On Sunday night in the grand ballroom of the Antlers Hilton, friends, family, sopranos, altos, tenors and basses joined in a gala farewell to Donald Phelps Jenkins.

Jenkins, who is retiring, has been a musical institution in Colorado Springs for 54 years. After arriving in 1960 to assume a position on the music faculty of Colorado College, he became artistic director of the Colorado Springs Chorale in 1967 and was one of the founders of the Colorado Opera Festival in 1970.

Chorale board member Chris Straka acted as master of ceremonies for the gala. “Don said we should ‘keep it happy – no sappy sentimental tear-jerker stuff,'” he told the 275 attendees. Straka went on to introduce a string of speakers as the evening took on the air of a comic episode of “This is Your Life.”

The chorale’s former executive director, Mark Dempsey, introduced a tongue-and-cheek performance by the chorale’s Chamber Singers under the direction of Kimberley Schultz. Dick Hilt, who sang with Jenkins as an undergraduate at Oberlin College and later joined him on the CC faculty, reminisced about his 50 years singing with and for the honoree.

Next, Dan Brink, the assistant conductor and principal accompanist for the chorale who will be interim conductor next season, talked about the man who “was vocal music in this town.”

If there was a keynote speaker for the gala, it would have been former CC dean Ric Bradley, who recounted Jenkins’ career and highlights at the college.

After Jenkins led the ballroom in a series of choral performances, it was time for proclamations.

The Pikes Peak Music Association recognized Jenkins’ great contributions to professional music; Stratka read the Colorado Springs City Council’s declaration that Sunday was, in fact, “Donald P. Jenkins Day;” and state Sen. Bernie Herpin brought a tribute from the Colorado Legislature.

Marie Gardner, the “founding mother” of the chorale, reminisced about the hiring of Jenkins and then presented Jenkins and his wife, Gwen, with a railroad trip through Canada along with $10,000.

No one appeared to have more fun than Jenkins, who spoke with the humbleness and authenticity that has made him beloved by so many in our community.