Longtime Wichita Falls choir director to be honored at Bass Hall concert

By Courtney Ortega

WITCHITA FALLS, TX — There is a saying that goes, “To teach is
to touch a life forever.” The former choir members of S.H. Rider
High School in Wichita Falls have to look no further than their
beloved director, Donald B. Cowan, to say they believe it.

Cowan was the choir director from 1961 until his retirement in
1993. Now, exactly 50 years since he set foot in the school, more
than 100 of his former students will come together Saturday on the
stage of Bass Hall to perform their favorite songs, with Cowan
conducting.

The a cappella concert is open to the public. Repertoire is
mostly sacred and classical music, including the beloved A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God, Lord of Life from J.S. Bach’s St. John
Passion, and the premiere of Prayer of St. Francis by former
student Ricky Tims, composed in Cowan’s honor.

The Donald B. Cowan Legacy Choir was established in early 2010
to pay tribute to Cowan as well as present an opportunity to
perform under his leadership one more time. With monthly practices
taking place for over a year, word spread, and alumni from all over
the country began flying in to prepare for the Bass Hall
performance.

Ray Richey, a former student of Cowan’s and a member of the
legacy choir, says the overwhelming response to participate in the
performance is a testament to Cowan’s legacy as a teacher and
students’ appreciation for him.

“He made everyone feel special, and it was the things that he
did outside of school that meant the most,” Richey said.