Wilfred Conwell Bain

American music educator

Wilfred Conwell Bain (January 20, 1908 – March 7, 1997) was an American music educator, a university level music school administrator (former Dean of two major music schools spanning 35 years), and an opera theater director at the collegiate level.

Bain is widely credited for rapidly transforming to national prominence both the University of North Texas College of Music as dean from 1938 to 1947, and later, Indiana University School of Music as dean from 1947 to 1973.

Both institutions are major comprehensive music schools with the largest and second largest enrollments, respectively, of all music schools accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

He was born in Shawville, Quebec, and died in Bloomington, Indiana.James R.Oestreich, classical music critic for The New York Times, referred to Bain as a "legend" who lifted the Jacobs School of Music to national prominence from 1947 to 1973.