Norman Scribner will be retiring at the end of the season from the chorus that he created 46 years ago.

Lenexa, KS -- (SBWire) -- 04/12/2012 --The Choral Arts Society announced that Scott Tucker will succeed Norman Scribner to lead the University’s choruses. Norman Scribner will be retiring at the end of the season from the chorus that he created 46 years ago.

Scott Tucker is actually the choral director at Cornell University since 1995 and he will be retiring on his tenured position to lead the university choruses after Scribner steps down from his spot. According to Tucker, 55, he was craving for a new adventure and a new challenge in his life. The new position will take effect at the start of the 2012 – 2013 seasons.

Based on the statement of Tucker, Conducting is educational no matter whom they are working with even with professional people. He said that his students at Cornell may not be considered as music majors but they are bright and motivated students who see music with passion and intelligence.

Basically, Scribner announced his retirement last August 2010. It means that he is working on his last season. Tucker is one of the four finalists who came on the season to work together with the 170 members of the amateur chorus. The successor as the leader of the university choruses can also be considered as an international one with almost 80 applicants. Tucker is one of participants without any connections inside.

According to the statement of Debra Kraft, the executive director of Choral Arts, it was a big surprise for them. She said that it came from a source that they did not expect. She spoke after hearing the unanimous and rapid confirmation of the announcement that Tucker will succeed Scribner.

It is said that Tucker had everything that will make him a great leader. He has a lot of experience in fundraising and commissioning new work. He actually commissioned around 30 new pieces when he was still in Cornell which includes some of the works of Augusta Read Thomas, Libby Larsen and Chen Yi. Tucker also spent a part of a sabbatical year in South Africa. He tried to learn some traditional music by rote.

Tucker has a huge respect towards Scribner. The Choral Arts Society was found in 1965. It has already worked with the National Symphony Orchestra conductors as well as other leading personalities on the music industry like Mstislav Rostropovich, Valery Gergiev and Christoph Eschenbach.

There are also a lot of chorals that came to a big change on the previous years. During these times, Scribner wanted to have a smooth transition. Even if he wanted to have a smooth procedure, he did not participated on the decision making process and he allowed the other officials to decide. According to Kraft, it is really wonderful and reassuring to everyone to know that Scribner had his blessing but he did not interfere on the procedure to make it fast and smooth. She said that it is like a parent watching a child in choosing whom to marry.

Scribner made a statement saying that it is a big joy to welcome Tucker as the new artistic director of the Choral Arts. He said that with the talents of Tucker, he can make a difference on the Choral Arts and provide a wider knowledge to the members.