It was just yesterday that my computer was updating my Adobe Acrobat software and for some unknown reason and my amazement, the cover of “The Big Sing” appeared on my computer screen. I simply could not fathom why this particular file surfaced, and in factI had not given any thought to this event in six years.

Oh, you may remember that this event for the Hawaii Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association was held for the commemoration of 50 years of fine choral music in Hawaii. The planning for the event happened six years ago, and in the spring of 2014, my husband Carl and I were invited to sit on the panel organizing the event. I ended up typing the 76-page program.

When the event finally happened on October 18, 2014 there was a point in the afternoon’s schedule where names were read of the choral directors who had passed on, and a bell rung after each one, creating a mournful dirge. Carl Crosier was one of those names, having died on August 28, 2014.

A similar event was scheduled for 2020.

And just today we received the shocking and sad news that another name has been added to the list: Karen Kennedy, who succumbed to esophageal cancer.

Karen was on the faculty of the University of Miami where she took the position Director of Choral Studies in 2011 and conducted the Frost Chorale and other choral ensembles until she retired in 2018.

She previously held the positions of chorus director for the Honolulu Symphony, director of choral activities at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, and director of choral activities at Towson University. She earned a D.M.A. degree in choral music from Arizona State University, a M.M. in choral conducting from Butler University and a B.M. in Music Education from DePauw University. Dr. Kennedy regularly conducted choral festivals featuring major works such as Orff’s Carmina Burana, Durufle’s Requiem, Faure’s Requiem, Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor and Rutter’s Gloria and presented concerts in such venues as the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, Sweden. She received numerous awards for teaching, including the University of Hawai‘i Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching, Arizona State University’s Manzanita “Top Prof” Award and Butler University’s Faculty Distinction Award.

Dr. Kennedy was well known as a choral clinician and adjudicator, regularly working with all-state and festival honor choirs. Her workshops have been a part of recent ACDA and MENC regional and state conventions and she served as the ACDA Eastern Division Collegiate Repertoire and Standards Chair and as a founding member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization.

The last time I saw Karen was when she visited Hawaii in 2016. I sat next to her at the head table at the Oahu Choral Society fundraiser, and wrote a post about it: “In with the bigwigs.” I took a picture of Karen with Nola Nahulu and Wanda Gereben.

Here are some of the reactions and condolences from Facebook:

A giant has fallen. Dr. Karen Kennedy has gone to her rest far too early. She was an extremely important part of my last years in Honolulu. Though young, her career touched thousands of singers. I have countless stories, but I cannot release them from my heart yet. Her charisma, musicality, and insane humor won’t soon be seen again upon this earth. (Joe Pettit)

I hope Karen Kennedy knew how deeply she was loved. She completely altered the trajectory of my life, and of so many others. She encouraged me every step of the way; through drastic changes in my goals and direction, K^2 fiercely believed in me. I truly could not imagine my life without her influence and her help in bringing me to Miami. Dr. K was the strongest person I know, and one of the most selfless. Who else could battle stage four cancer for 4 (maybe even 7?) years? While running a collegiate department and working way overtime for us and the high schoolers she worked with? When she couldn’t access healthcare because of, you know, the global pandemic, she was more concerned about me getting back home from Europe. I could go on. My maestra, my hero, my friend. My heart is with her family (immediate and musical). The world lost one of its best today. (Rachel Ohnsman)

I met Karen Kennedy in 2000 when I was in my last year in Hawai’i. She was a brilliant conductor and an amazing human being. The world was a brighter place full of music and laughter with her in it. It’s a bit quieter now that she has passed, but the lives she touched at University of Hawai’i, Towson University, University of Miami, and everywhere else she made music, will continue to shine the light she shared with them. Rest easy, friend. (Mark Boyle)

The world has lost one of its brightest spirits, one with the most amazing talents– and one of the best friends I ever had. Rest in peace, Karen Kennedy… you have won the battle and are in God’s hands. My heart goes out to Cory and her family in Phoenix. In her honor.. please sing something beautiful. You will never be forgotten. (Barbara MacLain)

She was so much fun… I sang in the choral group one semester—what an amazing experience! I think she taught the beginning voice class I took too… so sad! (Alice Tanouye)

Oh, how awful. She was a bright light. Conducted with joy and positivity. She could take a dreadful run-through and cheer everyone up by exclaiming, “So close to perfection!” (Barbara Clemens)

It’s so so sad!

Here’s a video of the Frost Chorale with Karen conducting Daniel Elder’s “Ballade to the Moon” at the 2015 University of Miami Honor Choir, Jared Peroune, piano.