Chuck And Natalie Moore Leave Legacy Behind At Sullivan

There are ends to eras throughout our lives that we experience, see and remember. Jack Buck making his final call for the Cardinals, Brett Favre taking his last snap in the NFL, Michael Jordan playing his final game in the NBA, and locally, Chuck Moore retiring as Sullivan High School Band Director. 

Chuck has had a stellar career of band achievements and has inspired many successful music leaders. In twelve years, he led the Sullivan High School band program to 212 trophies, 52 all-state selections and two MMEA appearances (2019, 2023).

Mr. Moore announced at his final concert on Friday, May 9, that he will become the new director of bands at Central Methodist University.

The High School Symphonic Band first performed “Liturgical Dances” by David Holsinger, then “The Trombone King” by Karl L. King and “America the Beautiful” by Samuel A. Ward.

Senior Madeline Gehlauf was awarded the John Philip Sousa Award and the opportunity to conduct the final march. She led the band, filled with alumni and her classmates, in “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” 

The concert ended with a presentation showcasing photos and videos from each year Mr. Moore had taught at Sullivan. Then the final slides revealed that he would return to teach at his alma mater in Fayette. Once the audience heard the news, they cheered and chanted, causing the theater to shake. 

Natalie Moore created the slideshow as a surprise for her husband, sharing, “Sullivan has been a treat, and it felt so good seeing Chuck have to stand up and just watch those people… in that standing ovation. It was so overwhelming... Our community really came out for support Friday night, and it was pretty incredible.”

Natalie is the director of Sullivan’s choirs and will also leave the high school with her husband. The two worked together to take the music program to great heights and create a legacy that will continue for years.

Mr. and Mrs. Moore first met at Central Methodist University in 1990. As Chuck studied music there, he became close to his band director, who inspired him to follow in his footsteps. He remarked, “I knew he drank coffee every day by the student center, and I would go over there before band rehearsal just so I could sit and talk band with him… He was always so accommodating and was always willing to talk... He made a profound impact on my life.”

Mr. Moore did not fully discover his lifelong passion for teaching until he turned thirty. “The reason is because I went into the Army to play, and I had this accident with my shoulder,” he explained. “And so, I had to get a medical discharge, and I couldn’t play my trombone like I always wanted to do. I was in the business world for a while, and I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And we went to see a movie, ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus.’ And when I saw that movie... I knew what I wanted to do the rest of my life.”

Chuck first taught at the North Kansas City School District. He was an assistant high school director, then advanced to become head of the middle school bands. Afterward, Mr. Moore led Fulton High School’s band program for twelve years until 2012.

When the Moores moved to Sullivan, they discovered a community that would do anything to help their students. Chuck stated, “I’ve always preached that it’s about teamwork, and it’s never putting yourself in front of the group. You’ve always got to think of the group first, and you know we’ve done a lot of really great things in Sullivan, but it’s a combination... When we were hired here, [Principal] Jennifer Schmidt... gave us everything that we needed to build a successful music program. And she was a key ingredient, like it would not have happened without her.”

He also wanted to shine a spotlight on all of the “supportive parents,” saying, “They’ve went to the ends of the world for kids... that didn’t have the ability to pay fees, or they didn’t have the ability to have things.”

From his time at Sullivan, Mr. Moore stated that the 2018-19 band season was one that he will never forget. He shared that after the passing of a student, Mason Kirk, “The band had to bond with each other just to get through it, and we were an emotional support for each other. That year, we were selected to play at MMEA for the first time, which is our state music conference, and it’s the biggest performance a band can get. And so we dedicated a piece to him, and that was a very special time.”

Chuck also mentioned that he will never forget attending MMEA for the second time in 2023 and the Bands of America Grand National Championships the following year.

Mr. Moore thanked Natalie for being his rock at Sullivan High School. “It’s been a teamwork approach because there are many times where, you know, one director just cannot do it,” he remarked. “It takes a team of people to do it, and my wife compliments me because… she fills in the blanks. Like, I’m not a PR-type person at all, but she’s comfortable talking to people and, you know, bragging about the kids and telling them how great they’ve done.”

Natalie described their working relationship as “like that puzzle you put together and that one piece that’s been chewed up a little bit by a puppy, and we’re just still trying to, you know, get it in there.”

Mrs. Moore said her favorite moment at Sullivan High School was bringing the Bella Voce Choir to MMEA in 2022. 

Natalie also shared that she will never forget her singers’ and parents’ contributions to the program. “It’s bittersweet because I’m very close to my students and a lot of their families,” she stated. “You’re around them all the time, and so I’m going to really miss them. But they know that... once they’re our student… they’re always our student.”

Chuck will also miss his band students, who gave it their all in every rehearsal, performance and concert. He thanked them for staying dedicated to excellence and becoming the best musicians they could be. “What sets Sullivan apart is [that] it’s a real blue-collar mentality; it’s not a lot of entitlement," Mr. Moore said. "And so, our kids that have been successful have had that work ethic that they needed to achieve, you know, some really lofty goals.”

With their time in Sullivan coming to a close, Mr. and Mrs. Moore are excited for the next chapter of their life. Chuck looks forward to returning to Central Methodist University and inspiring others who may be in the same shoes as he was. He remarked, “When I was coming to the end of my teaching career, you know, I [was thinking], ‘This is the end; I guess this is everything.' And now, I have an opportunity for a new beginning, and I’m like, extra charged up for this. So, I can’t wait to get started.”

See Sullivan Independent News Facebook page for additional photos from the concert.