Uncrowned Community Builders

Alfred R. Jarrett was born in Buffalo on December 11, 1934. He was the son of Roosevelt and Ruth Jarrett. His had one sister, Mildred Jarrett Stallings. Alfred attended Buffalo Public Schools 47 and Hutchinson-Central High School. He received a Batchelor's degree and a Master's in Music Education at Howard University. He was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda National Honor Society for music, and the university later named him National Music Educator of the Year.

Mr. Jarrett taught in the Buffalo School District for 43 years. He was often likened to Mr. Holland, the music teacher played by Richard Dreyfuss in the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus. To gain the attention of students of the MTV generation, he had them rewrite operas with contemporary characters and themes. "All kids like music, whether it's rap or rock or country." Mr. Jarrett once said. "It's up to us to make opera and classical music more relevant to them. You have to hook kids when they are young."

He taught music in Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts for 15 years. He also taught music at City Honors and at Schools 31, 39 and 27. At least five of his former students went on to teach music in the city's schools. Mr. Jarrett retired following his service as the Supervisor of Music for the Buffalo School District.

Daemen College honored him with its 1986 Teacher of the Year Award for his outstanding work in motivating young people as a vocal music teacher at Buffalo Traditional School. The Greater Buffalo Opera Guild presented him its Award in Excellence in 1996. That year, the Classical Music Coalition also named him Classical Music Educator of the Year in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Jarrett was minister of music at St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, where he began playing organ when he was 12. He was steward of the Chancel Choir as well. He directed the 130-voice Community Outreach Chorus, which performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. And he was music director for the Western New York Conference of AME Zion Churches. Mr. Jarrett was a member of the Canadian Opera Company, the National Honors Music Society and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

In 1989, Mr. Jarrett received the community service award of the Mary B. Talbert Civic and Cultural Club.

Mr. Jarrett died on February 1, 2005 at age 70. He was interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery.