Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2012 -- The Washington DC based Choral Arts Society recently named Scott Tucker as the new artistic director who will replace Norman Scribner who is retiring at the end of the year. Scribner, now 76 announced he was planning to retire back in August 2010 and after a long search the board of directors last week named Tucker as successor to the man who founded the choral Arts Society back in 1965.

Scott Tucker is leaving a 17 year tenure at Cornell University to join the Society and in a statement released by the Choral Arts Society the outgoing Scribner heaped high praise on the man who will replace him for the 2012-2013 season, stating "It is a joy for me to welcome Scott Tucker as the new artistic director of Choral Arts. Scott's gifts are manifold, embracing an intense natural musicality, a consummate technique, a fabulous ear, a vast reservoir ok knowledge and experience in virtually all periods and styles, together with a clear vision for the future of music in our own time. With his superb communicative skills bringing all these gifts, Scott's appointment heralds a brilliant new era in the Choral Arts Society's pursuit of excellence in the choral arts. Welcome Scott".

Scott Tucker recently told the Washington Post that 'I was craving a new adventure, a new challenge." He went on to add that "Conducting is educational, no matter who you are working with, even in the professional world. My students at Cornell are not music majors. They're very bright, motivated students who see music as a release, more than anything, but who bring to it such passion and intelligence. Tucker went on to add that 'I don't see that as being so different than the Choral Arts Society."

The board of directors spent over a year searching for Scribner's replacement and the search became an international search with the Society receiving nearly 80 applications for the much renowned position. Scott tucker was one of four finalists who came into work with the 170 member amateur chorus this season as part of the selection process. The board voted unanimously to confirm tucker's appointment and in a statement released by the Choral Arts Society, chair of the board Barbara Rossotti said that " The Board believes Mr. Tucker will succeed in building on the legacy and high standards of our beloved founder, Norman Scribner, by taking the choral Arts to the highest of artistic levels and international regard."