Dudley Birder, long-time St. Norbert College music director, passes away

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - St. Norbert College has confirmed one of its former icon’s, Dudley Birder, has died Saturday at the age of 95.

Birder started as a professor of music at the college starting in 1958, then serving as artistic director for its music theatre from 1961 to 2017.

He also founded the chorale in 1971 that now bears his name; Birder officially retired in 2018 after working at St. Norbert College for about 60 years.

Thomas Kunkel, St. Norbert College interim president, released a statement saying:

“Everyone in the St. Norbert College family mourns the loss of our friend and colleague Dudley Birder. Indeed, for many Dudley was synonymous with St. Norbert. More than anyone he elevated the modern profile of the college and made thousands and thousands of people around the world aware of it as our foremost cultural ambassador.

Closer to home, the Dudley Birder Chorale and Music Theatre contributed immensely to the cultural life of Northeast Wisconsin and greatly enhanced our collective quality of life. Other institutions tried to lure him away, but for Dudley, this place was home.

We will be forever grateful to him for his decades of musicianship, friendship and dedication, and our hearts go out to the Birder family.”

Funeral arrangements for Dudley Birder are pending.