Remembering Faculty Emeritus and Beloved Opera Teacher John Moriarty '52, '92 Hon. DM
The NEC community is deeply saddened by the passing of John Moriarty '52, '92 Hon. DM on January 5, 2022 at the age of 91.
John Moriarty began his long and storied music career as an undergraduate student at NEC in 1948, went on to become an important figure in American opera and music education at NEC and Boston Conservatory, and was a conductor and director at many opera institutions over the decades. He was honored by NEC with an honorary doctorate in 1992 and as one of NEC’s first Faculty Emeriti in 2019, after his retirement in 2015.
As a pianist, conductor, arts administrator, author, performer, and longtime educator in opera coaching, John influenced and inspired generations of musicians. President Andrea Kalyn reflected,
“John's passionate commitment to and impact on his students, on NEC, and indeed on the field of music are singular and lasting, and we will miss him tremendously.”
Joshua Major, Chair of Opera Studies, shared his thoughts on John’s legacy:
“John’s presence has hovered over me since he gave me one of my first professional jobs as a young stage director. He has been a mentor, guide and teacher. Every day I go to work I am acutely aware of the legacy that I am responsible for upholding. He was, and will remain, a giant figure in the opera world both for me personally and the profession at large. He will be missed."
We also invite you to view a digital photo exhibit in tribute to John Moriarty, curated in 2016 by Maryalice Perrin-Mohr, archivist and records manager at the NEC Library.
John Moriarty '52 (left) with James Hoffmann '51, both of whom would go on to become NEC faculty members for several decades, as seen in the NEC 1951 yearbook (Neume).