Edward Kingins

EDWARD RHEA KINGINS, a man of inexhaustible passion and talent, left this earth on January 9, 2022, at the age of 90. Remembered by many for his depth of kindness and patience, his life was rich, storied, and full. Beloved by his family, his students, members of his choirs, his fellows in worship, and many more, the legacies he built--more than could ever be listed here--will live on in his stead. Edward was born on December 14, 1931, to parents Earl and Thelma in Detroit, Michigan. Before blowing out the candles on his last birthday, he told his daughter Deanna, “All my wishes have come true. I’ve got to think of some new ones.”

Although he would come to be known by most for his music, Edward loved gardening and the beauty of nature; he was also committed to athleticism throughout his life. As a teenager, in addition to his vocal lessons and choral work, he played baseball and trained to be a boxer. He was a tenacious fighter and worked at making it a career but was dissuaded from this after meeting touring middleweight Tony Janiro, whom he admired greatly. Tony told him, "See how beat up my face is? You wanna look like this? Go to college, do something else.” And so he did. But it wasn't until serving in the Korean War that he truly decided what he wanted: to be the best singer he could be.

Edward's first voice teacher, Maude Childs, was a mentor he would speak of all his life. She introduced him to the world of classical music and instilled in him the importance of being a gentleman. He studied music at Heidelberg College, Wayne State University, and the American Conservatory of Music. Under the guidance of Avery Crew and Boris Goldovsky, he honed the vocal technique he would later master and pass on to countless students of his own. He taught voice privately for over 50 years and as an instructor at various times for Wayne State University, Oakland University, University of Windsor, Macomb Community College, and Schoolcraft College. He sang leading tenor with Michigan Opera Theatre for many productions, under the direction of David DiChiera. He also sang principle roles with the Cleveland Opera and the Des Moines Metro Opera Festival, served as Tenor Soloist for Temple Beth El for over 37 years, and appeared as a soloist with many symphonies, including, of note, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Chamber Orchestra, and Buffalo Philharmonic. In 1962, he began singing tenor in the worship quartet at Fort Street Presbyterian Church, where he would go on to serve as Music Director for 54 years until his retirement in 2016. Under Helmuth Rilling and longtime friend David Daniels, he studied the conducting technique that he implemented as a world-class choral director for several decades. Singers in the Detroit Post Office Male Chorus (which sang at the 1964 World's Fair under his direction), the Windsor Community Choir, and the Fort Street Chorale (which Edward founded in 1971) all benefited from his instruction and his care. A founding principle of the Fort Street Chorale--and one he implemented in all of his choirs--was that no auditions were required. Edward believed that anyone who wanted to sing should be able to sing, that anyone with a voice could learn how best to use it.

Music breathed through all that he did and all that he loved. Edward met the mother of his children in 1955 at the Fisher Building in downtown Detroit while singing with the Make Way for Youth Chorus, on WJR. They were married until 1986 and had 4 children together. In 2002, he met his wife and heart's companion, Amanda, while her son took vocal lessons from him. They were married in 2005, and he joined her family with his whole heart.

Edward is survived by his wife, Amanda; his children, David, Deanna (husband, Frank), Chris (wife, Lindy), and Kathleen (husband, Traywick); his step-children, Steve (wife, Jessica), Joel (wife, Kati), and David (husband, Jeff); his brother, Bobby; his grandchildren, Ian, Andre, and Atticus; as well as his grandchildren through marriage and many nephews, nieces, and cousins. In death, he joins his parents, Earl and Thelma; his sisters Dorothy Mea, Betty Lou, and Beverly; his children's mother, Libby; and all those he loved who went before.

A memorial will be held on May 22nd, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, MI.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fort Street Presbyterian Music Endowment Fund at the following link:

https://fspc.breezechms.com/give/online

Award-winning WTVS 1984 Documentary on The Fort Street Chorale under Edward's direction, "Miracle on Fort Street"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2pr7oz1qnY

* * * * * * * * * *

EDWARD RHEA KINGINS, a man of inexhaustible passion and talent, left this earth on January 9, 2022, at the age of 90. Remembered by many for his depth of kindness and patience, his life was rich, storied, and full. Beloved by his family, his students, members of his choirs, his fellows in worship, and many more, the legacies he built--more than could ever be listed here--will live on in his stead. Edward was born on December 14, 1931, to parents Earl and Thelma in Detroit, Michigan. Before blowing out the candles on his last birthday, he told his daughter Deanna, “All my wishes have come true. I’ve got to think of some new ones.”

Although he would come to be known by most for his music, Edward loved gardening and the beauty of nature; he was also committed to athleticism throughout his life. As a teenager, in addition to his vocal lessons and choral work, he played baseball and trained to be a boxer. He was a tenacious fighter and worked at making it a career but was dissuaded from this after meeting touring middleweight Tony Janiro, whom he admired greatly. Tony told him, "See how beat up my face is? You wanna look like this? Go to college, do something else.” And so he did. But it wasn't until serving in the Korean War that he truly decided what he wanted: to be the best singer he could be.

Edward's first voice teacher, Maude Childs, was a mentor he would speak of all his life. She introduced him to the world of classical music and instilled in him the importance of being a gentleman. He studied music at Heidelberg College, Wayne State University, and the American Conservatory of Music. Under the guidance of Avery Crew and Boris Goldovsky, he honed the vocal technique he would later master and pass on to countless students of his own. He taught voice privately for over 50 years and as an instructor at various times for Wayne State University, Oakland University, University of Windsor, Macomb Community College, and Schoolcraft College. He sang leading tenor with Michigan Opera Theatre for many productions, under the direction of David DiChiera. He also sang principle roles with the Cleveland Opera and the Des Moines Metro Opera Festival, served as Tenor Soloist for Temple Beth El for over 37 years, and appeared as a soloist with many symphonies, including, of note, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Chamber Orchestra, and Buffalo Philharmonic. In 1962, he began singing tenor in the worship quartet at Fort Street Presbyterian Church, where he would go on to serve as Music Director for 54 years until his retirement in 2016. Under Helmuth Rilling and longtime friend David Daniels, he studied the conducting technique that he implemented as a world-class choral director for several decades. Singers in the Detroit Post Office Male Chorus (which sang at the 1964 World's Fair under his direction), the Windsor Community Choir, and the Fort Street Chorale (which Edward founded in 1971) all benefited from his instruction and his care. A founding principle of the Fort Street Chorale--and one he implemented in all of his choirs--was that no auditions were required. Edward believed that anyone who wanted to sing should be able to sing, that anyone with a voice could learn how best to use it.

Music breathed through all that he did and all that he loved. Edward met the mother of his children in 1955 at the Fisher Building in downtown Detroit while singing with the Make Way for Youth Chorus, on WJR. They were married until 1986 and had 4 children together. In 2002, he met his wife and heart's companion, Amanda, while her son took vocal lessons from him. They were married in 2005, and he joined her family with his whole heart.

Edward is survived by his wife, Amanda; his children, David, Deanna (husband, Frank), Chris (wife, Lindy), and Kathleen (husband, Traywick); his step-children, Steve (wife, Jessica), Joel (wife, Kati), and David (husband, Jeff); his brother, Bobby; his grandchildren, Ian, Andre, and Atticus; as well as his grandchildren through marriage and many nephews, nieces, and cousins. In death, he joins his parents, Earl and Thelma; his sisters Dorothy Mea, Betty Lou, and Beverly; his children's mother, Libby; and all those he loved who went before.

A memorial will be held on May 22nd, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, MI.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fort Street Presbyterian Music Endowment Fund at the following link:

https://fspc.breezechms.com/give/online

Award-winning WTVS 1984 Documentary on The Fort Street Chorale under Edward's direction, "Miracle on Fort Street"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2pr7oz1qnY