In Memoriam: Dennis J. Tini

By DownBeat I Oct. 22, 2024

Tini was a gifted jazz pianist and composer, choral conductor and consultant/clinician.
(Photo: Wayne State University)

Dennis J. Tini, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music and Senior Associate Dean (retired) of Wayne State University in Detroit, died Oct. 7 at age 76. Professor Tini, as he was known in most circles, taught and administrated at WSU for 42 years, retiring on Aug. 31, 2015.

“Dennis was an incredible leader in the music world, and a wholehearted supporter devoted to our College and the Department of Music,” said Hasan Elahi, dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. “Most of all, he was a cherished member of the university community. His creative legacy and love of teaching will live on through the many lives he touched here in Detroit and around the world.”

Tini was a gifted jazz pianist and composer, choral conductor and consultant/clinician. During the past 50 years, he appeared frequently at major music festivals, universities and conferences throughout Europe, South Africa, Canada, Jamaica, Argentina, Haiti and the United States.

Professor Tini was the recipient of numerous national, state, university and international awards for excellence in music performance, teaching, leadership and service. He was most recently nominated for the 2024 Arts Achievement Award from the Department of Music and CFPCA.

“During my brief time here, I have heard such wonderful stories about Dennis, and I am grateful I had a chance to meet him at the Gretchen C. Valade opening in August,” said Jeffrey Sposato, Ph.D., who was named Department of Music chair in July. “I have already met so many people who worked closely with Dennis for many years, and I express my most sincere condolences to his wife, April, and their family for this heavy loss.”

At Wayne State, Tini served for 13 years as Chair of the WSU Department of Music from 1992 until 2005. During his time, he was also the Director of Jazz Studies, Co-Director of Jazz Studies and Director of WSU Choral Activities. Tini also served as Area Coordinator for the WSU Music Business and Music Technology Programs.

Co-Founder of the WSU Jazz Studies Program in 1979, Tini was also the founding director of the WSU Jazztet, founding conductor of the select WSU Concert Chorale and Conductor Emeritus of the WSU Choral Union and Orchestra. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Department of Music in 1970 and 1972, respectively.

“Dennis Tini profoundly shaped countless lives by creating opportunities that would challenge, inspire, educate, build confidence and demonstrate the value of pursuing excellence,” said Chris Collins, professor and director of jazz studies at WSU’s Department of Music and president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “Generations of artists would be quick to cite the experiences, gifts of knowledge, artistry and unparalleled humanity Dennis brought into their lives as the foundation of who they are today.

“While the world will feel his absence in so many ways, the legions of those Dennis mentored and enlightened will ensure his life-changing mission resonates far into the future. He made the world a better — and more musical — place by selflessly improving one life at a time.”

In the professional music space, Dennis appeared with Buddy Rich, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale, Larry Nozero, J.C. Heard, Marvin Stamm and Chris Collins, among many others. He conducted orchestras for Hollywood movies, composed music for documentaries/commercials and performed as musical director for national corporate musical productions.

Russell Miller, associate professor of Jazz Studies, recalls many years of working with Tini personally and professionally with students and other alumni to record music.

“We produced a CD of Dennis’ compositions in 2013, titled Dennis Tini/Russ Miller Jazz Quartet With Strings: For Nicole. He hired me to arrange, perform and produce the recording,” Miller said. “It was an excellent learning adventure for me. It was great to have an opportunity to collaborate with Dennis, and I’m grateful that he entrusted me with overseeing the project.”

Tini will also be remembered not only for his musical acumen but his humanitarian efforts. Since 2018, he voluntarily served as Music Director and head of security — teaching music monthly and training the security guards — for the Have Faith Haiti Mission and Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, operated by internationally acclaimed author and philanthropist Mitch Albom.

“We have lost our Maestro. Dennis was the driving force for the music our kids created at Have Faith Haiti,” Albom wrote in a Facebook post announcing Tini’s passing. “After a long, distinguished career as a musician, university professor, and international artist and composer, Dennis devoted the last seven years of his life to bringing music to orphan children. His dedication, joy, discipline, and relentless belief that people could be better, that students could be better, that human beings could be better, was an inspiration to all of us.” DB