BonnerSprings.com

The Bonner Springs High School Band has a new director.

Bill Turley moved from Peculiar, Mo., where he taught at Raymore Peculiar High School, to take the position left vacant by John Lefler's departure.

Local residents may recognize Turley from City Band concerts this summer. In addition to playing saxophone in the band, he guest conducted one of the last concerts.

Turley got into teaching music, he said, because, "I was in a band all the way through school. I got out and was playing (saxophone) in a big band and teaching private lessons. I started enjoying that more than playing."

So Turley went back to school to get a teaching certificate and a master's in education at Wichita State University.

"The thing I like most about it is, we're really making music everyday," Turley said. "It's a chance to impact the lives of a lot of students."

Turley makes the rounds to teach at Bonner Springs Elementary and Clark Middle School as well.

"That was part of the appeal of Bonner Springs," he said. "I get to watch from when they get their instrument to when they graduate."

Also, he said, "It's much more satisfying for me to work with all levels ... A middle school student obviously doesn't play the same way (as a high school student) but they have so much energy and enthusiasm.

"With high school kids you can make really great music."

Turley said he enjoys that students introduce him to music he might otherwise never hear.

"My kids are constantly bringing things to me," he said.

For his own tastes, Turley said he likes "a lot of sax players," but "if you wade through my CD collection you'll find a bit of everything."

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