CFA Mourns the Passing of Dr. Jerrold Pope

BU College of Fine Arts is saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Jerrold Pope, Associate Professor of Voice in the School of Music. The news has sent a wave of emotion and grief throughout our tight community. I often say that CFA is like a family; there’s a bond, a commitment to, and a respect for the arts, that ties all of us, faculty, staff, students. This couldn’t have been more true than in the case of Jerry; he was a devoted teacher who took enormous pride in the accomplishments of his students. I express my deepest sympathies to Jerry’s family, his colleagues in the Voice Department and School of Music, as well as the students he has taught throughout the years, especially his current students who are losing a touchstone in their college life. 

Dr. Pope joined the School of Music Voice Department as Associate Professor in Fall 2006 and served as Chair of Voice for many years. He was a beloved studio teacher and instructor of the popular graduate course, “Special Topics in Song Literature.” Dr. Pope led the ambitious “Spirit of Verdi” project in 2012-2013 and received a Boston University Center for the Humanities (BUCH) award for his work. Active in the music community, Dr. Pope brought in prestigious guest artists to the School of Music including voice coaches John Moriarty, Kevin Murphy, Arlene Shrut, and Jane Klaviter as well as singers Benton Hess and Francisco Araiza.

Dr. Pope received his BM from New England Conservatory, MM from Yale University, and DMA from Rutgers University. Dr. Pope enjoyed a vibrant career as a baritone soloist throughout the U.S. in recital, oratorio, and opera. He gained critical acclaim appearing as an ECCO Artist with the Cincinnati Opera Company. His many credits have included Théatre du Châtelet in Paris; Glyndebourne and Buxton Opera; London Proms; Schleswig-Holstein Musikfest and Tanglewood Music Festivals; Netherlands Opera Forum in Amsterdam; and Oper Kiel in Germany, as well as performances with the companies of Pittsburgh, Boston, Orlando, Grand Rapids, Hawaii, and Anchorage. He appeared in concert at the Théatre de la Ville in Paris, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Brooklyn Academy of Music with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and New York’s Carnegie Hall with the American Symphony. Additionally, he performed with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the City of Birmingham Symphony, and the Pittsburgh, Charleston, St. Louis, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras as well as with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Dr. Pope previously served on the voice faculty at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, and the faculty of the Florida State University’s College of Music, where he received a 2004 Developing Scholar Award. He was also founder and director Barga Opera Festival, 2003-2012. 

The CFA community mourns the loss of our dear colleague and friend. Information about memorial services will be forthcoming. 

Sincerely,
Lynne Allen, Dean ad interim
BU College of Fine Arts