Notre Dame Glee Club

Last updated

The Notre Dame Glee Club is a 75-voice, all-male choral ensemble at the University of Notre Dame.[ citation needed ] Founded in 1915 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest Glee Club at a Catholic University in the United States.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Founding and development

Samuel Ward Perrott founded the Notre Dame Glee Club in 1915. Perrott had studied at Notre Dame (1912–1914, 1915–1916) as well as Harvard University (1914–1915). While at Harvard, Perrott joined the Harvard Glee Club under direction of Archibald Davison. According to the 1916 edition of Notre Dame's yearbook, the Dome, it was at Harvard that Perrott "got the idea of how a (glee) club should be run." Perrott returned to Notre Dame again as a student in the fall of 1915 [1] and held auditions for a Glee Club. At these first auditions, one hundred young men tried out for fifty places. Thus the Notre Dame Glee Club was born.

The Glee Club first took the stage on December 11, 1915 in Washington Hall on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and performed to a receptive audience. The student magazine, The Scholastic, called the performance "a triumph" and the Dome observed, "Before this time there had been grave doubts expressed about the success of the club," but with the first concert, the clouds of doubt were dispelled. Perrott began plans for a major concert tour. Although the major tour plans fell through, the Glee Club did perform its first tour concert in Indianapolis, IN on May 6, 1916.[ citation needed ]

The Glee Club today

For formal performances, the group members wear formal evening dress (White tie). On other occasions the group performs in matching blazer and necktie, matching polo shirts, or in street clothes.[ original research? ]

The club performs four annual campus concerts, one in Autumn, one at Christmas [2] (three consecutive performances of the same program, the proceeds of which go to the South Bend Center for the Homeless and Food Bank), one in Spring, [2] and one for commencement. [2] All major concerts[ according to whom? ] have been performed in the 950-seat Leighton Concert Hall in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC). Before the construction of the DPAC, the concerts took place in Washington Hall, which can seat 550 people.

The group or portions of it perform other concerts over the course of the year. These include ND in Revue (Saturday mornings before each ND home football game), joint concerts with other campus and outside ensembles, events in and around the South Bend area, and certain University functions. The group has partnered with visiting artists; in recent years, these have included Ronan Tynan, Leon Fleisher, Dave Brubeck, Vince Gill, and the Kronos Quartet.[ citation needed ] The group also partners with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra;[ citation needed ] pieces they have performed together in recent years include Symphony No. 2 (Mahler), the 1812 Overture, and Alexander Nevsky. Every year the group sings at Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.[ citation needed ]

The Glee Club performs in songs in the film Rudy,[ citation needed ] especially during scenes of football games at Notre Dame Stadium. These songs include the Notre Dame Victory March and Hike, Notre Dame.[ citation needed ]

The Glee Club also performed on The Ed Sullivan Show on April 5, 1953. The songs that the group performed were Home! Sweet Home!, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Hallelujah and Amen, and the Notre Dame Victory March.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Notre Dame</span> Private Catholic university in Indiana

The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, north of the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campus covers 1,261 acres in a suburban setting and contains landmarks such as the Golden Dome, the Word of Life mural, Notre Dame Stadium, and the Basilica. Originally for men, the university started accepting undergraduate women in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glee club</span> Musical group or choir group

A glee club in the United States is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs by trios or quartets. In the late 19th century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition to have in American high schools from then on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Mary's College (Indiana)</span> Liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S.

Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic women's liberal arts college in Notre Dame, Indiana. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the name of the school refers to the Virgin Mary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notre Dame Stadium</span> Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana

Notre Dame Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, the home field of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornell University Glee Club</span>

The Cornell University Glee Club (CUGC) is the oldest student organization at Cornell University, having been organized shortly after the first students arrived on campus in 1868. The CUGC is a thirty-nine member chorus for tenor and bass voices, with repertoire including classical, folk, 20th-century music, and traditional Cornell songs. The Glee Club also performs major works with the Cornell University Chorus such as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Handel's Messiah, and Bach's Mass in B Minor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvard Glee Club</span> Choral ensemble

The Harvard Glee Club is a 60-voice, Tenor-Bass choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1858 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest collegiate chorus in the United States. The Glee Club is part of the Harvard Choruses of Harvard University, which also include the treble voice Radcliffe Choral Society and the mixed-voice Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum. All three groups are led by Harvard's current Director of Choral Activities Andrew Gregory Clark.

The Notre Dame Victory March is the fight song for the University of Notre Dame.

Rutgers University Glee Club (RUGC) is a nationally recognized men's chorus based at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is currently conducted by Dr. Brandon Williams. Dr. Patrick Gardner, the previous conductor, directed the group from 1994 - 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radcliffe Choral Society</span> Choral ensemble

The Radcliffe Choral Society(RCS) is a 60-voice treble choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1899, it is one of the country's oldest soprano-alto choruses and one of its most prominent collegiate choirs. With the tenor-bass Harvard Glee Club and the mixed-voice Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, it is one of the Harvard Choruses. All three groups are led by Harvard Director of Choral Activities Andrew Clark. The RCS Resident Conductor is Meg Weckworth. RCS tours domestically every year and travels internationally every four years.

The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival at the University of Notre Dame is an annual festival that seeks to combine professional productions of the works of William Shakespeare with community engagement and educational programs. The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival is a part of the University of Notre Dame's Shakespeare initiative entitled "Shakespeare at Notre Dame", a program that recognizes the centrality of the study of Shakespeare in humanistic pedagogy at the University. Its fifteenth season was known as the 15/150, also celebrating the 450th birthday of William Shakespeare, and the 150th anniversary of the first full production of Shakespeare at the university in 1864. The anniversary season consisted of the Professional Company production of Henry IV, the Young Company performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor, and the annual ShakeScenes shows featuring actors of all ages from South Bend and the surrounding community.

The Fairfield University Glee Club is a mixed chorus of about 60 undergraduate and graduate singers at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. The Glee Club has performed in churches, schools and recital and concert halls throughout Europe, singing from Galway to Rome and Florence to London. The choir has performed at Carnegie Hall, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Westminster Cathedral in London, the Aula Paolo VI at the Vatican and the U.S. military academies at West Point and Annapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band of the Fighting Irish</span> Marching band of the University of Notre Dame

The Band of the Fighting Irish is the marching band of the University of Notre Dame. Over 300 members of the band represent nearly every field of study, and include students from across the United States as well as from overseas. The Band of the Fighting Irish is composed of students from the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest university marching band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra</span>

The Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra is the primary orchestra of the University of Notre Dame. The orchestra is an ensemble of 70-80 players devoted to the orchestral music of the 18th through 20th centuries. The orchestra is open to all members of the Notre Dame community; non-music majors who wish to continue instrumental performance during their college careers are particularly encouraged to participate. The orchestra currently rehearses on Tuesday evenings and presents three campus concerts in the Marie DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts. The orchestra also occasionally takes off-campus tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Tech Glee Club</span> Musical artist

The Georgia Tech Glee Club is an a cappella singing group founded in 1906 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. It is a student-run glee club currently directed by Dr. Jerry Ulrich. The Glee Club sings all original arrangements and compositions arranged by Dr. Ulrich and by members of the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Building (University of Notre Dame)</span> Building in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States

University of Notre Dame's Main Administration Building houses various administrative offices, including the office of the President. Atop of the building stands the Golden Dome, the most recognizable landmark of the university. Three buildings were built at the site; the first was built in 1843 and replaced with a larger one in 1865, which burned down in 1879, after which the third and current building was erected. The building hosts the administrative offices of the university, as well as classrooms, art collections, and exhibition spaces. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio State University Men's Glee Club</span>

The Ohio State University Men's Glee Club is an all-male choral ensemble at The Ohio State University. Officially founded in 1875, the Men's Glee Club is one of the oldest student organizations on Ohio State's campus and one of the oldest collegiate glee clubs in the United States. The group has garnered many accolades, most notably winning Choir of the World 1990 from the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheaton College Men's Glee Club</span>

The Wheaton College Men's Glee Club is an all-male glee club, at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois currently conducted by Dr. Jerry Blackstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campus of the University of Notre Dame</span> Overview

The campus of the University of Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and spans 1,250 acres comprising around 170 buildings. The campus is consistently ranked and admired as one of the most beautiful university campuses in the United States and around the world, particularly noted for the Golden Dome, the Basilica and its stained glass windows, the quads and the greenery, the Grotto, Touchdown Jesus, its collegiate gothic architecture, and its statues and museums. Notre Dame is a major tourist attraction in northern Indiana; in the 2015–2016 academic year, more than 1.8 million visitors, almost half of whom were from outside of St. Joseph County, visited the campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeBartolo Performing Arts Center</span> Building in Indiana, United States

The Marie P. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) is a performing arts venue located on the south end of the University of Notre Dame campus and open to the South Bend, Indiana, and wider community. The 150,000 square foot facility, which opened in September 2004, was financed in large part by a gift from Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., and the building was named in honor of his wife. The current executive director of the facility is Ted Barron. In addition to performance spaces, the building also contains offices, teaching spaces, and production facilities for Notre Dame's Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, as well as for the Department of Music, the Department of Sacred Music, and the Shakespeare at Notre Dame program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carroll Hall</span> University residence hall in Indiana, United States

Carroll Hall is one of the 33 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 16 male dorms. Carroll is located on the shores of St. Mary's Lake, and is the smallest of the residence halls, housing around 100 undergraduates.

References

  1. "Dome Yearbook 1916".
  2. 1 2 3 "Glee Club Concerts". Gleeclub.nd.edu/index_events.htm. Retrieved March 10, 2013.

Further reading