After 43 years of teaching at Logansport High School, Tim and Susan Cahalan are retiring and passing down the legacy to two young women. Emily Brooke, a Ball State University graduate, and Angela Ticen, a Goshen College graduate, are taking over the choir program starting fall 2023.

“I’m most excited to build relationships with students,” Brooke said. “Coming right out of college, I’ve never been in charge of my own choir before. So, I’m really looking forward to having my own class and students.”

Ticen studied secondary education and music. She is certified in choral music and instrumental music, qualifying her to teach band as well. She also participated in choir, theater, marching band, orchestra and accompaniment. 

“I’m looking forward to starting a job in a community like Logansport where music is a big deal,” Ticen said. “There has been a long-running program of musical excellence. The students all seem very engaged and excited to be participating in the music department. I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Brooke studied vocal and general music education. She participated in the show choir at Ball State, chamber choir, concert choir, women’s choir, musical theater, varsity basketball, track and 4-H.

“One thing I’ve been thinking about, that I probably will implement would be a women’s choir,” Brooke said. “I would love to build that within the next couple of years. I know that there is a chamber choir and swing choir and all the repertoire they have fits for a women’s choir.”

The two of them had not met before they were rewarded the positions. They both expressed excitement and some anxiety. 

“I think that I have very big shoes to fill,” Ticen said. “It’s a little bit scary going into a place where the people who ran it before me ran it for 43 years and have been super successful. I’m qualified, but I don’t have a ton of experience teaching full-time. It’s exciting but also a little nerve-wracking coming in as a beginner, and the Cahalans have been doing such a good job for so long.”