9.21.04

For Public Release

Another autumn is commencing in Ann Arbor, and as usual, the changing of the season is marked by three things- the leaves turning, the return of football Saturdays and, of course, another exciting year for the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club. Fresh off a hugely successful tour of Great Britain and Ireland, the nation's second-oldest collegiate chorus is proud to present its 145th season, and what a thrilling season it promises to be!

Under the direction of Stephen Lusmann, the Glee Club commences this anniversary year by celebrating the 100th "birthday" of the Michigan Union. A staple of the Michigan campus and intimately tied to the history of the Glee Club, the Union will host a Centennial Anniversary Gala event on October 29th. At the Gala, the Glee Club will perform selections from its vast collection of college songs, many of which have their origin in the tradition of the Michigan Union Opera Company.

In November, the Club will travel to White Lake, MI for a concert at the brand new Lakeland High School Performing Arts Center. Then, on November 13th, the Glee Club will cap the fall term in style with their 145th Anniversary Concert at Hill Auditorium! On the weekend of the concert, the Club is excited to be welcoming a number of its alumni back to Ann Arbor. There will be a Men's Glee Club Alumni Reunion Banquet at the Michigan League on Friday evening, November 12th. Then, on Saturday, many alumni will gather for a tailgate prior to the Wolverines' battle on the gridiron against Northwestern. Of course, the weekend's activities will be punctuated with the concert at Hill Auditorium Saturday night.

January of 2005 kicks-off with the fifteenth annual Male Vocal Arts Day currently being coordinated by Jon Zande. At the end of the month, the Glee Club will depart on its Winter Tour for a pair of concerts in Ohio. On Friday night, January 28th, the Club will travel to Dayton to perform at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Then on Saturday, January 29th, the Michigan Men's Glee Club will be hosted by the Ohio State University Men's Glee Club for a joint concert in Columbus. The Ohio State Glee Club is under the direction of Robert Ward and the Michigan Men are anxiously awaiting this opportunity to perform with his chorus.

On the first of April, the Glee Club will be performing in Birmingham, MI at St. Regis Church. On April 9th, the Glee Club will present its 145th Annual Spring Concert at Hill Auditorium. This concert will be a collaborative effort as the Michigan Glee Club welcomes back former conductor Patrick Gardener and the group which he currently leads, the Rutgers Men's Glee Club.

Finally, we will cap the year with our Spring Tour of the East Coast. In early May, the Club will venture to some great cities including Boston, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. One especially exciting stop is in New York City. There the Men's Glee Club will be performing Beehtoven's 9th at Carnegie Hall with the Smith College Women's Glee Club. Many snaps go to tour manager Jay Rapaport for his tireless work towards coordinating what promises to be a very memorable two weeks- a fitting end to what promises to be a great 145th year!

Contact: Andrew Hoffman II, Operations Manager

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