Of all the memories awards and honors that music professor Milton Pullen has acquired in his 45 years of teaching he still counts his numerous rehearsals with students as his favorite part of the job.
“How long have I been in rehearsals with kids who have a common bond to make music?” Pullen said. “It’s been thousands of times— my memories really are about rehearsals. Since they all run together I couldn’t by any stretch of the imagination tell you anything particular but they mean the world to me. The rehearsals were my concerts. I had to perform in rehearsal in order for the kids to perform in concerts.”
As the head director of the choral program at Pepperdine Pullen directs all three choirs which include the concert choir collegium musicum and the women’s choir. He chooses the music each choir will sing for their year-end performances and teaches and directs all three choirs during the course of the semester.
Pullen began pursuing his music education at San Jacinto Junior College which he attended from 1961-1963 initially drawn by a baseball scholarship and a love for America’s favorite pastime.
“Actually music was probably my first love Pullen said, but it was sort of a toss up between the two and it became apparent I was going to do better in music than in baseball.”
Although he has been influenced by many other people Pullen points to Dr. “Buddy” Fuhr the choir director at San Jacinto College as one of the biggest influences on his career. Pullen was the student director at that school under Fuhr and called Fuhr instrumental in his decision to quit baseball and pursue music.
“He would be my biggest influence from the standpoint of where he directed me in my life Pullen said.
After his two-year stint at San Jacinto, Pullen spent two years at Texas A&M University in Kingsville, Texas, graduating in 1965 with a degree in Music Education. His first job was in a town called Freer, Texas, near Kingsville.
I was going with my wife-to-be so 60 miles away [while she was] still at A&M worked well Pullen said. For my first job I directed the junior high and high school choirs and announced the football games. Announcing them was practically in my contract.”
Pullen worked in Freer for three years and married his wife Evie during his second year teaching there. He then began to teach choir in a few different high schools including Clear Creek High School and Clear Lake High School. During this time Pullen also went back to school to obtain his Master of Music degree in Conducting which he received from the University of Houston in 1976.
In 1979 Pullen transitioned into the collegiate arena when he became the director of choral activities at Abilene Christian University. After six years there Pullen returned to Clear Creek High School for 10 more years. In 1995 Pepperdine contacted Pullen and offered him a job.
“I received a call from Dr. Gary Cobb the chair of the Fine Arts division at Pepperdine and he asked me if I would be interested in a position here Pullen said. I told him probably not.”
Luckily for Pepperdine Pullen’s initial rejection turned into an acceptance after two visits to Malibu and a “very attractive contract.” Pullen’s influence at the school during the past 15 years is marked by one of Pepperdine’s highest honors— the Howard A. White Excellence in Teaching Award which Pullen received in 2005.
“Dr. Pullen is the only reason I decided to stick in choir even during my senior year at Pepperdine senior Scott Takeda, a theatre major at Pepperdine, said. I love choir but I don’t know if I would’ve found the time for it without the passion Dr. Pullen inspires.” Pullen said he’ll miss teaching but wanted to point out that he’s not the only one retiring this year.
“My wife Evie is also retiring from 29 years of teaching Pullen said. She has taught here too; beginning piano and giving private piano lessons. I’m the one that’s upfront because of what I do but my wife is a classroom teacher and doesn’t get that kind of applause but I’m equally proud of her career.”
The last concert Dr. Pullen will conduct the “Pepperdine University Choral Masterworks Concert is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Smothers Theatre. His former students from all over the country will fly in to be part of the final number, a piece titled We Rise Again by Leon Dubinsky.
Aside from allowing all his students to participate in this final piece, Pullen is including another piece sure to unify all the members of the audience he has taught. After 45 years, Pullen still names Johannes Brahms as his favorite composer, and says that the inclusion of a piece by him will surprise none of his former students.
Every student that steps into that theater on Saturday night… will be expecting a Brahms piece Pullen said. He assures, there will be one.” Tickets are free for Pepperdine students and faculty and $10 for the public and can be obtained at the Smothers Box Office.