By Rhonda Westfall

Last week's final concert of the year by the St. Johns High School orchestra was billed in part as a farewell performance for its director, Bill Tennant.

That's only partially true.

The concert that was also a fundraiser for a new performance shell which will replace the existing St. Johns City Park Bandshell was the last time Tennant led the SJHS orchestra, but it certainly wasn't a finale for the gentleman whose name and music go together like 'Air' does with Jordan.

It's quite literally impossible to count the number of lives Mr. Orchestra has had a positive impact on in his 36 years with the St. Johns School District. He's been a role model as a classroom teacher, mentor, music 'activist', director - even as a former owner of a retail business, the wonderful "Game Master."

He may not be leading student orchestras during the next school year, but Tennant will always be in their music.

"I'd been considering retiring for a while, and finally determined that there just never would be a really good time to leave - great kids just keep on coming and coming," Tennant says of the decision to pass the director's baton he's held since he began helping with the band program in 1968. "As much as I'd like to stay, I know the students who are in the program now will carry through and keep it going strong."

The strength that the orchestra program currently enjoys is built on a strong - but small - foundation. Just three students signed up for orchestra in 1969 when Tennant took over that program at the then "new" St. Johns High School. The trio of Ann (Davis) Holms, Anne Fox and Barb Spousta met after school for rehearsals.

"We found another player and formed a string quartet," Tennant recalls. " The second year these three students were joined by 14 middle school players and the program was off and running. Today we have around 100 students at the high school level."

Tennant gives much of the credit for the program's success to the parents of the musicians.

"The support of the parents, students and school system has been tremendous," he says. "I've had some families send four and five children through the orchestra program from elementary classes on to high school.

"You just can't imagine all the wonderful students, parents and families I've encountered over the years - teaching has been a beautiful gig."

Being involved in hundreds of performances has produced any number of memorable moments for the director. Several 'firsts' are etched in Tennant's mind.

"The first time the orchestra received a 'I' rating at Festival - probably in the early '70s - it was like we had finally arrived," Tennant says. "Then, there was the time early on when we went to Festival and were sandwiched between Okemos and East Lansing - pretty heavy, but we held our own and got straight 'I's."

The 33 high school musicals and contest plays that Tennant has had a hand in also produced some footage for the memory band.

"My all time favorite show was Into the Woods - I'm a huge Stephen Sondheim fan," Tennant says. "Performing one of his shows was a real treat for me - it was also one of the best shows we've done here in St. Johns.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, done in the early 90's, was also a wonderful show that began as a fall production and went on to win the state drama contest. There were wonderful students involved in both those shows as well as all the shows we've done here over the years."

While the director is reluctant to single out any particular students, a number have gone on to earn college degrees in various musical fields and several have made the "big time."

"Lisa Ormston Bontrager graduated in the late 70's and is currently the french horn professor at Penn State University, and Scott Terrell, a 1989 graduate, is currently an associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra and guest conducts all over the country - it's really big time stuff he's doing," Tennant says.

"I'm also following closely the musical career of Chad Rehmann, a recent graduate, who is doing some great things at Michigan State University."

As might be expected, it’s Tennant's instructional methods even more than his musical ability that has motivated students to perform above and beyond their abilities.

"Four things are important to be a successful teacher: care and concern about students; creating challenges that push students; making it fun; and putting students first over any personal gains," he says. "I've always tried to live by those standards."

Adhering to his beliefs about education has earned Tennant numerous accolades both within the St. Johns School District and across the state. He was the District V Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA) teacher of the year in 1985, teacher of the year for St. Johns schools, State of Michigan Orchestra Director of the Year in 1986 and State of Michigan String Teacher of the Year in 1997.

He has been a member of the Youth Fine Arts Festival Board for 27 years, currently serving as its vice president, and is past vice president of MSBOA. He has been on the staff of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp since 1985 and conducted the Michigan All-State Orchestra in 1986.

Somehow, even with teaching and the extra time mandated by school music productions, Tennant has found time to be involved in a number of community activities. He pioneered the use of string quartets at a wide range of civic events, overseeing rehearsals of the students who perform and organizing their appearance.

His most recent community endeavor as part of the steering committee that is raising funds for a new performance shell at the St. Johns City Park will keep him busy beyond his retirement from the school system.

"I certainly intend to keep on track with the performance shell and remain active here in the community," Tennant says. "We lived here and raised a family here - it's a wonderful place to be."

Plans to visit his children and grandchildren are very much part of the future agenda for Tennant and his wife, Joi.

"We want to travel a lot - our first big trip this first year will be to New Zealand to visit my brother and his family - he's lived there for almost 20 years and I haven't been over," Tennant says.

"We'll also be able to visit our children and grandchildren more frequently. Our daughter, Kristin, and her family - including granddaughters, Quillin, 4, and Saskia, 2 - recently moved to the Champagne-Urbana area near the University of Illinois. Our son, Bill, lives in Portland, Oregon."

Music is part of the professional and personal lives of the Tennant offspring, just as it is for the many, many 'children' the director has nurtured over the years in St. Johns.

"Music and the fine arts are very important in today's world - they feed the soul, producing a more sensitive, well-rounded person," Tennant says. "I've always tried to show students how important it is to make music and the fine arts important in their lives.

"Ultimately, the world would be a better place if everyone were more caring and sensitive towards others. It's all about quality of life."