Teacher Mr. Ken Bechtloff, who taught vocal and instrumental music for 16 years at Trinity, recently retired due to health issues. Trinity senior Billy Fenton said, “I was shocked and saddened when I found out he was retiring. Mr. Bechtloff was one of my favorite teachers, and Trinity has lost a great music teacher. He was important to me at Trinity. I love music and singing, and he was a teacher that had a great love of music and who brought out the best from his students.” Bechtloff helped students appreciate music in new ways. Trinity senior Noah Karman, a choir member, said, “Mr. Bechtloff has taught me most everything I know about music. He has helped me so much in developing as a musician.” Bechtloff not only played many instruments, he took the time to teach students how to use them properly. He was well known for playing the saxophone. Art and photography teacher Ms. Carole Baker said she will miss Bechtloff, not only as a coworker, but as a friend. “He is a good friend. He was a professional musician and had a wonderful, dry sense of humor. I wish him good health — with happy memories and a wonderful time on the bus with Willie.” Throughout his years at Trinity, Bechtloff’s students won numerous Kentucky Music Education Association honors. Bechtloff’s retirement came as a shock to many, but his legacy as a great music teacher lives on. Junior Braden Lauer, who with senior Cyrus Felfeli was named to the KMEA all-state chorus this year, said, “You walk out of the classroom saying, ‘See you coach,’ and I mean that’s not really a goodbye. It was all just really sudden and unexpected, and our choir is going to miss him terribly. All the alumni who were in choir couldn’t believe it either.” English teacher Mr. Greg Sysol said he will miss Bechtloff: “It was always a joy to work with him. He was a serious musician and teacher, and cared a lot about the kids. He always wanted the best for them and was able to bring out the best in them. I wish him all the best and hope he keeps playing the saxophone.” Though he is no longer teaching at Trinity, Bechtloff’s students continue to use what he taught them. Senior Richard Cummings, a member of the jazz band, said Bechtloff changed his views on music in general: “He made me really want to expand my knowledge of music. Seeing how passionate he was about his music and the jazz band inspired me to challenge my abilities as a pianist. When I joined the band, I had a strictly classical music mindset, where everything has to be played exactly as written. He made me realize how free music really is, especially in jazz. He forced me to rethink how music is to be played. That’s what made him such a great band director. He pushed all of his students to challenge themselves.” Karman summed up the impact Bechtloff made on him and many other students: “Mr. Bechtloff was important to me because all four years I’ve been at Trinity, I have consistently looked forward to his class. It always really brightened up my day.”
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Students, faculty laud retired Trinity music teacher
December 19, 2012
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