Janet C. Mann
November 21, 1937 - August 22, 2021
A great light has gone out of the universe. Sounds like a cliché, but as I contemplate my wife, my companion of the last 36 years, it is all true. Brilliant, talented, kind, loving, beautiful, Janet leaves behind son Steve (Janine) daughter Susan, bonus sons Justin (Angela) and Benjamin (Jen) and bonus daughter Sandy.
She also leaves behind husband, Michael Kalm and grandchildren, Nick, Nathan (Hayley), Eric, Lucas Mann; Beau, Caitlin and Allegra Imhoff; Matthew, Alex, Nathan and Lucas Kalm – and innumerable friends and students all of whose hearts she touched, all of whose souls she influenced.
Janet was a professor of music at the University of Utah. She not only founded the division of piano pedagogy, she was one of the true pioneers of her time.
Her heart was with Broadway music, and she starred in dozens of regional theaters from MUNI Opera in St. Louis, to Midland Michigan to HUCC here in Salt Lake City. When Janet sang “Not Since Ninevah” for Michael’s family, Michael’s Aunt Frieda’s jaw dropped and she exclaimed, “Now THAT’S a voice that belongs on Broadway. Janet also starred in acapella groups and was the founder of “Serendipity,” which has performed all over Salt Lake Valley.
Janet was a brilliant classical pianist as well, ranging in diverse composers from Beethoven to Brahms to Charles Ives, and of course to Chopin. When Janet and Michael put on their musical-psychiatric presentation on Chopin, from San Francisco to Minnesota, to Scottsdale, to Jacksonville, to the Sibelius Academy in Kuopia Finland, a learned European gentleman in the audience said, “I’ve heard Vladimir Horowitz play Chopin, but THIS is the way Chopin would want to be played. Son Justin recalls one of his great pleasures was going to bed at night, being soothed by the sounds of Chopin coming from the next room. He LOVED hearing her practice!
Janet took time out to accompany sons Justin in vocal music and Benjamin with the French horn and daughter Sandy on the flute. In fact, Janet has always been incredibly loving and generous to family, students and friends.
As if music was not enough, she was also a talented artist especially in watercolors, with an amazing eye for color and shading.
Janet has always to loved to travel and has visited over 100 countries, sometimes in very rough conditions. This was especially remarkable as severe scoliosis of her spine meant that she was frequently in severe pain which she toughed her way through.
Michael, who has never been a traditional religious believer, nonetheless takes heart in the wisdom of Jack Miles, editor of the Norton Anthology of Religion, who said, “It seems that we cannot know what life is until we know the entirety of what the universe is including dark matter, dark energy, the possibility of multiple universes where different physical laws obtain, [including multiple dimensions]. And certainly, we understand death as the deprivation of life. But if we don't really understand what life is, then we don't understand what the deprivation of life is. So that means that death itself, which is taken sometimes to be the one certainty, to me is not a certainty. It's a mystery, and as Rabelais (16th century Renaissance man) said in famous final words, ‘je pars pour les grand peut-etre. I part for the great maybe.’ I [too, will] leave this world for the great maybe.”
My hopes rest in those words, that somewhere there is a great maybe where Janet’s exquisitely beautiful soul continues to exist, to perceive and to be with us. I know for sure she remains in all of our hearts.
At a future date, to be determined, we will have a celebration of life for Janet.
P.S. Janet’s death was caused by a sudden massive heart attack, exacerbated by a Covid infection with the Delta variant that broke through her vaccination. Please, please, get vaccinated and wear masks. Save your loved ones, and the loved ones of others.
Please join us for a celebration of life memorial event honoring Janet Mann Saturday, October 16, 2021 3:30 – 5:30 PM in the Thompson Chamber Music Hall David Gardner Hall
1375 E Presidents Circle Room 204
SLC, UT 84112
In Loving Memory
Janet meant so much in our lives. As many can say, she inspired our son to be a great musician in his own right. We owe her much and we are filled with sorrow at her passing. May God bless those whom she left.
I was a piano student of Janet's starting at the age of 8 through high school. I can't begin to say what an influence she was in my life. Ever bright and joyful and brilliant and beautiful. I was stunned and saddened to hear of her passing. A piece of her will always be in me. Thank you for sharing her. All of my love to your family.
I was so sorry to hear this news, Michael and family. On the few occasions we were together, I saw the love you had for each other and the vibrancy in Janet's eyes and actions. Please stay strong and cherish the memories.
My condolences to Michael and family. I really appreciate Janet for her patience and her influence on my life. Very sorry for your loss.
What a beautiful tribute to an amazing person. Love and healing to you all.
What a wonderful woman. So sorry for your loss. I, too, subscribe to the great "maybe". But what is certain is the love and joy she brought into this world, and a legacy of children and grandchildren that will live on. Sincere condolences for your loss. Love you all. Kris, John & family
Dear Mike and family, So very sorry to read this. You must be beyond heartbroken and shocked. We are sending love and healing thoughts to everyone.
We are shocked and devastated to learn of Janet's sudden passing. The two of you were so devoted to each other and to your family. Let your wonderful memories and love for each other sustain you. Rod and Polly Johnson
Our deepest sympathies. We send our love and condolences. Jeff & Vanessa Wright
My deepest condolences. I had the pleasure of meeting Janet a couple times while at Susan's. We ate, laughed and shared memories of Susan, Beau, Caitlin and Allegra. I've told Beau I'll always remember hers and Michael's name because of Janet and Michael Jackson. My heart goes out to the family at this time and I'll always be here if you need anything! -Brayden
What a happy fun person Janet was for us all over these years. I am grateful that I have known her for 20 years. I have such fond memories of us all hanging around the piano at Carolyn Kipp's home singing while she could play any song we requested. What a talent - sweet lady. She was a blessing & now blessings to her family. Sincerely, Darla Roberts
An elegant portrait of Janet hangs on the wall of the entry to the Gardner Concert Hall. It honors her for her founding the piano pedagogy program at the University of Utah and reminds students and concertgoers of what can be achieved through vision, effort, and practice, and more practice. And collaborating with Michael’s psychiatric insights, their performance of the life and works of Chopin enthralled audiences beyond Gardner Hall and our state’s and nation’s borders. As she delighted and fascinated music lovers, it was evident to us that she delighted and fascinate Michael, whose loss is deep but whose joy in being a duo for many years is great. Many an accomplished performance major will have a soft spot in the heart for her teaching to feel music and play it so well and will so much appreciate the time spent with Janet on the piano bench. The Broadway voice we hope is recorded and the visual art framed as we missed out on that part of her so creative life. And we will surely miss our Utah Symphony seat buddies. MIchael, don’t give up your tickets. And never give up the memories of how she enriched your life and those of your accomplished kids. A symphony of sympathies to you and your family.
Dear Michael and Janet's family, Janet was such a lovely person. I was lucky enough to get to know her in the last couple of years. I did some handyman work for her. She was always so kind and sweet. She treated me like an old friend from the start. What a gift she was! I am both saddened and deeply sorry for your loss. Sending my sincere condolences.
I was so saddened to learn of Janet's passing. I was a piano pedagogy major at the University of Utah from 1977-1982. Janet was assigned as my teacher, and I am forever grateful for that. She reconnected with me in recent years and I spent many fun nights playing the piano with others at her home. She did indeed have an exquisitely beautiful soul, as Michael described. I will miss her. I hope Janet's family finds peace, comfort and love in the memories and knowledge that she brought joy to so many.
I am just heartbroken to hear of the sudden passing of my greatest teacher and mentor, Janet. There aren't adequate words to describe the impact she has had in my life and the trajectory it has taken since the beginning of my piano studies with her in 1989. I learned and developed enormously as a musician and performer under her expert guidance, but perhaps even more important was her impact on me as a teacher. I feel so fortunate to have learned the art of piano pedagogy from such a master. I treasure the lessons I learned from her, not just as they pertained to the music I learned, but especially life. She mentored me through one of the most difficult periods in my life (without even knowing it), encouraged me in my efforts to pursue my goals and dreams, provided me with amazing opportunities for growth, and cheered with me as I moved onto the next chapter of my life as a wife and mother. Her compassion, encouragement, and support has meant the world to me as I have continued on my life's journey. I think of her daily as I continue to spread her influence onto my own piano students and in the community where I now reside. Janet has been on my mind more than usual this past month, and now I know why. (I just learned of her passing today, Sept. 19th) She will forever be a part of me, and I am eternally indebted to her for helping me develop into the teacher, pianist, and person I am today. My sincere prayers are with your family that you will feel comfort and peace through this difficult time. Janet's has left us all a rich legacy that will echo her influence throughout time. All my love,Laura (Whitchurch) Blattner
I am another who was lucky enough to have the talented Janet Mann as a piano and pedagogy teacher. I started studying piano with her at age 12 and she guided me through both challenging music as well as challenging years of my life. As I continued lessons with Janet into my college years at the U of U, she became so much more than a piano teacher and mentor to me. She became a true friend. I have so many beautiful memories of time spent with her creating music or just talking. As I now live in St Louis where Janet performed at the Muny, I am often reminded of her when I accompany choirs or theater groups. I have taught private piano lessons for 30 years using the skills she taught me. As I am a religious person, I do believe Janet "is not dead, nor doth she sleep", as the song says. I believe when I play Chopin or showtunes I'll feel her near me, cheering me on like she always did. My love and condolences to all of Janet's family.
Janet has been my musical muse for 44 years, in addition to being a dear friend. Our singing and playing piano together will remain significant highlights of my life. One of the supreme joys was singing "O Magnum Mysterium" with the Jan Mann Singers: how appropriate after all these years as she now explores the "Great Mystery." Sending loving embraces to the family, especially to Michael who aches with loss, yet celebrates his remarkable, talented and cherished wife. Janet will always be the music in our hearts.
TO MICHAEL AND FAMILIES: I read of Jan's death in our recent Grinnell College Newsletter. I felt a great shock and the realization of immense loss that all of you in her family are experiencing, I suspected Covid had brought her immediate death, and feel saddened. Jan and I were the best of friends throughout our 4 years at Grinnell, being roommates during our sophomore year. Jan was a wonderful planner, and years later, I read her typed schedule for visiting New York City, seeing Broadway shows and eating cheesecake at Lindy's, while enroute to a summer as camp counselors in Massachusetts. Jan was an incredible human being, and a fantastic pianist with great training and talent. I was her college accompanist when she sang Adelaides' Lament at our 50th class reunion. I share your loss from a distance! Sincerely, Sharon Ohlson Susens
I was Mrs. Mann's student from just before my seventh birthday until I moved away from Utah at 14. I had the honor of posing with her and one of her graduate students on the cover of the piano pedagogy program pamphlet for the University of Utah. She is easily the most profoundly influential teacher I had as a child, as music would come to be my solace, refuge and outlet for creativity my entire life. I learned from Janet that there is a distinction between people who play musical instruments ... and musicians. I was happy to reconnect with her some two decades later, and she remained forever gracious and charming. She is beloved by my whole family, and I am just now learning that she passed during the pandemic. Deep condolences and love go out to her family.
In Loving Memory
