The halls of Loyola’s second floor were reborn as the school dedicated a band room to New Orleans iconic trumpet player Connie Jones and wife Elaine Jones. The newly decorated floor gives students the chance to walk along history birthed right in the heart of our city through information, images and facts about the Jones family.
“I live to connect people around the world and help make our campus better for students and faculty,” said Chris Wiseman, Vice President of University Advancements. Through a generous donation from Connie & Elaine’s daughter and her husband, Phyllis & Guy Conces, Loyola was able to renovate a band room and decorate the floor walls. “The endowment they also created will help the school generate money to support the school of music. '' said Wiseman.
Students were also celebrated as the ‘future of jazz’ by playing along with Loyola lectures and former band members of Connie Jones during the ceremony reception “ It feels so good to have such professional musicians here who studied with Connie Jones,” said Spencer Moore, junior in music education. “It’s good to be in this tradition of learning from the greats because traditional music in New Orleans is very imperative” said Moore.
The celebration was blessed with the presence of Phyllis Conces and other members of the Jones family. Phyllis spoke about how meaningful it was to her that the family’s legacy will be remembered forever. “It’s said that you die twice,’ said Conces, “The first time is when your body leaves the earth. The second is when the last person who remembers your name dies” reminisced Conces as she expressed her appreciation for the dedication to her family by Loyola.
