Dennis Tini passes
Dr. Dennis Tini, the cherished local jazz educator, musician and humanitarian, passed away October 7 at the age of 76.
Tini served on the jazz faculty at Wayne State University from 1972 to 2015, retiring as Distinguished Professor of Music. As a jazz piano instructor, choral conductor and 
composer, he profoundly shaped the lives of generations of Detroit’s jazz musicians. He served WSU as chair of the Department of Music (1992–2005), as well as Director of Choral Activities and Senior Associate Dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. He was co-founder of the WSU Jazz Studies Program (1979), the founding director of the WSU Jazztet, founding conductor of the WSU Concert Chorale, and Conductor Emeritus of the WSU Choral Union and Orchestra.
He served in many state and national music organizations, notably serving as president of the International Association of Jazz Educators. As president, he founded the IAJE International Music Relief Effort for South Africa, bringing instruments and textbooks to needy teachers and students.
As a pianist, Tini performed with the DSO, Buddy Rich, Larry Nozero, and JC Heard among others. Among his recordings are The Eyes of Youth, Time Will Tell… (with Chris Collins), For Nicole (with Russ Miller) and Global Peace & Understanding. He conducted orchestras and composed music for commercials, documentaries and corporate musical productions.
Tini was closely involved with the Michigan Jazz Festival. He performed with his trio annually (1996–2017) and was founding head clinician for the popular open clinic “Playing with the Pros” (2007–2017). He joined the Festival’s Board of Directors in 2017, serving the last several years as vice-president. In that role he launched the Festival’s Jazz Talks! room and its Educational Initiatives program, while helping to raise thousands of dollars in grants.
Tini held many other interests. Besides practicing martial arts, he served as a volunteer fireman in Farmington. Since 2018, he had been volunteering monthly as music director and head of security for Mitch Albom’s Have Faith Haiti Mission and Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, teaching music to youngsters and training the security guards. On social media Albom stated,
We have lost our Maestro. Dennis was the driving force for the music our kids created. His dedication, joy, discipline, and relentless belief that people could be better, that students could be better, that human beings could be better, was an inspiration to all of us.