CSB+SJU mourns music professor

CSB+SJU’s community is remembering Ed Turley, a CSB+SJU Music Professor who passed away this past Thursday.

He was born in Denver, Colo. on April 16, 1952. After graduating high school, he went on to study piano performance at the University of Colorado-Boulder and later transferred to Northwestern University to finish his undergraduate degree. Turley started teaching at CSB+SJU in 1981, where he continued to teach for 41 years.

In the early 1990’s, Turley met and married Carolyn Finely. Finely and Turley shared their love of music together as they both taught in the music department at CSB+SJU.

“I honestly feel like he is kind of a staple in the music department here,” CSB junior Sophia Anderson said.

During his time in this community, Turley taught an assortment of courses, including piano, piano literature and piano pedagogy. He even taught music courses for students that were not music majors or minors.

SJU junior Ezra Noska did not know what he fully wanted to do career-wise after his first year of college. Turley helped him explore his options and helped him receive a piano scholarship to the institution.

“He has been my advisor since [my first year], and he really encouraged me to go for a piano minor. He is basically the whole reason that I am still here at this school,” Noska said.

Turley taught private piano lessons to students of all majors and minors, either for fun or to fulfill a scholarship.

“I have taken lessons from Ed since I was a first-year. I am not a music major or minor and I have quite a heavy course load in my other classes, but he was always very understanding and accommodating of my busy schedule. He continued to constantly push me to be a better piano player,” Anderson said.

Besides teaching, Turley was head of the music department for 18 years and played with other faculty and colleagues in the CSB+SJU Faculty Chamber Music Ensemble.

“I knew Ed not only as a colleague but also as a friend. He was on the board that hired me, and he really welcomed me to campus. We played together in different programs for many years, and I can truly say that he has made me a better musician,” music department chair Amy Grinsteiner said.

Tribute was paid to Turley at the St. John’s homecoming football game this past Saturday. His picture was displayed on the Gagliardi scoreboard where people could pay respects and take a moment of silence.

“I think this tribute really shows the impact he had. People came together to put this tribute on, and it was truly amazing to see” Grinsteiner said.

Turley’s Memorial Service will take place on Oct. 29 at 2:00 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Chapel.

“He was so willing to say and willing to connect and communicate with anybody and everybody, which is what made him such a great person and teacher,” Grinsteiner said.