Donald L. "Don" Janse (November 28, 1929 – August 11, 1999) was a famous vocal director and arranger from

Old Lyme, Connecticut Old Lyme is a coastal town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The main street of the town, Lyme Street, is a historic district with several homes once owned by sea captains. Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is located in Old Lyme and ther ...

. He was best known for his work at the

United States Coast Guard Academy The United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) is a service academy of the United States Coast Guard in New London, Connecticut. Founded in 1876, it is the smallest of the five U.S. service academies and provides education to future Coast G ...

, where he directed

The Idlers The Idlers of the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) are an all-male collegiate a cappella ensemble specializing in the performance of sea shanties and patriotic music. Overview A relatively exclusive group with a history and traditions ...

from 1957 until his retirement in 1987. Over the years, he entertained Presidents and Kings. In later years, he directed the Don Janse Chorale and wrote many original pieces for choir. His groups were recorded on the Pickwick and Design labels. The Don Janse Chorale also performed numerous tracks on the Singer (Sewing Machine) Company's first consumer record album - "Favorite Christmas Songs from Singer" (September 21, 1964). Don Janse died August 11, 1999. His wife Helen (Haskins) Janse (1921–2004), a long-time contributor and regular accompanist to Don's work, died April 28, 2004.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Janse, Don 1929 births 1999 deaths American music educators Musicians from Connecticut