The finest of all educators, a gifted choral conductor, music historian, actor and performer, mentor, and, most of all, one of my best friends, Dr Maurice A Jones, or Maurie as he like to be called, died on Holy Thursday, March 27, 1986, 33 years ago. His death left a huge scar in my heart. Everyone whose life he touched, loved him. I sang in the Chorale, a mixed choir made of St Thomas and St Kate’s undergrads under his direction.
One of my fondest memories of Maurie was the rehearsal following our Christmas concerts. We would gather in the rehearsal hall. He would have hot chocolate and candy canes for us. He sat on his director’s chair as we sat on the floor around him like little children as he did a dramatic reading of Dicken’s Christmas Carol. We sat enthralled as we ate our lunch and sipped our hot chocolate.
Maurie died of AIDS at about the time the disease reached pandemic numbers. Many church choir directors, some of whom were good friends of mine, also died from the illness. The University of St Catherine covered up the cause of Maurie’s death, attributing it to Legionaire’s Disease, but the entire music community of the Twin Cities were well aware of what killed Maurie. I lost some respect for St Kate’s for that.
Well aware that Maurie was sick, I composed this piano Psalm Offering for him. I recorded it on a cassette tape and sent it to his significant other. I am not sure or not whether Maurie ever had a chance to listen to it. I was told that he did.
There are certain people in my life to whom I hold my self accountable. on the top of the list is my bride, Ruth, my father and my mother, my children, and Dr Maurice A Jones. I hope to enjoy his company again. I would ask him if I reached the potential as a musician and as a choral director that he saw in me as a young musician and choral director. He would probably turn my question around on me and ask me if I think I reached my full potential … just like Maurie. Truthfully, do we ever reach our full potential or is it always just beyond our grasp?
I look forward to that day when we talk again.
Has this piece been published and is it available for purchase? Mr. Jones was my choir teacher at Rich East HS in Park Forest, IL 1961-64. He was dearly loved by all his students, and as our class prepares for our 60th reunion, I would love to play this recording for the group (and later, this next year, learn it for myself!). It is a beautiful piece, as is your remembrance.
Hello again. I’m not sure if you checked your comments, or if I somehow inadvertently deleted what I’d written. So here goes: I am wondering if you have sheet music available of your piano piece dedicated to Dr. Maurice Jones. I would very much like to obtain a copy if possible. He was my choral director in Illinois in the 1960s, at Rich East High School. I am sure my lifelong participation in choirs is due in large part to his wonderful mentorship. We will be having our 60th reunion in September, and hope to be able to share this as we reminisce. Thanks so much in advance for your reply.
Hi Kristin,
I apologize for my neglect in checking messages here. I am so sorry. Prior to my retirement I posted here quite often. Since retirement, not as much, which tells me to get my butt in gear again. I will be happy to send you a PDF of the music I wrote for Maurie. Of all the music professors I had in college, and of all the music directors for whom I sang, he was the greatest. He was my professor, my mentor, and later my good friend. I composed this music for Maurie after having seen him on a local news report talking about the tour he and the Chorale were going to make in Israel. When Ruthie, my wife, and I saw him, we knew he was seriously ill. He had a bout with Heppatitis B prior to this so whether that weakened his ability to fight other infections I don’t know. I composed the music, recorded it on a cassette tape, and sent it to him. I assume he received it. I want to say he died on Holy Thursday, 1986. My sister, Mary Ruth, who also had been a member of the Chorale, told me of his death. I was crushed by the news. The College of St Catherine said he died of Legionnaires disease. Those of us music professionals in the Twin Cities believe he died from complications of AIDs. Tragically, that illness decimated many of my colleagues in the music community here. It matters not what illness took his life. Whatever it was, it took a good friend from me. I know his family celebrated his funeral in Illinois. We had a big memorial service at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. That huge church was jammed with all those he taught and with whom he created music. One of my fondest memories of Maurie followed our Christmas concert. The day after the concert, we gathered in the rehearsal hall drinking hot cocoa and sucking on candy canes as Maurie sat on his director’s stool and read The Christmas Carol to us. None of us wanted to leave the hall. We sat absolutely spellbound by this great man’s storytelling. Thank you for remembering him. I will send you the music via my yahoo email address.
Bob Wagner