Scholar reignites ardour for music with Donovan Scholarship

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 8, 2022) — For Jeffrey Jones, music had all the time performed a component in his life. He wandered off from these passions as he gained employment, youngsters and different pursuits. However, with the assistance of the Donovan Scholarship by the College of Kentucky Workplace of Lifelong Studying (OLLI), Jones has restarted an essential chapter in his life. 

*** 

Rising up, Jones was concerned in music, even creating his personal unique songs.  

This led him to start out his increased training journey as a music main, ultimately switching paths to earn his diploma in training from the UK Faculty of Schooling in 1985. From there he labored in Fayette County Public Colleges till his retirement, the place he loved a fulfilling profession instructing arithmetic and laptop abilities to Okay-12 youngsters.

After retiring, Jones felt there was one thing lacking from his life and determined to revisit his previous passions.  

“With my youngsters grown and my skilled obligations over, I needed to restart an essential a part of my life,” Jones mentioned.  

That’s the place the Donovan Scholarship got here in.  

The Donovan Scholarship pays tuition and necessary course charges for adults 65 years and older taking tutorial programs at UK. The scholarship is obtainable for programs held on campus, with restricted availability for UK on-line courses. Donovan Students might audit courses for the enjoyment of studying (exams, papers or different assignments are sometimes not required), take courses for credit score with out working towards a level or take courses for credit score as a degree-seeking candidate.   

“The concept by a program you’ll be able to come again and pursue what you had been occupied with is superb,” Jones mentioned. “The entire lifelong studying idea is great.”  

Jones returned to his tutorial research six years in the past by the Donovan Scholarship, taking primarily music courses by the College of Fine Arts.  

“I began along with your fundamental freshman music concept class and different enjoyable courses, however I actually needed to get re-exposed to writing music. So, I began taking courses from the Music Theory and Composition program out of the School of Music,” Jones mentioned. 

He targeted on making a portfolio of compositions utilizing manuscript software program — one thing he discovered use in the course of the pandemic.  

Jones credit his mentors Joseph Baber (now deceased) and Patrick Valentino, a part-time teacher within the College of Music, for his success in this system.  

“I’d meet with Professor Valentino as soon as per week to carry him my work; he would give me suggestions and we might do all of it once more the subsequent week.” 

Thus far, Jones has accomplished a number of compositions, together with “20-20: A Choral Suite,” a five-movement piece for chamber choir which has been carried out reside by the Lexington Chamber Chorale. “September,” his single motion tone poem for chamber orchestra, has but to be carried out.

Sooner or later, Jones hopes to proceed to compose music and have his works carried out reside.  

“Writing music takes time. My solely hope is that others acquire as a lot pleasure from listening to my works as I’ve had in creating them,” Jones mentioned. “If I needed to put my life in chapters, music could be the primary and now I’m lastly getting to complete the chapter.” 

*** 

Observe together with Jones on his composition journey on his website.  

To study extra in regards to the Workplace of Lifelong Studying or the Donovan Scholarship click on here