▁interested ▁in ▁jazz ▁music ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age ▁and ▁played ▁piano ▁with ▁local ▁jazz ▁bands ▁while ▁in ▁high ▁school . ▁He ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁occasionally ▁as ▁a ▁music ian ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁but ▁had ▁abandoned ▁the ▁thought ▁of ▁music ▁as ▁a ▁career ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Catholic ▁University ▁in ▁Washington . ▁He ▁wrote ▁his ▁doctor al ▁th esis ▁on ▁the ▁a est het ics ▁of ▁popular ▁music . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁ord ained ▁as ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁priest ▁of ▁the ▁Paul ist ▁order ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁Catholic ▁chap lain ▁at ▁Boston ▁University . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁he ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁New port ▁Jazz ▁Festival ▁and ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁event ▁in ▁his ▁priest ▁col lar , ▁acting ▁as ▁master ▁of ▁cer emon ies ▁for ▁concert s ▁and ▁moder ator ▁of ▁panel ▁discuss ions . ▁His ▁introduction ▁of ▁John ▁Col tr ane ▁at ▁the ▁festival ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁can ▁be ▁heard ▁on ▁Col tr ane ' s ▁New ▁Th ing ▁at ▁New port ▁( as ▁well ▁as ▁My ▁F avor ite ▁Things : ▁Col tr ane ▁at ▁New port ), ▁and ▁his ▁introduction ▁of ▁Dave ▁Br ube ck ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁festival ▁can ▁be ▁heard ▁on ▁Br ube ck ' s ▁The ▁Last ▁Set ▁at ▁New port . ▁O ' Con nor ▁also ▁introduced ▁Duke ▁Ell ington ▁and ▁the