As a music education professor, mentor, and researcher for 18 years at the University of Windsor, Janice Waldron made an impact on the lives of hundreds of friends, students, and colleagues before her death in November 2022.

The School of Creative Arts has organized an event to bring together Dr. Waldron’s colleagues, students, and alumni to celebrate her life, work, and memory. The “Janice Waldron Celebration” will take place at the Armouries on Saturday, March 11. Attendees will take this time to come together to support each other and share stories and memories about Waldron and her time at SoCA and in her broader life.

Many of Waldron’s students mentioned her standard greeting to her students as she walked into her classroom — “How all y’all doin’ this morning.”

“You couldn’t ignore the warm and delightful Texan drawl characterizing the personality of Janice Waldron,” reflects colleague Sally Bick. “She was a much respected and admired colleague, who mentored generations of students in our Bachelor of Music program. “

Waldron held a significant place in the international community of scholars in music education, especially in the fields of community music, the role of social media in disseminating music education, and the traditional musics of Ireland and Scotland as cultivated on both sides of the Atlantic. Her record of achievement includes the volume she co-edited on social media and music learning in the Oxford Handbook series and the international May Day conference she organized and hosted at the University of Windsor in June 2022. 

“Her imprint will be felt for years to come in the halls of SoCA as well as by the students whose lives she shaped,” says Dr. Bick. “She will be sorely missed by her friends, colleagues, and students.”

Waldron was an accomplished musician, and one of her greatest joys was playing and teaching people about the tin whistle, Irish flute, and Uilleann pipes. She also loved conducting.

“One of Janice’s greatest gifts to our community was her mentorship to junior scholars and graduate students,” says Danielle Sirek, professor of arts education at Western University. “I am fortunate to count myself among those she mentored during the 10 years we worked together at University of Windsor. Janice’s kindness and generosity, and her great ability to speak directly while simultaneously making you laugh, made hundreds of us better teachers, better scholars, better people.”

“Music education has lost a dynamic music educator, a prominent researcher, and a committed member of the community music scene,” says professor emeritus Jonathan G. Bayley, one of her research collaborators.

To attend Saturday’s celebration, RSVP and purchase tickets today — Monday, March 6.

Organizers plan to launch the Dr. Janice Waldron Music Education Scholarship once it has reached $5,000 in donations. To contribute to this fund, visit the secure UWindsor website: https://www.uwindsor.ca/donate#. Click “Give to Academics.” Under “Designations,” click on the “Other” button, and type in “Dr. Janice Waldron Scholarship”. Fill out the rest of the required information. Donations over $10 will receive a charitable tax receipt.

—Susan McKee