Joan Shaw in Calgary, Professor John Wustman of the University of Illinois, Professor Lorand Fenyves of the University of Toronto and graduated with distinction from the Vienna Academy of Music in Vienna, Austria.
She was one of Canada"s leading accompanists, chamber musicians and soloists. Marylou and Andrew played a concert for Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh during their Royal visit to Regina in July 1973. She has toured across Canada, Europe, Mexico and the United States.
She has premiered works by Oskar Morawetz, Talivaldis Kenins, Richard Payne, and Victor Davies.
After many years of studying and performing the chamber works of Beethoven written for piano and various instruments she had time to explore his vast repertouire for solo piano. The Saskatoon Star Phoenix interviewed and photographed Mission Dawes on several occasions.
As well, Chatelaine Magazine did a feature on Marylou during their "Women of Canada" centennial series in 1967. She represented Saskatchewan in that feature.
She trained in Calgary and Austria and won the Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator International Music Competition for duo with her brother Andrew Dawes in 1962. Her interpretation of contemporary music has won her acclaim from such composers as John Weinzweig, Clermont Pépin, and Murray Adaskin. She was a faculty member of the University of Saskatchewan both in Saskatoon and Regina, and was co-founder of the Saskatoon Chamber Orchestra and "music at the Mendel". Dawes was a regular performer on Canadian Broadcasting Company radio. Her performances have been described as "sterling" by Deryk Barker of the Victoria Times Colonist, "An accomplished pianist—Mozart playing of the highest level" Calgary Herald, "Tone production crisp and vigorous without ever becoming hard or rough—tremendous verver and controlled energy." Toronto Globe and Mail, "Effortless technique, graceful phrasing and subtle varied tone—projects musical ideas with power and eloquence." Montreal Star.
