Dr. Jack C. Groh, 87, of Fayetteville, exited the stage on April 17, 2021. He was born on January 20, 1934, in Butler, Missouri, to Samuel Groh and Jessie Curran.

Dr. Groh joined the Navy at age 17, became a Corpsman, and was stationed at Annapolis, MD. Dr. Groh obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in music education from Wichita State University. He did additional studies at California State College at Long Beach, UCLA and the University of Southern California. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Dr. Groh met the love of his life, Jan, in Wichita, KS, where they were both studying music at Wichita State University. They married in 1958 and moved to Long Beach, CA. During this time, they formed a singing duo, Jan and Jay Curran, and sang engagements in nightclubs all over southern California. The Grohs ended up in Fayetteville in 1966 after the University of Arkansas music department’s chairman read a review of their performance in Handel’s Messiah. Jan was a soprano soloist and Jack filled in last minute for the tenor. The next day’s review in the Long Beach Press Telegram raved about the stand-in tenor, Jack Groh, and his tremendous vocal range. Jack had given the performance of his life and the UofA came calling. In later years, when Jack sang Danny Boy, a request made frequently by friends, there would not be a dry eye in the house.

Dr. Groh joined the University of Arkansas in 1966 as an Assistant Professor; was promoted to Associate Professor in 1971; and was promoted to Professor in 1978. In 1977, Dr. Groh was appointed Director of Choral Activities and became the second conductor of the University of Arkansas’ renowned Schola Cantorum, the elite and international prize winning choir established at the University of Arkansas by the late Richard Brothers. Under Jack’s directorship, the Schola’s reputation grew as they sang for inaugurations of governors and other heads of state, and Jack was quoted as saying that having an ensemble of its quality and international reputation was one of his dreams. During his career, Dr. Groh enjoyed many professional performances as conductor and singer with opera groups, oratorio societies, orchestras and chamber of music societies throughout the Midwest and California.  He was a recipient of the Master Teacher Award from the University of Arkansas College of Arts and Sciences, and one of his greatest achievements was the 1982 world premiere recording of Isabella Leonarda’s Missa Prima. Dr. Groh retired from the University of Arkansas in 1997 but came back briefly as an interim conductor of the Schola Cantorum in 2003.

Dr. Groh is preceded in death by his wife, Jan Groh. He is survived by his son, Sean Groh of Fayetteville, his grandson, Jess Groh of Phoenix; and many nieces and nephews.

The family will arrange a small gathering to honor both Jack and Jan at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville would be greatly appreciated.