Salina Chorale to send off director Bill Tuzicka with his favorite songs in last concert

After 15 years, Salina Chorale director William "Bill" Tuzicka is directing his last concert this month.

"Songs of Promise and Remembrance" begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Stiefel Theatre of Performing Arts, where Tuzicka also serves as the technical director. The chorale is sending him off by singing a collection of pieces he has come to love over his career directing.

Tuzicka's start to directing the chorale began somewhat suddenly, though he had experience directing at other levels, including at Southeast of Saline High School.

As he was part of the chorale as a singer in 2009, then-director Joseph Figg died in the middle of the semester, and Tuzicka was asked to step in.

"Instead of (that semester) just stopping right then, the board asked me to step in and finish out the year," Tuzicka said. "After that, I just kind of slipped right into doing it."

Now, after 15 years, Tuzicka has decided to retire and spend more time with family by moving to Iowa.

Every song of Bill Tuzicka's last Salina Chorale show has meaning

After Tuzicka let the chorale know he would be retiring, the work of figuring out what songs it would perform for his last show began.

"Every piece of music that we have on the program is something that has a meaning to me, has a history with me," Tuzicka said. "When I started coming up with the program for the spring (show), there was, I think, 46 pieces of music that I really wanted to do, or really like."

Though he would love to have directed all 46 pieces, Tuzicka knew that would be far too many, and he was able to narrow it down to 13.

Included in the program are traditional choral pieces from history like "Shenandoah" and "Cantique" but also more modern songs, including James Taylor's "That Lonesome Road," "One Tin Soldier" from the film "Billy Jack" and even a nod to the Sunflower State before he leaves for the Hawkeye State.

"We're doing 'Home on the Range,'" Tuzicka said. "I don't think they'll let me do that up in Iowa if I start directing a choir."

Tuzicka will miss the people and learning from the Salina Chorale

While he is ready to finish his time in Salina and spend more time with his family, Bill said this last concert is somewhat bittersweet.

"Of all the things that I do, I probably will miss more than anything, directing and working with people in a choir setting," Tuzicka said. "We're you're teaching and working with choirs (as a career) it's like anything you do. You amass a certain amount of knowledge and keep building on that."

The people he has worked with over the years are what have made Tuzicka the director and the person he is today.

"I know I'm a much better director, conductor and teacher, than I was 20 years ago, but I know I'm much better than I was five years ago, better than I was two or three years ago, because you just keep learning," Tuzicka said.

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Come hear Bill Tuzicka's last Salina Chorale show

The search for the next Salina Chorale director is already underway.

"Right now it's an unknown. We don't know if we can keep our regular schedule o starting in August for Christmas as we've done with Bill. I don't know how long this process will take," said BJ Banks, president of the chorale. "There's no possibility of replacing Bill. We're said to see Bill go. Right now, most of us can't even conceive the Chorale without him."

Tickets for "Songs of Promise and Remembrance," which are $15 for adults, $10 for children in grades kindergarten through high school and free for children younger than kindergarten, are available from chorale members until April 15 and can also be purchased at the door before the concert begins at 4 p.m. April 21 at the Stiefel Theatre.

More information about the chorale, including information about joining for the next semester can be found on its website, salinachorale.com.

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina Chorale sending off director with his favorites in last concert