Fall Update from the Glee Club President

Dear Alumni and Friends,

It’s been some time since we’ve reached out with an update from the hill, and I’m sure you've been wondering how your Glee Club has been making its way through these crazy times.  I thought I could offer you a glimpse into how our days have changed here on the hill, and how we’ve all been working together to keep the club alive and thriving, despite the circumstances.  

As the semester has progressed, the Glee Club has been continuing our regular meetings each Wednesday online. These sessions have provided us a unique opportunity for critical listening together, something we don’t always get the chance to do while preparing our programs in pre-COVID times, and also carved time into our weekly meetings to learn more about Glee Club history. We’ve also taken time in our sessions to enjoy recordings of recent performances from the Club, one of our favorites recently was Franz Biebl’s Ave Maria, sung by Glee Club members and Alumni at the 150th reunion in 2019.  

As you know, this pandemic has dealt a difficult hand to singers, and while we cannot meet in person safely as a full group yet, we’ve still found ways to make music together.  Those of us spending the semester here in Ithaca have had the chance to attend optional small-group “consorts” with groups of up to 10 meeting outside the Johnson Art Museum, appropriately distanced, to learn and sing classic Glee Club repertoire.  Beyond our Ithaca campus, all of our Glee Clubbers have been able to sing in virtual choir projects that we have in development (more to come on that in the future!).  Making music really is the pulse of our Glee Club, and while that experience in COVID times may have pulled us from the choir lofts of Sage, I hope that you’ll be heartened to hear that we continue persevere and to find beauty and brotherhood in song.

It hasn’t been all business this semester though - our Vice President Drew Ware has crafted a steady diet of online and in-person activities for the group to safely enjoy, including: online games nights, a halloween movie online watch party, a Cascadilla Gorge walk, and outdoor board games.  Music isn’t the Club’s only pulse, and it’s been wonderful to see the members continue to grow close and build close connections, even when we’re physically far apart!  

I’m hoping to continue to share more brief updates with you in the weeks to come, so be sure to look out for more frequent dispatches from the Hill soon!  I look forward to talking more with you soon, and until then, I hope this finds you and your loved ones well.

Yours in glee,

Ben Dohmeier ‘22
President

P.S. - A few things to do, while you’re here!