OU School of Music will be putting on a special choral concert to honor School of Music Director Steven Curtis at 8 tonight.

Set to retire at the end of the spring 2011 semester, Curtis will end his 27 years as a faculty member and six years as the director of the School of Music at OU.

Curtis said he knew as early as fourth grade he wanted to be a teacher.

“Even as a fourth grader I remember watching my teacher and the way she taught and thinking to myself, ‘that’s something I would probably do as a teacher,’ or ‘I would never do that,’” Curtis said. “And a goal of mine pretty early on was to prepare music teachers. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

Curtis came to OU the summer of 1976 when he was entering the doctoral program for the School of Music. He spent two years working toward his doctorate and returned in 1984 when a spot opened for him to join OU’s faculty.

In 1989, he was awarded Outstanding Professor for the Norman campus by the OU Student Association, and in 1996 he was named Director of Distinction by the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association.

Curtis has maintained a hands-on approach to his job during his six-year stint.

He still directs the University Chamber Singers and can be seen walking around Catlett Music Center talking to staff members and students alike.

“I wish I knew every student by name; I wish I could do that,” he said, after being complimented for recognizing several undergraduate students.

Mark Lucas, University Singers director and one of the organizers of tonight’s concert, sees Curtis as a friend and a mentor worth honoring.

“It’s hard to find someone who’s so musically talented and such a very good person,” Lucas said.

Curtis credits the concert to his peers.

“Dr. [Richard] Zielinski and Dr. Lucas have been wonderful in putting this together,” Curtis said. “This was their idea completely.”

Tonight’s concert will include performances by several of the OU choral ensembles, including University Chorale, University Singers, University Chamber Singers (which Curtis directs himself), Singing Sooners and OU Men’s Glee. The pieces performed include works such as Franz Schubert’s “Mass In G.”

The concert will end with one piece that holds special significance to Curtis the traditional folk song “Shenandoah.” Curtis has used the piece every two or three years throughout his time at OU.

“The arrangement by James Erb is one of the finest arrangements of an American folk song that I’ve ever heard,” he said.

Several of Curtis’ former students will join the choirs on stage for the concert’s finale.

IF YOU GO
WHAT: Choral Concert
WHEN: 8 p.m. tonight
WHERE: Sharp Hall, Catlett Music Hall
PRICE: $5 for students, senior citizens and faculty members, $8 for adults
INFO: Tickets available at the door or can be purchsed before by calling 405-325-4101