Grant Park chorus director dies at 51

Michael Cullen, director of the Grant Park Symphony Chorus sinceAugust, 1994, died Tuesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was51.

"He had had a liver transplant a few weeks ago," said PhilipHale, development coordinator for the Grant Park Music Festival. "Heseemed to be on the way to a successful recovery, so we were verytaken aback."

"He was a tremendous musician and a wonderful person, and hewill be greatly missed," said James W. Palermo, the festival'sartistic and general director.Mr. Cullen had been associated with the Grant Park chorus for 28years, as assistant conductor and accompanist. He became directorafter the June, 1994, death of Thomas Peck, …