Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Jean studied violin, piano and voice at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She continued her studies in London, England with the renowned teacher Frederick Grinke, and in Canada, with Sydney Humphreys, Gwen Thompson, and Rivka Golani. Much in demand as a chamber musician, Jean has performed in chamber music concerts for CBC Arts National broadcasts, and has collaborated with young Canadian composers for the world premiere performances of their works for viola. Jean has been a member of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec, l’Orchestre Métropolitain, La Pietà with Angèle Dubeau, and was principal viola of the Montréal Chamber Players.

Jean has built a solid reputation as a pedagogue, teaching violin, viola and chamber music at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, École Secondaire Pierre Laporte in Montréal, and at CEGEP Vincent D’Indy. In 2006, Jean was director of the Youth Program at the International Viola Congress and she is a Consulting Music Educator for the Norman Burgess Memorial Fund of the Canadian Music Centre.