Fall 2009 - Rutgers University Glee Club

The Glee Gab
Volume 27, Issue 1, Fall 2009
Director
Dr. Patrick Gardner
732-932-1799
[email protected]
Advisor
Dr. Peter R. Gillett
732-445-4765
[email protected]
GLEE CLUB
SELECTED TO
SING AT ACDA
NEW PIN TO
UNIFY RUGC
ALUMNI
MARK A. BOYLE
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
TOM CLARKE, RC ‘71
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
2009–2010
Senior Officers
President
Rich Wells
[email protected]
Business Manager
Dan Comito
[email protected]
Treasurer
Matt Prepis
[email protected]
Vice President
Alumni Relations
Matthew Gunther
[email protected]
Vice President
Special Organizational
Affairs
Steve Rocha
[email protected]
Inside This Issue
History of RUGC
Houses
...Page 2
A Look Back
...Page 4
Our Graduating Seniors
...Page 5
Far From Friends And
Far From Homeland
...Page 7
From Estonia to
America
...Page 9
Summer Alumni BBQ
...Page 11
The Official Newsletter of the Rutgers University Glee Club
A
M
trio of alumni from the class of 1971—Pete
ost Glee Club members know precisely
Jensen, Barry Zucker, and Tom Clarke—has
what ACDA is, but for those who don’t
worked over the last several months with enthusiknow, it is the American Choral Directors Assoastic members of the current Glee Club Executive
ciation—the largest and oldest organization for
Council, especially Dan Comito, to try to capthose in the choral profession. This year, ACDA
ture the energy and support of all alumni of the
celebrated its 50th anniversary at the biennial
Rutgers University Glee Club. To that end, a new
National Convention in Oklahoma City. The RutRutgers University Glee Club Alumni pin is now
gers University Glee Club is no stranger to these
available to all men who sang with the Glee Club
events, having performed at the 2001 National
during their years “on the banks.”
Convention in San Antonio, where it brought
The pin design was established following the
William Bolcom’s The Miracle to life. In 2006, we
exchange of many e-mails and several meetings.
returned to spread the Rutgers University Glee
The final pin, depicted on this page, is ¾ inch in
Club sound to a crowd of choral conductors hundiameter and suitable for wearing on a
gry for great choral music at the Eastern
sport or suit coat lapel, as a tie tack, as a
Division Convention in New York City,
“Pride in
collar pin, or as a keepsake to be specially
performing Schubert’s Nachtgesang im
Musical
displayed.
Walde and premiering Jennifer Higdon’s
The design features a prominent red
Excellence
The Voice of the Bard. I wasn’t a member
st
of the Glee Club at the time but I am
Since 1872” “Block R,” the 21 century Rutgers spirit
mark, and also features the “Q Clef”
told that the house roared after hearing
which has been for generations the symEthan Sperry’s Ramkali Raga and Mrs.
bol and logo of the Rutgers University Glee Club.
Gardner’s Oh What a Pretty Little Baby.
The combination of the
Well, gentlemen,
traditional and the new
fasten your seat belts and
reflects the role of the
program your GPS for
Glee Club men of Rutgers
Philadelphia. The Glee
and their dynamic leader,
Club is once more takDr. Patrick Gardner. Uning the stage at the 2010
der Dr. Gardner’s leaderACDA Eastern Division
ship, the club carries on
Convention, February
the singing traditions of
10 th–13 th. A most recepthe 19th century singing
and mandolin societies,
tive and discerning audiwhich were the origin of
ence will be waiting for
the today’s Glee Club.
us as we seek to provide
They do so with Rutgers
the definitive exemplar
songs, drinking songs and
of the term “Glee Club!” The official logo for the ACDA Conference, to be held
other “glees.”
in Philadelphia in February 2010
An invited performance
“ACDA” continued on Page 2
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
“Pins” continued on Page 3
The Rutgers University Glee Club is a performance ensemble of the Mason Gross School of the Arts
ACDA
Continued from Page 1
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
at an ACDA convention is one of the brass rings
in the choral world, and the Rutgers University
Glee Club is running out of fingers.
2009–2010
Junior Officers
Executive Secreatary
Peter Fabian
SAS ‘12
Technology Coordinator
Christopher Glass
SAS ‘12
Public Relations Manager
Jawray Yu
SAS ‘12
Tour Manager
Justin Sweeten
SAS ‘12
Music Manager
Cesar Rainho
MGSA ‘12
Uniform Manager
Geoff Ming
RC ‘10
Historian
Dave Feinblum
SAS ‘12
The Glee Club will be performing at the
First Baptist Church of Philadelphia
The headliner for this convention is none
other than noted Bach scholar and acclaimed
conductor, Helmuth Rilling, artistic director and
conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival. The Oregon Bach Festival is one of the most celebrated
festivals of the Baroque master’s music here in
the United States and Rilling is the only conductor ever to have recorded the complete works of
J. S. Bach not once, but twice! This is a fairly astounding fact as Bach wrote well over 1000 pieces
of music. Our own Patrick Hosfield (MM ’08)
holds a position with this organization, having
recently been appointed Director of Corporate &
Donor Relations.
“We The People” is the theme of this convention, held in the City of Brotherly Love. How appropriate that we, brothers in song, will be there
to share our music. A room full of choral artists
will be waiting for us in the Cradle of Liberty,
yearning to hear the proud voices of the Rutgers
University Glee Club!
The First Baptist Church of Philadelphia
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
The Glee Gab
A HISTORY OF
RUGC HOUSES
MATT PREPIS, SAS ’11
TREASURER 2009–2010
W
hen Rutgers students or alumni think
about the Rutgers University Glee Club,
their first thoughts will most likely be about
music. To our current and former members,
however, other thoughts come to mind:
friendships, bus rides, parties, and of course,
Glee Club houses. In recent years, the Glee Club
houses have become as essential to Glee Club
social life as McKinney Hall is for rehearsal.
Currently the three main houses are located on
Harvey Street and Duke Street, off the College
Avenue Campus, where a handful of current
members reside.
Although College Avenue is now the Glee
Club house hotspot, Cook/Douglass Campus
was where many of the houses were located in
the 1990s, with the exception of one house on
Senior Street. On the Cook Campus side of New
Brunswick there was a house comprised of all
graduate students who were also members of the
Rutgers University Glee Club.
Matt Cirri spoke fondly of the house on
Cook where Chuck Linnell and others lived and
partied. The long standing tradition of the Glee
Club “toga party,” which currently takes place
at Duke Street after completing the Christmas
in Carol and Song Series concerts, was initiated
by this group of dedicated Glee Club members.
Scott Pashman, Harry Allen, and Keith Sattely, all
Executive Council members, occupied the first
floor of a large house on Suydam Street, with
other tenants on the second floor. After their
first year, Scott moved out, but Matt Cirri and
the others took over the upstairs and downstairs
of the Suydam Street house. Scott talked about
the years after he left: “Those were the days when
58 Sudyam apparently became quite the party
house, but that was after my time.” Dr. Gardner
recalls visiting a particularly riotous Suydam
Street party after the Glee Club’s premiere
of William Bolcom’s The Miracle at the IMC
Conference, which was hosted at Rutgers that
year. “The club was having so much fun I figured
I better congratulate them and leave before the
police arrived.”
Of the three current houses, the Duke Street
house has the most history. It was founded in
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 2
Pins
Continued from Page 1
95 Harvey Street is in the process of being
“repopulated” by Glee Club members
1994 by a few members including Jeffrey Shaman and Lazlo Varga. Sean Plante and Jeffery
Hoos founded the Harvey Street houses just five
years ago. The Harvey Street area was chosen by
a few members who previously lived on Central
Avenue, or as alumnus Casey Schlosser calls it:
“Party Central. It was madness. It was pandemonium. It was home.” Unfortunately, the Glee
Club tenants decided the house they loved was
no longer livable, and re-located to a pair of
houses on Harvey Street. Last year, 86 Harvey
housed two Glee Club Presidents (present and
former), the Business Manager, Treasurer, Historian, Vice President of Special Organizational
Affairs, and El Supremo. The house across the
street, 95 Harvey, is currently being repopulated
with Glee Club members. Giuseppe Fusco spoke
fondly of living at a Glee Club house, saying:
“It was as if you were at Glee Club rehearsal at
home,” and he jokingly added: “unless you live
with a music major; they never stop singing!”
Glee Club houses have become an important
aspect of our organization’s history and social
fabric. Not only have these houses provided a
number of memorable stories, they provide a
home away from home for Glee Club members, a
home base for Glee Club road trips, a mantle on
which to display Glee Club memorabilia, and a
place where the history of our organization and
its members can be passed down in a way more
personal and perhaps more powerful than history books and photo albums.
The Glee Gab
At the same time the Glee Club sings works of
prominent 21st century composers including
William Bolcom, Jennifer Higdon, and Stephen
Sametz, and outstanding arrangers such as Susan
Gardner, as well as performing other pieces of
modern music.
The new cloisonné alumnus pin is available to
all Glee Club alumni for a suggested donation of
$25. The pins were distributed for the first time at
the August 23, 2009 picnic in a ceremony at Johnson Park near the University. If you were not able
to make that event, your pin can be sent to you by
mail.
All graduating Glee Club members starting with
the class of 2009 receive their pins for free, courtesy
of the Rutgers University Glee Club Alumni Association. The money donated by Alumni for these pins
will be transferred to the Glee Club’s general fund
to be used for future tours, and other appropriate
expenses. It is up to the Glee Club itself through its
Executive Council, Dr. Gardner, and their advisor,
Dr. Gillett, to address how the funds are to be utilized.
The design of this pin also may be used in the
future on supporter and patron pins, shirts, sweatshirts, and other items to help fund the Glee Club’s
many activities.
Per the order form, Pete Jensen is our money
collector for all pin orders. Please send your check
in the sum of $25 made out to the Rutgers University Glee Club Alumni Association (RUGCAA) at the
address indicated on the form, so you can very soon
display your Rutgers University Glee Club pride.
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
To receive
regular e-mail
updates and
concert
announcements
for the Glee
Club, go
to gleeclub.
rutgers.edu
and join the
Alumni
E-mailing List
The newly created
Rutgers University Glee Club Alumni Pin
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 3
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
A LOOK BACK:
AN INTERVIEW WITH
WESLEY KONRAD
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
MATT PREPIS, SAS ’11
TREASURER 2009–2010
R
“
“I feared going
to a large university because
I feared being
a little fish in
a big pond. The
Club became my
college family”
–Wesley Konrad
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
utgers was the Rutgers University Glee Club.”
These are the powerful words spoken by William Wesley Konrad, who was known by his friends
as Wes, an alumnus of the Rutgers College class
of 1948. After high school, Wesley matriculated
to Lehigh University as a pre-theological student
and accepted a state
scholarship to Rutgers
University in 1941.
“Everything that
happened to me after
going to Rutgers was
positive, I can’t really
think of anything that
was negative after
that.”
When he first
arrived at Rutgers,
Wesley immediately
joined the Glee Club
under Soup Walter
because of his love of
all things musical in
high school. In this
era the Glee Club
performed at each
Sunday service, functioning as the Chapel
Choir at Kirkpatick
Chapel. Wes’s early
Wesley Konrad
interest in the church and
ministry was already apparent and from his first days at Rutgers he served at
the altar with Dr. Walter H. Stowe at the 8AM mass,
along with his roommate Clarence Sickles, who later
became Episcopal Chaplain at Rutgers. “We sang on
Sunday at Kirkpatrick, but also sang all those rowdy
things on Saturday night.”
In addition to his devotion to the church,
Wesley was also a member of ROTC for two years
before he left for World War II. On December 7th,
1941 Wesley and the rest of the Glee Club went to
perform a concert at the State House in Trenton,
New Jersey. Wesley remembers that during the per-
The Glee Gab
formance, “Some guy came up the center aisle and
handed a note to Soup Walter, and Soup said: ‘Japan has just declared war on the United States! We
will now sing the Star Spangled Banner.’ It has never
been sung like that before, or since, ever.” After that
powerful moment, many members of the Glee Club
began shipping off for the war. Wes had arrived at
Rutgers as a postulant for the ministry and thus had
a deferment from military service.
A little over a year later, on February 28th, 1943,
Wesley decided to enlist, considering the Army Air
Corps and the Navy. Asked why he wasn’t considering the Army, Wes joke: “I got interested in flying
primarily because I couldn’t imagine walking all
over Europe.” He passed the examination and was
immediately shipped to Waterville, Maine for flight
training. In the Fall of 1944, Wesley sent a letter to
his girlfriend Helen
Margaret Mead saying: “Let’s get married
right away.” She responded with a “yes,”
and Wes arranged for
a nuptial service in
Greenwood, Mississippi, where he was
stationed at the time.
Wes finished his
duty and returned
home in 1946 to a
pregnant wife and
“had to check out the
Jersey Shore to see if
the Atlantic Ocean
was still there.” After
five years of not being
in school, he noted:
“Getting back into
studying was unbelievably difficult.”
After his return he
was elected Business Manager and set up a trip to
Bermuda, but the tour was cancelled due to political
issues in Bermuda. Instead, he set up a last minute
trip to Atlantic City: “It was awful!”
One of Wesley’s favorite memories is of the
Glee Club performance of The Testament of Freedom by Randall Thomson. The performance was
at Carnegie Hall and Paul Robeson performed on
stage with the Glee Club. He fondly remembers:
“There were a lot of good things happening in those
days in the Glee Club.”
Wes noted that the three most important words
that represent his Rutgers and Glee Club experience have to be: Brothers, Sing On! “I feared going
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 4
to a large university because I feared being a little
fish in a big pond. The Club became my college
family.” Wes admits that Glee Club was “my only
serious extra-curricular activity and the opportunity to sing under Soup Walter’s leadership was the
primary force. I had sung under many conductors,
but no one could hold a candle to him. He had so
much energy, and was such fun . . . cartwheels down
George Street and ‘Me, May, Maw, Mu’ or ‘Tra, la, la,
la, la, Tra, la, la, la, la, la, la, la’ for warm-up sessions
. . . followed by dead seriousness when we began to
sing. The whole experience was electric.”
Wes finished seminary in 1951 and was ordained as an Episcopal priest. While Wes was the
priest at All Saints Anglican Church on St. Thomas
in 1969, he arranged for the entire Glee Club to
perform a concert tour on each of the islands. He
grew close to Soup during his tenure as Tour Manager, and had an unforgettable experience during the
performance: “Soup was directing O Magnum Mysterium at the high school with well over 1,000 students all gathered together. The Glee Club divided
into two parts; one at either end of the auditorium.
When the antiphonal effect surfaced, those kids—
who had been raised on Reggae and Calypso—began to holler and scream. I was embarrassed until
I realized that they were reacting with unbelievable
joy to a sound they had never heard. There were not
many dry eyes among Glee Club members.”
From 1969 to 1974, Wesley was the rector of
Grace Church in White Plains, New York and for
ten years after that he worked at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Frederiksted, St. Croix. “In 1986,
with [my] good friend Father Robert Hamlyn, we
founded Caribbean Ministries, Inc. The purpose of
the organization was to provide temporary leadership in parishes throughout the West Indies.” The
program brought over one hundred retired priests to
the island because of the island’s shortage of priests.
After his retirement Wes, Helen, and often their
children, have spent time on one of the West Indian
islands almost every year, often serving where there
was no parish priest. “It has been the best kind of
retirement anyone could ask for.” After his stay in St.
Croix, Wesley returned to Grace Church and assisted
his successor until 1997. “I was never enthusiastic
about retirement so assisting at the Grace Church
was just what the doctor ordered.”
A few years later Wesley moved to North Carolina, where he currently resides with his daughter,
Karen. He is now a member of St. Martin’s Episcopal
Church where he has the new opportunity of “being
a part of a worshiping community. It’s kind of fun to
be the ‘senior’ senior citizen.” One of the last questions I asked him was if he still sang, and he replied
with a smile: “Do I still sing? Do I still breathe? My
singing isn’t so good anymore and neither is my
breathing, but my motto is still ‘brother, sing on!’”
OUR
GRADUATING
SENIORS
MATT GUNTHER, SAS ’11
VP ALUMNI 2009–2010
A
nother year has passed, and so the members of
the Glee Club have once again said goodbye
to the graduating seniors who have earned their
Rutgers degrees and are ready to move on to bigger
things. Leaving us at the end of the 2008–2009
academic year were Mason Gross graduates Sean
Plante, Chris Bleeke, Eric Drylewicz, and Jeff Smith,
Rutgers College graduate Mark DiGiovanni, School
of Arts and Sciences graduate Dennis Chu, School
of Engineering graduate Rupnath Chattopadhyay,
and Cook College graduate John Cifelli. All of
these gentlemen made their own contributions to
our Glee Club whether it was as a musician, as a
student leader or,
in many cases, as
both.
At the
Glee Club Senior
Banquet, held at
the end of the
year, every graduating senior is
invited to speak in
front of his peers
about his Glee
Club experience,
and to conduct
a Rutgers song of his choice. Sean Plante stated in
his speech at the Senior Banquet that his greatest
experience in Glee Club was being an officer. Sean
Plante’s most notable time on Council was spent
during his two years of service as the Business Manager of the Glee Club, and then as the President
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
Go to gleeclub.
rutgers.edu to
find out more
about the
upcoming events
for 2009–2010!
Dr. Gardner conjuring
up musical intensity
“Graduating Seniors” continued on Page 6
The Glee Gab
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 5
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
Graduating Seniors
Continued from Page 5
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
of the Glee Club during the 2007–2008 academic
year. Sean’s ability to think on his feet and make
quick decisions, and his ability to take care of minor
details, are just a few of the qualities that many of
Sean’s peers admired during his time as an officer. Mason Gross graduate Jeff Smith’s speech
was the first, but certainly not the only speech, to
state that the Glee Club was not just a part of his
Rutgers University experience, but in fact was almost
his entire experience at Rutgers University. Jeff did
not join the Glee Club until his sophomore year in
college. Jeff averred that joining the Glee Club was
the best decision he made during college, and that
not joining the Glee Club in his freshman year was
the most regrettable decision he made in college. Jeff
made strong contributions to the group musically,
and also held the position of Technology Coordinator during his final two years in the Glee Club.
Eric Drylewicz, another Mason Gross
alumnus, received a Bachelors of Music Education
with a concentration on trombone this year. When
asked why he joined Glee Club, Eric said: “All of
my friends were already in it, and were bugging me
relentlessly to join. I decided to audition, and it was
a great choice.” With his degree, Eric is planning on
pursuing a job teaching music, and hopefully continuing to perform on the side as much as possible.
Eric made musical contributions to the Glee Club
both vocally and instrumentally. Last year, the Glee
Club performed Anton Bruckner’s Inveni David, a
piece that uses a trombone quartet. Eric, along with
fellow 2009 alumnus Jeff Smith, was a member of
this quartet. The group played beautifully, and saved
us from having to hire trombone players from outside the group. This displayed to multiple audiences
the versatility of our organization.
One of this year’s graduates, Mark DiGiovanni, has already embarked on the next stage of
his life. Mark, who received a BA in Psychology from
Rutgers College, is now attending Lesley University
in Cambridge, Massachusetts to pursue a Master’s in
Education. Mark reflected on his memories with the
Glee Club, choosing singing and partying with Cantabile Limburg in Germany as his personal favorite.
Mark lists his experience on the Executive Council
as another large part of his Glee Club experience. In
his freshman year, Mark assisted the Historian with
going through the archives to find Glee Club history
dating back to the first thirty years of our club’s
existence. The following year Mark was elected Vice
President of Alumni Relations and Development; he
The Glee Gab
Former El Supremo John Cifelli conducts the Glee
Club for the last time as an underclassman
was both Public Relations Manager and Tour Manager in his junior year, and then was elected Vice
President of Special Organizational Affairs for his
senior year. Mark notes that his specialty as an officer was working on the Glee Gab. He adds that even
after he passed on his position as Vice President of
Alumni Relations and Development in junior year,
he still worked on every Glee Gab that followed.
Mark says: “I was always proud to have some part in
the inner workings of the group that had provided
me with so many great friends and memories.”
Although John Cifelli was never an officer
of the Glee Club, he was still a strong leader of the
group as El Supremo. John received a Bachelor of
Science in Meteorology from Cook College this
year. When asked why he joined the Glee Club,
John stated it was because he “wanted to keep singing after High School, and did not make the cut for
the Kirkpatrick Choir.” John is looking to use his
degree to find a job as a TV Weatherman, and having encountered his ability to draw the attention of
a crowd, I don’t think it should be a problem.
To all of our graduating seniors from various classes of 2009, I will speak for everyone in the
Glee Club’s current membership when I say that
graduating is not tantamount to leaving the Glee
Club. Once you become a member of this historic
brotherhood, you will forever remain our brothers
in song. I am hopeful that every single one of you
will continue to keep in touch with the Glee Club
for years to come.
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 6
FAR FROM
FRIENDS AND
FAR FROM
HOMELAND
remembers one particular road trip that took
him and several others to West Virginia for a 12
noon women’s basketball game. Immediately
after that, they drove up to Pittsburgh for a 7 PM
men’s basketball game (I hope gas was cheaper
at the time)! Additionally, Vince couldn’t say
enough about how much he enjoyed going to
Stuff Yer Face after rehearsal. “That was really
where the camaraderie and fellowship that make
Glee Club came out.”
RICHARD WELLS, RC ’10
Vince’s history with the military began with
PRESIDENT 2009–2010
his grandfather and a few of his uncles who
served in World War II. As an Eagle Scout, Vince
described his enlistment as a “natural progression from Scouting to the military.” His time
oday, there is a wide variety of headlines
in the Army National Guard began on October
and stories to follow in our world news. It
27th, 1998 when Vince enlisted at Fort Hamis sometimes difficult to grasp that all of these
ilton in New York as a Private First Class. As
things can be occurring simultaneously. One
the Commander of Delta Company, Vince is
alumnus, however, recently experienced somecurrently in charge of 160 solthing that many of us simply
diers. Their primary mission is
read about in the papers. I was
to provide logistical, mainfortunate enough to have the
chance to speak with First Lieutenance and security support
tenant Vince Tirri, of the New
for the 1st Squadron, 102nd
Jersey Army National Guard’s
Cavalry Regiment. While in
250th Brigade Support BatDiyala (about 40 kilometers
talion. Vince, a 2004 Univerfrom the Iranian border),
sity College Graduate, recently
Vince was originally assigned
spent nine months over in Iraq
as an Executive Officer for B
in the province of Diyala, and
Troop. As an “XO,” Vince was
brings some of the stories that
in charge of the supporting
once seemed so far away a little
elements that allowed B Troop
closer to home.
to execute their Area Security
Vince grew up in Pequanand Force Protection misnock Township, New Jersey,
sions. Due to some problems
and came to Rutgers to study
in D Company, and Vince’s
First Lieutenant Vince Tirri
at Mason Gross School of the
performances as an XO, he was
Arts with hopes of becoming a high school band
promoted to take command of D Company on
teacher. His interests changed, however, and
February 5th, 2009.
Vince soon excelled to graduate with a major in
I asked Vince to reflect on his time overseas,
history. He attributes his membership in the Glee
and explain some of the “pro’s” and “con’s” of
Club to a freshman-year friend, Frank Tracey.
his time spent in Iraq. He replied: “I learned
Vince remembers approaching Dr. Gardner a few
a lot about myself as a leader. There is nothing like combat command to test what you’ve
days before the Christmas in Carol and Song
learned in school, and read in books. You can
Series after hearing how highly Frank spoke of
read Sun Tzu and Clausewitz until you’re blue in
the club. The Spring semester rolled in, and after
the face, [but] until you have 130 people whose
a successful audition Vince was admitted as the
lives depend upon your decisions, you never
Glee Club’s newest Bass II. While at Rutgers,
know how you’ll perform.” Among other lessons
Vince participated in a variety of other activities
learned, Vince noted his experience working
including ROTC, and the Marching Band.
with the Iraqi Army. “I had a lot of bitterness
Within the Glee Club, Vince held several
going into this deployment [due to] friends of
leadership positions as well. His sophomore year
mine who had been wounded, and two who had
was spent as CD Manager, and he progressed
been killed in the initial invasion. I didn’t really
to be elected VPSOA during his senior year. He
looks back fondly on the Club’s tour in 2003, but
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
T
“Lt. Vince Tirri” continued on Page 8
The Glee Gab
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 7
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
Lt. Vince Tirri
Continued from Page 7
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
To chat with
Glee Club
Alumni, go to
www.yahoo.com
and create a free
account. Then go
to Yahoo Groups
and type in
“Rugleeclub”
Lt. Tirri demonstrating
Soup Bowl
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
want to go and ‘help’ the people whom I held
responsible. But working with them, going to the
local villages, meeting the people and talking to
their leaders [helped me] gain a different perspective on things. I feel that I’m a better soldier
and person having actually met them, and not
just thinking that they’re insurgents. They’re a
very warm-hearted people, who simply want to
live their lives without fear.”
These valuable experiences did not come
without hardship, however. Vince had to watch
his daughter, who was four months old when he
left, take her first steps, and speak her first few
words over the Internet. Time apart from his wife
and other family and friends was also difficult,
but Vince remained positive as he compared his
experience to his grandfather’s during World War
II: “I shouldn’t complain, because my grandfather had to hear about that stuff through letters.
We’re definitely very spoiled by technology.” The
addition of responsibilities caused Vince’s stress
level to “go through the roof . . . you’re paranoid
that every convoy is going to get attacked, and
that every patrol will get ambushed. You do a lot
of praying and giving thanks when [your] guys
roll back inside the wire.” On top of this, Vince
had to deal with the issues left behind
by his Company’s previous command.
Vince also mentioned being upset
that he couldn’t attend the Christmas
in Carol and Song Series: “It sounds
corny, but it’s something that I look
forward to every year.”
Unfortunately for those of us
classified as “civilians,” Vince is not
allowed to divulge any details relating to the more dangerous or exciting
missions in which he took part. He did note that
January 2009 was an exciting time, though, when
control of his area was transitioned to the Iraqi
Army. “It was truly [something] to take pride in,
knowing that they were taking responsibility for
the security of their own nation.”
A tour overseas is not just filled with topsecret missions, and dangerous expeditions,
though. When asked about some of his enjoyable
experiences, Vince commented on one afternoon
that he called his “best day in Iraq.” It all started
when an interpreter named Mustafa approached
him with: “Tirri! Tirri! I want to kill a lamb!”
Mustafa went on to explain that he and the other
interpreters wanted to have a lamb roast. They
The Glee Gab
were all prepared, and even located a local shepherd who was willing to sell them two lambs.
After a brief trip to a nearby village, a variety of
Sudanese dishes were prepared to compliment
the meat. The roast was a success, and Vince
remembers simply: “We just had a great time.”
Overall, Vince’s deployment time totaled one
year (three months were spent in Texas when
he was first mobilized). His time at Rutgers and
in the Glee Club helped Vince accomplish a
great deal throughout his career. The diversity
at Rutgers was reflected in his ability to respect
the various cultures he encountered. Even his
instructors at Fort Bliss in Texas commented
that the New Jersey soldiers were better at these
interactions in general. Vince’s nerves about
interacting with the culture overseas were also
mitigated upon the remembrance of his Glee
Club European Tour—the experience of living
with a host family boosted his confidence. In
leading his fellow soldiers, Vince remembered
an important Glee Club lesson: as a member of
Glee Club, you’re an “ambassador for Rutgers.”
He applied this to his service, noting, “If you’re a
good ambassador of the United States, then [the
Iraqis], especially the kids, will grow up remembering the Americans as good people.”
Currently, Vince is happy to “get back to
being a dad.” As a teacher, he is also glad to
have the summer to relax for a while, and begin
work on the restoration of his 1979 Jeep (his
wife is slightly less excited about this). He looks
forward to the possibility of a promotion to
the rank of Captain, getting his Master’s Degree
in History at Rutgers Newark, and cheering
the Soup Bowl team to another victory. Offering some words of wisdom, Vince encourages
Rutgers undergraduates to “take advantage of
all Rutgers has to offer.” He also stresses the
importance of contributing to the community.
“Take time to do something for people in your
community. If you go home one weekend a
month and volunteer with a church, school,
Scout Troop, or anything along those lines, you
will feel amazing about the lives you impact.”
The Glee Club membership continues to follow Vince’s example, with a few current members and recent alumni who have followed in
his footsteps towards the armed services. We are
grateful for the hard work and dedication that
individuals like Vince exhibit, and we wish him
the best of luck for the future!
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 8
FROM ESTONIA
TO AMERICA
THE ‘09 SPRING CONCERT
DR. PATRICK GARDNER
DIRECTOR
T
he New York Times recently reported on the
success of Bruce Springsteen’s use of the Stephen Foster tune Hard Times Come Again No More
on his current tour, noting how effective this
work of the great 19th century American melodist was as a bridge to his encores. Well, in our
Spring concert the Rutgers University Glee Club
beat him to the punch by three weeks when it
presented this wonderful work in a marvelous arrangement for men’s chorus in similar fashion—
bridging from an opening half of European and
then American concert works to a set of popular
“Americana” including folk songs, spirituals and
popular songs by Duke Ellington and U2.
I have been asked to write a few words about
the repertory on this year’s Spring Concert—how
I chose it, what my thoughts were, and what I
particularly liked about the repertory and the
performances. It is fun to sit back now, after the
months of rehearsing, and think my way through
this wonderful music, especially after a particularly rewarding semester of working with a great
group of guys on this music. So let me start by
saying I feel very lucky to have the freedom to
program so much challenging repertory because I
have one of the best ensembles in the nation!
I began this program with some works in
a traditional genre—though in one case, by no
means a traditional harmonic language. After our
opener, Howard McKinney’s Brothers, Sing On!
we performed three sacred motets, placing a very
new work, Ambrož Čopi’s Sub Tuum Praesidium,
between Leoš Janáček’s Veni Sancte Spiritus and
Pavel Tchesnokov’s Spasyeniye. I discovered this
piece by the thirty-six year old Slovenian composer Čopi when I was at the International Federation of Choral Music conference in Copenhagen
last summer. It is a challenging work harmonically, with the middle section providing the most
difficulties with the six way split in the voices
highlighting a separation between the three part
tenor chords and very low moving parts in the
bass/baritone section. The meters change nearly
every measure, making for a fun rhythmic chalThe Glee Gab
lenge.
I found another new piece in Copenhagen
and it quickly became one of this year’s “hits”
with the club: Veljo Tormis’s Jõulud Tulevad. Sung
in Estonian, it is an ancient text celebrating
the change of the seasons. The middle section
of this work features big “macho” chord progressions that are always a favorite of the Glee
Club! I was especially pleased to find this piece
because it makes such a great foil to Tormis’s
lyrical and beautiful Kolm Mul Oli Kaunist Sõna.
As challenging and exciting as this first section of the concert was, the “main course” was
yet to come, starting with Joseph Gregorio’s
Sudden Light. I had envisioned an “American” set
that was dynamic in its movement from concert
music to folk and pop songs that have made
their way into the choral canon. Joseph Gregorio
has become a favorite composer of ours—his
Dona Nobis Pacem was a highlight of our repertory on our last European tour and Sudden Light
made a great opener to this set of three particularly difficult works
to sing.
The text
of Sudden Light,
about the
sudden
realization
that the
subject of
the poem
has found
a true and
eternal
love, completely engaged us throughout the year.
That work made a great contrast to the next
piece, Stephen Sametz’s Dulcis Amor. Scored for
harp, baritone and tenor soloists, and men’s
chorus, this work’s eighth century text by the
Carolingian scholar Alcuin is a perfect evocation
of the power of brotherhood. The composer attended our long rehearsal on Friday and joined
us again on Saturday afternoon as we worked
hard to perfect every phrase. Our own graduate
student and assistant conductor Mark A. Boyle
was joined by former assistant conductor, alumnus David Kimock, as they sang the intertwining
melodies of the solo parts. This was clearly a
highlight of the semester.
Our third “serious” work of this set was
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
Graduate Student
Mark A. Boyle
“Spring Concert” continued on Page 10
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 9
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
Spring Concert
Continued from Page 9
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
Jennifer Higdon’s arrangement of Amazing Grace.
This complicated reworking of the basic materials of the famous song was a new arrangement
for men’s chorus, done by Jennifer for the Glee
Club through a commission from alumnus Bob
Mortensen. Bob has worked closely with Ms.
Higdon over the years while she has been the
composer in residence with the Philadelphia
Singers. Bob is the president of the board of that
ensemble. Alumni who sang William Bolcom’s The
Miracle will remember the length and
incredible musical challenges of that
work. But he did write some simpler
works, and his setting of William
Blake’s My Pretty Rose Tree and Waitin’
are truly perfect evocations of all that
is best in the world of “crossover”
between classical music and American
folk songs. Those two works led beautifully into Hard Times Come Again No
More, the 19th century song Nelly Gray,
and Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll heard
in the arrangement by Susan Gardner.
The capper, heard just before intermission, was Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of
U2’s MLK. Chris Peckhardt did a great
job singing the emotionally powerful
A few of the 2008–2009
RUGC Basses
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
solo, helping the Glee Club realize the musical
progression from “classical” to “folk” to modern
popular song that had been such an important
part of the planning of this program.
I write this article in June, looking back on a
great musical journey of rehearsals and performances, with my stereo blasting new tunes,
surrounded by a flurry of scores on my desk, at
the piano, and on the floor. It is time to have
some fun putting together next year’s programs,
and I am lucky to know that Rutgers’ “brothers
in song” will be back on campus in September
ready to roll up their sleeves and produce some
great sounds “on the banks” once again.
Some of the 2009–2010
RUGC Tenors
Upcoming Events
Wellesley College Choir
Exchange Concert
Saturday, November 14,2009
TBA
Wellesley College
IMC Convention
Thursday, March 18, 2010 –
Saturday, March 20, 2010
TBA
Miami University
Christmas in Carol and Song
Saturday, December 12, 2009
6:00 PM and 9:00 PM
Sunday, December 13, 2009
5:00 PM and 7:30 PM
Kirkpatrick Chapel
138th Annual Spring Concert
Saturday, May 1, 2010
8:00 PM
Nicholas Music Center
ACDA Regional Convention
Thursday, February 11, 2010
10:45 AM
First Baptist Church of Philadelphia
Choral Extravaganza
Saturday, March 5, 2010
8:00 PM
Nicholas Music Center
The Glee Gab
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 10
SUMMER
ALUMNI BBQ
B(URGERS), B(EER),
Ever Changing
Yet Eternally the
Same
AND Q(-CLEF)!
RICHARD WELLS, RC ‘09
PRESIDENT 2009-2010
F
or students, summer is usually a time when
all things Rutgers get put on hold, and take
a back seat to vacations and bar-b-que’s. Many
in the working world also take advantage of the
season to enjoy the outdoor opportunities that
winter does not allow. This summer, and for
the second consecutive year, the Glee Club has
bridged the gap between the Spring and Fall for
students and alumni alike.
RUGC members and
alums singing a song
El Supremo Patrick Murphy
conducting the group in a Rutgers song
This year’s alumni bar-b-que drew a crowd of
alums and undergrads who represented a significant portion of the Rutgers population. From the
50’s and 60’s (John Bauer ’59, and
Bob Mortensen ’63), through the prospective
class of 2012, Glee Club members past and
present shared stories, food, games, and songs
under a relieving canopy of foliage in Piscataway’s Johnson Park. Jason Wendroff (’93), his
wife Tracey, and Brad Trechak (’93), were able to
reminisce about Glee Club during the late 80’s,
adding yet another element to the living timeline
of our beloved Club’s story.
Some interesting appearances included Bob
Brown (’67), the creator of our beloved Q-Clef,
Stefan Langerman (’98) who happened to be in
town from Belgium, and Casey Schlosser (’08)
who currently resides in California. And of
course, it wouldn’t be an alumni event without
The Glee Gab
the attendance of Michael “Ernie” Walters (’93).
Additionally, our most recent group of
alumni from the class of 2009 was given the
privilege of being the first graduating class to
receive our newly established Glee Club Alumni
pins (thanks to Tom Clarke, Pete Jensen, and
Barry Zucker, class of ’71); the first of what may
hopefully be many more classes to come!
As with any outdoor event, the cooperation
of “Mother Nature” always makes it a bit easier
to enjoy the festivities; laughter and vibrant
chatter was only stifled by the interruption of a
hamburger, a sip of beer, or to pause for a photo. The crowd began to wane with the coming
of evening, and a satisfied (albeit dry, despite
weather warnings) group of current members
packed the last few coolers away to signify the
end of the bar-b-que, but the beginning of another academic year with the Glee Club.
“Raise your glasses now to the sky,
For Rutgers name shall never die!”
Rutgers University Glee Club
Page 11
Mason Gross
School of the Arts
The Rutgers University Glee Club Presents:
The All New,
Digitally Recorded,
2007 European Tour CD!
Featuring:
Ave Maria – Franz Biebl
Beati Mortui – Felix Mendelssohn
Einklang – Hugo Wolf
Nachtgesang im Walde – Franz Schubert
Ramkali Raga – Arr. Ethan Sperry
Voice of the Bard – Jennifer Higdon
Plus much more!! To order your copy today,
detach the CD order form and mail to the address
below, or order online at gleeclub.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University Glee Club CD Order Form
Name:
_____________________________
____ copies of The Bells Must Ring! @ $15.00 each = ___________
Address:
_____________________________
and ____ copies of Let Thy Good Spirit @ $15.00 each = ___________
_____________________________
City:
_____________________________
State:
___________ Zip: ______________
and ____ copies of the 1999 Eastern European Tour CD @ $15.00 each = ___________
and ____ copies of the 2003 European Tour CD @ $15.00 each = ___________
and ____copies of the NEW Hear The Voice @ $15.00 each = ___________
Plus $2.50 each for postage + ___________
Amount Enclosed: ___________
Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery
The Rutgers University Glee Club
Marryott Music Building
81 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1568