The Rochester, NY choral community is mourning the loss of prominent tenor Jeff Tabor. He was found in the East End garage on Saturday, September 24th after a rehearsal, and his sudden passing sent a shock wave of grief through the many choirs he served, including First Inversion, Madrigalia, VOICES, Musica Spei, and his church community at Bethany Presbyterian, where he served as a soloist and collaborator for decades.
A 1996 graduate of SUNY Geneseo, Jeff loved Star Wars, good food, and, above all, singing. He had perfect pitch and an uncanny ear for languages.
In an e-mail, First Inversion Artistic Director Lee Wright wrote, “It has been a personal honor and privilege to sing in and/or conduct ensembles with Jeff since 1999. His soul is one of the kindest, loyal, humble and beautifully brilliant that I have known.”
Likewise, soprano Heather Holmquest noted on social media, “I’ll miss his vulnerability, his ability to love so incredibly deeply, and especially our early music banter. I feel his loss profoundly.”
Madrigalia Artistic Director Cary Ratcliff offered this musical tribute.
Jeff Tabor’s memorial service will be held at Bethany Presbyterian Church at 3000 Dewey Avenue in Rochester on October 14th. The visitation begins at 1:00 p.m. with the service at 3 p.m.
