By Fred Sgambati (’83, ’85)

For nearly 20 years, Janet Kirkconnell (’56, ’58) has been a quiet and loyal volunteer for the Sunday Music in the Garden Room concert series hosted in the K. C. Irving Environmental Science Centre Garden Room.

Her unselfish and persistent dedication to the concert series over the past two decades has enhanced its public profile and ensured its longevity, and is one of the reasons why she is the 2023 recipient of the Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service.

Supported financially by the Acadia Alumni Association as well as the generosity of donors since its inception, the chamber music concerts provide world-class entertainment on campus for the Acadia community and alumni while promoting the Alumni Association at a fundamental, grassroots level.

Chris Olsen (’57) came to be essentially the chief manager of the series for the first decade of its existence.  From the beginning of the series, Janet distributed posters around Wolfville and environs, faithfully attended each recital and, in the earlier years along with Joan Allen Peters (’53), welcomed attendees at the entrance to the Garden Room with a program. She helped to host the guest artists before and after the concerts, many of whom are alumni themselves.

After Chris Olsen could no longer do so, Janet, with a background in music, concert management, and journalism, took over and has nearly single-handedly operated the six to eight (sometimes nine) concerts annually. From contracting the guest artists and consulting on their programs to booking their accommodations and welcoming them on arrival for rehearsal, on occasion soliciting drives for artists arriving at Halifax from other parts of Canada or the US, researching and writing the program notes and biographies, promoting the concerts through local and provincial media, which included the writing of articles, and hosting the musicians and audience on the day of each concert, Janet has done it all, and been without a doubt the backbone of this special program.

A very active octogenarian, Janet until recently still distributed posters, retrieved programs from the Print Shop and payment for the musicians from the Finance Office (these last two for the final concert of the season, the William Marshall Bishop Memorial Concert in early May), delivered donations to the Office of Advancement, and ensured everything ran smoothly for the audience and guest artists alike.

“Sunday Music in the Garden Room offers a professional musical experience on campus that simply could not happen without the volunteer commitment and leadership of Janet Kirkconnell,” says Alumni Association President Matthew Rios (’14). “Her faithful support of the series reflects our Association’s ambition to engage audiences in a way that shines a bright and favourable light on our talented alumni and others, and fully represents our mandate to connect alumni here at home and around the world.

“It’s a privilege to acknowledge Janet’s tremendous contributions to the University, alumni and local communities and recognize her as this year’s Acadia Alumni Isaac Chipman Award for Excellence in Alumni Service recipient.”

Pictured above: Janet Kirkconnell (’56, ’58) with Vice-President, Advancement Nancy Handrigan (92). (Photo: Peter Oleskevich)