Arts & Entertainment
The Heart of Dunedin: Jan O'Connor
Dunedin Community Choir director elebrates 20 years with her Chorus with a Heart's concert Sunday.
Choir director Jan O’ Connor marks 20 years on Sunday when she takes the stage with her Chorus with a Heart at the .
“I think it’s the joy that I get from seeing everyone do it,” said O’Connor.
The choir performs "Footlite Follies: A Salute to the Past" at 3 p.m. on Feb. 27. O'Connor said her group will perform songs from "West Side Story," "Les Miserables" and "Oliver." Tomorrow's concert mainly features Broadway tunes.
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She said one of her favorites that people will hear at the upcoming show is "When You Wish Upon a Star," which is from Disney animated blockbuster "Pinocchio."
O’Connor left the choir at in 1971 to join the Dunedin choir assembly, taking over as director in 1991. In 1994, O’Connor received an Editor’s Choice award from the National Anthology of Poetry for "Passions Psalm." The award landed her in the Library of Congress.
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In her tenure, the group has seen major expansion -- So much that she’s had to turn people away — which she doesn’t like to do. When O’Connor took over in 1991, the chorus had 40 people. Today, 80 people fill the seats in the choral room at the Dunedin Community Center.
“We’ve had to turn people away because the stage is only so big,” said O’Connor.
While O’Connor takes the chorus seriously, she said the idea behind the group is to enjoy singing.
“If you come to rehearsal and you don’t have fun, then you’re missing the boat,” O’Conner said.
Over the years, she said, she has gotten close with the choir members.
“You get to know each individual member, and their families, too,” she said.
O’Connor credits much of her success with the group to co-director Don Jones. Jones has a tremendous amount of experience from directing Broadway musicals to teaching in Canada.
“He lends so much to this chorus … and I couldn’t do it without him,” she said.
For the Dunedin Historical Society’s 2010 "History Maker of the Year," things couldn’t be sweeter.
“I think it’s just that I’ve been active in city affairs, and people just happen to love what we do,” said O’Connor. “People like to be entertained.”
Concert admission is free, donations are encouraged.
