Tomorrow, Bruce Trinkley will stand in front of the Penn State Glee Club for the final time. After 35 years and over 700 performances, Trinkley will retire from Penn State.

Over 100 alumni are expected to return to honor the club's longest standing conductor at the annual Blue-White Concert.

Nearly 30 years ago, Trinkley was the first professor that taught Dan Brill how to conduct. Brill sang in the Glee Club under Trinkley for four years before going on to become a choir director himself. Now the choral conductor at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Brill strives to follow Trinkley's example.

"He was really kind and he was patient, but still had high standards," Brill said. Music Professor Lynn Drafall has worked with Trinkley for 13 years. She said working with him to bring his compositions to life for the first time has been one of the highlights of their tenure together. Yet, despite Trinkley's musical contributions to the faculty, she says they will miss his encouragement most.

"Bruce is a tremendously supportive colleague," Drafall said. "He really values and affirms other people's accomplishments."

Chadd Colin, who is singing in the Glee Club performance, also emphasized Trinkley's enthusiasm for the growth and success of others. "He's given me so many opportunities to excel beyond my own capabilities," Colin said. "He believes in me, he believes in all of us."

Wearing a relaxed outfit of a denim shirt, khakis, and loafers, Trinkley explained that he always knew he wanted to teach music. He has been involved in singing, conducting, accompanying and writing music for men's chorus since 1962 as a college freshman and went on to accompany the group on the piano.

Since 1970, Trinkley has been working at Penn State, a job that he says seemed to be created for what he did best and what he calls his "dream job." He has taught, composed and directed musicals, but said the best part of his job has been conducting the Glee Club.

As a composer and director, Trinkley has the opportunity to stand as a conductor in front of his own choir and direct his own work. However, when asked, he couldn't name his favorite composition. His blue eyes twinkled as he exclaimed, "That's like asking which is your favorite child!"

Trinkley has such a passion for writing music that it is actually one of the reasons for his retirement.

Saturday's Blue-White concert will be dedicated to Trinkley. The first half of the concert will feature the current Glee Club and then alumni will join them for the second half.

Matt Porcelli (sophomore-meteorology) said he wonders if the Glee Club will be the same without Trinkley. "Bruce kind of grew on everybody," he said. "Everybody is just so used to him."