The Falcon   |   Volume 83, Issue 52

Published 5/22/13   |   Log In

Adjunct music professor dies at 52

Students, faculty remember a fun, spunky vocalist

By FOREST BROWN, Staff Reporter

Published: November 14, 2012

Jacinta McLachlan, an 18-year adjunct professor in the music department, died in her home last weekend, according to an official Seattle Pacific email released Tuesday night.

“Jackie was a gift to the music department,” said Dr. Carlene Brown, music department chair, referring to McLachlan — who was also well-known by her former married name, Jackie Koreski.

McLachlan was 52 years old and is survived by three adult children, Brown said. She died suddenly, and a complete coroner’s report won’t be available until later this week, Brown said.

McLachlan was an active vocalist who performed with the Seattle Opera Program, 5th Avenue Theatre Company, Tacoma Opera and Seattle Civic Light Opera, according to her biography on SPU’s vocal performance web page.

“She was a very accomplished vocalist,” said senior Olivia Davis, who worked as a teaching assistant for McLachlan in this quarter’s Beginning Voice class.

“She had an amazing belting voice like nothing you’ve ever heard,” Davis said.

Davis first met McLachlan as the music director for a musical she performed in her freshman year. Davis said McLachlan coached her on how to project when singing.

“She was the best teacher I could have had for that.”

Davis said she most remembers McLachlan’s spunky attitude that made her a fun person to work with.

“She really was just so funny and would say anything,” Davis said. “It was so great.”

“She was really feisty — I mean really feisty,” Davis said.

Davis said McLachlan would work to build relationships with her students.

“She was a beautifully kind person,” Davis said. “She would do anything for anyone.”

Brown said she appreciated the way McLachlan pushed her voice students to sing different styles of music. Many voice professors only ask their students to sing formal, classical style songs, she said.

“She broke the mold,” Brown said. “Her students performed jazz, pop, opera.”

The music department is holding a memorial for McLachlan tomorrow at 1 p.m. in First Free Methodist Church, according to an email by Bruce Congdon, interim chief academic officer.

“I’m just really grateful that I knew Jackie,” Brown said. “She offered me a lot while she was at SPU.”

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