Alpine Tour 2025 Day 7: Vienna, Austria (4/3)

By Claire Kurisko ‘27

Today we had free time to explore Vienna until 3:30! I decided to spend the morning and afternoon exploring the city. I visited Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral with my friends. We also tried Wienerschnitzel at an Austrian restaurant! After lunch, I visited the Hofburg Palace and went to a butterfly garden full of butterflies and moths. We returned to our hotel at 3:30 and traveled to TU Vien for our collaboration concert. We rehearsed in the space, watched TU Vien rehearse, and had a very fun concert together! We also had a mixer with TU Vien after the concert, and it was amazing to connect with the students at the University.

Alpine Tour 2025 Day 7: Vienna, Austria (4/3)

By Xiangyue Lin ‘27

- Free time
I originally went to Schubert's birthplace in the morning, but because it was closed, I took the streetcar and underground to Karlsplatz.

At first, I visited the famous Musikverein from the outside: it was a gorgeous light-red building with glamorous figures and ornaments.

I walked along the street and entered a park. Here, I met Anders, Hongtao, Claire, Sofia, and Erin. They took me into the butterfly house. Inside the house, large butterflies were everywhere: some were flipping their glittering wings, some were savoring food on the plates, and some were staying on a flower. Nature's beauty also had a place to thrive in Vienna.

Afterward, I had my lunch and went into St. Stephen's Cathedral to explore what this immense and elaborate building looks like. The sunlight passing through the stained glass windows left shades of blue and purple; the organ played intermittently; the candles burned silently.

- TU Wien! TU Wien!
At 3:20 PM, we all put on concert blacks and headed for TU Wien.

When we arrived, we rehearsed for a while. After a short free time, we gathered at the staircase to form a circle. Because this was our last concert during the tour and also the last tour for the graduating students, Prof. Lerangis let those students stand out and told us how they served as our role models with their commitment and love. Then, Prof. Lerangis said: "Arts should be shared, and we were sharing our art throughout the tour." Their saying made me very proud as a Chorus member because I was one of the people sharing music in different corners of the world.

The concert began. It was called "Pop Meets Classic." We performed choral pieces from the Renaissance to modern times composed by musicians from various countries. Before we sang the final song, Prof. Lerangis also expressed gratitude to the three tour managers who organized anything, no matter how big or small. After that, our final performance ended with the delightful and powerful gospel "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."

Following our performance was the TU Wien Choir. At first, they formed a large circle around the venue, letting their voices resonate around and encompassing us; then, they performed a wide range of popular pieces with incredible creativity, such as using cellphones to create light effects and a variety of choreography. Alex, the conductor, swayed with the melody, seeming like an inseparable part of the harmony. We danced and clapped together with them. After each piece's end, we shouted "TU Wien! TU Wien!" because of our excitement about their performances. We cannot believe that such a young choir with 11 years of history had so much energy and musicality, just like the bright and bold clashes of black and blue they wore on the stage.

As a student studying conducting, I talked with Alex after the concert. The fact that he was not a professionally trained conductor startled me: He works both as a computer science lecturer and a choral conductor! However, even though I am taking conducting classes as a music major, I still need to learn a lot from him: how he managed his life, maintained his musical engagement, and interacted with the members effectively.

The mixer was in a large room. TU Wien students sang a song they arranged, and then the Glee Club sang "Ride the Chariot;" after TU Wien's second song, Chorus members formed a circle and did "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." Then, TU Wien performed a pop song medley, and we all sang along with them. Everyone was chatting, singing, and dancing, making the night unforgettable: even though we were from different countries, our love of music and willingness to share our art brought us together.

Alpine Tour 2025 Day 6: Vienna, Austria (4/2)

By Rina Macaranas ‘28

Goooooooood Morning Choristers! I'm writing to you from Salzburg at the ripe hour of 6:30 AM! We’re leaving today at 10, and I feel as if I didn’t get to go see enough of the city. Emma and Maya texted me last night and asked to go to the Sound Of Music Gazebo! It is so early…. But I’m excited– and there is a bus that takes us there!

Our time with the gazebo included such effervescent activities like:

• skipping around it

• contemplating picking the lock (i would never break any laws ever)

• singing 16 going on 17 dramatically

• taking exuberant amounts of photos

Also, thank you for noticing my dress. Where did I get it, you may ask? Second Hand in Salzburg. That’s right, my thrifting game does not end, even in Austria. :)

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so we left Salzburg by train. Luckily the train ride was fairly short— and I napped/looked out the window for all of it. And then… we arrived at Vienna! I specifically requested to blog in Vienna, not due to any emotional attachment to the city, but because Vienna (the Billy Joel Song) is the song that got me into singing. I’ve been a pianist most of my life, and the piano for the song is enchanting. I sang it as the finale to my Senior Piano Recital— it was a hit.

Well, today was a very busy day— we went straight to the venue to do a sound check. The gasp I let out when I entered the cathedral was audible (with an audible reverberation too!) Once we dropped off our belongings at the hotel and ate a small snack, we changed and headed to sing!

I think this is the best we have ever sounded. It sounds corny, but I entered a complete flow state. We’ve been performing a lot over the last week, and our legs and feet were so sore, but all of that hurt seemed to fade away as we began singing. The audience was excited to hear us, and our voices were amplified by the tall vast ceilings of the cathedral. All in all, it was transcendent— I wish I could’ve been there to simply listen.

We didn't have much time to explore Vienna today, but I walked around with a few friends and got gelato before resting! (+rock climbing? Inexplicably there was a rock climbing wall outside of our hotel…)

Don’t think I forgot about Billy Joel, though! I had a friend take a video of me singing Vienna (in vienna!) I couldn’t find a piano, unfortunately, so its way less impressive… but I had a great time today. So sad tour is coming to a close!

Alpine Tour 2025 Day 4: Salzburg, Austria (3/31)

By Gloria Lane ‘28

On 3/31, my room awoke a bit late. We got dressed and packed quickly to join the rest for breakfast. Our tummies were filled with hotel croissants and cappuccinos. All 80 of us walked to the beautiful Swiss train station where we took a short train before beginning our longer journey to Salzburg, Austria. On the train many people slept while Claudia and I listened to podcasts. After being amazed by the stunning alps I sketched a picture of my view out the window. We then used my sketchbook to draw portraits of each other where I have to admit Claudia beat me significantly.

At around 4pm our train halted into the station we filled out and I was lucky enough to have my suitcase carried on and off by the glee club. We arrived at Zum Hersen hotel where we got dressed up for dinner. In our fancy attire we arrived and ate at Sternbrau. I had the turkey with apple strudel for dessert but others enjoyed goulash and chocolate cake. With a full tummy I ended the night walking around the beautiful quiet city on a Monday night before returning to bed to prepare for tomorrow’s concert.

Alpine Tour 2025 Day 3: Zurich, Switzerland (3/30)

By Kaelin Lamberson ‘28

It was a rough night for me because in addition to recovering from jet lag and the five-hour time difference, I lost an hour of sleep due to daylight savings. I got four hours of sleep, waking up early to have breakfast at the Novotel Genève Centre. I couldn’t even tell you my favorite part of the meal because everything was so scrumptious! I’m not a cheese fan, but when in Switzerland, one MUST try cheese! I actually quite enjoyed three or four different types of cheese (the names of which evade me). Now, I can genuinely smile when saying “Cheese!” for a photo because I’m brought back to the happiness and fulfillment I felt when dining on these delicacies.

I slept on a forty-minute train ride for half an hour and on a two-hour train ride for an hour, dozing on my friend Rita’s shoulder. I practiced some of our concert repertoire and snapped some scenic shots of Switzerland. The hills were indeed alive with the sound of music!

While waiting outside Hotel Zuri By Fassbind, we saw a young child and their father smiling and waving at us from about four stories or higher above us. I beamed, searching for the pair, smiling even before I spotted them because their unexpected kindness was sweeter than the breakfast I had this morning.

The acoustics in Kirche St. Anton were incredible and our concert was a great success. Before two alumni joined us at the end to sing the “Evening Song” and “Alma Mater,” we sang “Happy Birthday” to Jill Parker, one of our fantastic tour managers.

To celebrate Jill’s birthday, a good chunk of Choristers (mostly After Eight (A8) members - Jill is in A8, as am I) ate at Piccolo Giardino. Before going to this restaurant, A8 sang our version of “Girlfriend” (our welcome-to-the-a-cappella-group song) to Frannie (the current A8 member who has been in the group the longest) to surprise her and because of this, we had to run to the tram. Four of us made it (including me, hehe).

A large group inside the restaurant was silently and intently watching something on a TV, so we dined outdoors, though it was a little chilly. The waitress was kind, offering us candlelight and blankets. The kitchen was closing but we were able to eat pasta, soup, and mushrooms. I didn’t know what the soup of the day was but ordered it nonetheless, hoping to warm up nicely. It was pea soup and I was not a fan. Frannie swapped dishes with me, so I had her pasta with tomato-chile pepper sauce, which I enjoyed (bless her, she’s so generous).

While today was mostly dedicated to train and tram travel, rehearsal, and the concert, I had a great time! I had never been to Europe before this trip and am so grateful to the Chorus for providing me this life-changing experience.

Con mucho amor (“with much love”) from one who “passed through the valley” (a lyric from “and the swallow,” a song arranged by Caroline Shaw in our repertoire),
Kaelin, ‘28

Alpine Tour 2025 Day 2: Geneva, Switzerland (3/29)

By Natalie Suggs ‘26

This was quite a long day, we ended up fitting in a lot of activities! I was rooming with Suhana and Julieanne, and we started out the day with breakfast at the hotel. There was an incredible array of options, lots of fruits and vegetables. We took a quick roomie picture before heading down to breakfast.

After breakfast, we joined up with Maya, Adedayo, Jiji, and Arianna and headed towards the edge of Lake Geneva in the hopes of taking a boat across part of the lake. However, we were unable to find the boats so instead we crossed the bridge by the lake. The lake was beautiful, it was showing different shades of greens and blues. And you could see the mountains in the distance which was an incredible sight! We also saw a swan standing on a shallower part of the lake.

After crossing the bridge, we arrived at the edge of the Jarden Anglais, where we saw a statue surrounded by flowers. We also ran into another group of people in the Chorus, and we took a giant group photo together under the statue.

Next up we headed towards the Old Town, and made our way up to the Saint Pierre Cathedral. On our way up, there were a couple of cherry blossom trees which were blooming, and we made a quick stop to take pictures. We also took a fun staircase photo together.

Finally, we reached the Cathedral. It was huge and had giant pillars at its entrance outside. Inside, it was very tall and had a very impressive design. It also had some beautiful stained glass windows.

Inside the Cathedral, we ended up going up the tower which was 157 steps up a winding staircase! While it took a while, the view at the top was amazing. There was a wonderful view of the city from all sides of the tower. We also could see the bells that they ring, and on our way down we heard them ringing.

After the Cathedral, we headed towards a chocolate shop called Guillaume Bichet, and along the way we saw some cool statues and scenery.

Next, we headed back to the hotel for a brief rest. Then Suhana, Julieanne, Jiji and I headed back out for lunch. I’m vegan, and Suhana found a vegetarian restaurant with many vegan options near us called Give A Fork, so we took the tram over to the restaurant. The food was delicious and tasted incredible, we all really enjoyed it!

After the late lunch, we headed back to the hotel and got changed for our concert. We then headed over to Holy Trinity Church for our first concert! It went well, and it was really cool to experience our first concert in Europe!

After the concert we headed back to the hotel and went straight to bed and all fell asleep right away, as it had been a very fun but very exhausting day!

Alpine Tour 2025 Days 1 & 2: Geneva, Switzerland (3/28 & 3/29)

By Emma Alexander ‘26

We begin our journey bright and early in Ithaca! Our bus left Ithaca around 10 AM to head towards JFK. From there, it was a six hour flight to our first stop of the tour, Geneva, Switzerland! After a long day of travel, we started off our trip with our first rehearsal at the Holy Trinity Church. The stained glass was absolutely gorgeous!

After rehearsal, we had some free time, so we decided to check out Lake Geneva. The lake is one of the largest in Western Europe, and spans across both Switzerland and France. We stopped to take pictures, and then continued onwards across the bridge to this beautiful park with some of the prettiest flowers I’ve ever seen! In the park, we passed multiple groups of about two dozen individuals dancing together to music, which was a great way to start the trip.

After the park, we had some time to walk around Old Town, where of course we had to stop for chocolates! After eating those within five minutes, we continued on deeper into Old Town, where we passed a beautiful carousel and entered the Terrasse Agrippa-d'Aubigné park, which gave us some great views of the Old Town area. Here we also saw some cherry blossom trees, which reminded me of home! On the way back to the hotel, we also stopped in Letu Books, which is a book store entirely dedicated to the arts! Inside, they had books in both French and English on everything from chair designs, to theatrical sets, and expressionist art. Of course, I had to take a picture of the typewriter they had for sale! The day ended with a lovely group dinner!

Bright and early the next day, we ventured out to explore Geneva! As a serial roadside-curiosity lover, my first stop was the Broken Chair monument outside the United Nations. This chair is symbolic of the human rights campaign against landmines. After visiting the chair, we headed across the street to see the UN Alley of Flags! We looked, but couldn’t seem to find the U.S.

After the Alley of  Flags, we headed over to the Geneva Botanical Gardens, which we explored both inside and out! We also attempted to find a geocache for a good hour before coming to the conclusion that someone had likely stolen it (although I was still able to find one in Austria!). The botanical gardens also had a small zoo with some adorable animals!

After the botanical gardens, we headed over to the Museum of Art and History. The museum had a vast variety of artwork on display, and is currently exhibiting an exhibition on clocks and music boxes. Afterwards, we grabbed some really amazing cheese fondue from the oldest cafe in Geneva. Bill Clinton apparently dined there a few decades ago!

We also stopped at the gravesite of Frank Martin, the composer of the Latin mass we sang throughout the entire tour, to pay our respects. Overall, it was a jam-packed day before our concert in the evening, but it was a great way to kickoff tour by exploring the beautiful city of Geneva!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 10: DC -> Ithaca

By Emma Alexander, 01/20

While the last few days have been exciting getting ready for classes to start, it would be remiss of us not to mention any of our trip back home from DC to Ithaca!

After our fantastic reception the night before, we woke up in DC bright and early on Saturday to hit the road! While it was sad saying goodbye to our homestays and knowing tour was coming to an end, we still had a long bus ride ahead of us. To pass the time, we talked, made friendship bracelets, and took much-needed naps to rest up for our return from tour concert this Friday.

For lunch, we stopped at a mall in Pennsylvania, where there was unfortunately no singing cotton candy machine this time. After a nice lunch and looking through stores that were having sales (we are on a college student budget after all), it was time to hit the road again. For the second half of our drive, there was more laughter, talking, and much-needed rest. After driving for a few more hours through gorgeous snowy hills, we arrived in Ithaca around 6 pm. 

The fun didn’t end there, however. Once we arrived, we got to sing Will the Circle for one of our fantastic bus drivers, John. John and Stacy, our other amazing driver, worked tirelessly to make our tour as smooth as possible, and it was such a joy getting to know them throughout our trip. 

After parting ways, a group of us stood outside laughing and waiting for a bus back to our dorms, a memory I’m sure we aren’t soon to forget. That evening, a few of us couldn’t quite seem to part ways, and we spent hours reflecting on the joys that tour brought us. 

To everyone involved in this tour, whether it be our tour managers, professors, homestay hosts, or those who attended our concerts, I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving us such wonderful memories to look back on, and for helping us to create a community of music lovers. I know I speak for all of us when I say that we hope you enjoyed our tour as much as we did, and we hope everyone we met along the way will keep in touch!

And again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

With love,

Emma 26’

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 9: DC

By Summer You, 01/19

January 19th started with an unexpected snowstorm! Washington D.C. was evidently unprepared for snow, so my homestay group took an alternate route to meet with the rest of Glorus in the morning. We toured the Capitol building together; there were lots of old paintings and sculptures that were well preserved and displayed historical but outdated perspectives of the American population at the time of the artwork’s creation. The most memorable was the portrait monument to suffrage pioneers: I found it intriguing how the sculpture was left intentionally unfinished to symbolize the ongoing fight for gender equality in the US.

After enjoying some warm pho at a nearby restaurant, my friends and I headed for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the afternoon. I personally am a HUGE fan of museums so I had a lot of fun seeing all the sections. I loved playing around with the interactive gadgets in the Human Origins hall and fantasizing about all the different colorful gems in the gemstone hall. My friends and I also took some pictures with casts of dinosaurs and prehistoric humans.

We arrived at the Church of Epiphany for our soundcheck before the concert around 6PM. Everyone was talking about how we were almost done with the tour and how we hoped to end this tour on a good final note. Some Glorus members prepared gifts for our directors and tour managers and got many members to sign them, which was super sweet and wholesome. The concert went very well and I thought it had some of our best performances of songs that we previously struggled with. Dr. Nieh also laughed at our tour burn so I call that a success!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 8: Philly -> DC

By Claire Kurisko, 01/18

Today was a relaxing day full of good food and good fun with the glee club and chorus! We slept in this morning, and many of us had a nice breakfast at our hotel in Philadelphia. After our rehearsal, we grabbed a quick lunch and got ready to depart for Washington DC!

Our bus ride was pretty relaxing, and most of us ended up napping for the few hour journey.

Once we got to DC, we all ran over to see the White House before our dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. The evening was full of laughs, and we also celebrated two birthdays while at dinner!

After a long day, everyone was ready for a good night sleep to get ready for our last concert tomorrow, and my friends and I departed to our lovely homestay’s house!

Only two more days of tour left!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 7: NYC -> Philly

By Amy Mojica, 01/17

Yesterday, our day was super eventful! We started off the day in NYC, then made our way down to Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, New Jersey for a workshop with the choir members. They were all incredibly talented, and we exchanged music in the chapel. Each group sang two songs for the other, and it made for a great sense of community.

Shortly after, we had a lunch break that was initially supposed to be in Plainfield, NJ. That didn’t work out, so we drove a bit further out until we reached the Menlo Park mall and enjoyed some food in each other’s company. My friends were feeling silly so they brought cotton candy from a singing vending machine (we got a lot of laughs from it). The bus ride to Philly was peaceful, but not for long because we played CHORUS JEOPARDY! Unfortunately I was a member of the losing team, but the glory of knowing that Prof. Lergangis’ only dislike in the world was Dr. Pepper was enough to tide me over the journey of overcoming shame.

Afterwards, we held a short rehearsal for the concert in Philly, and went up to sing. Overall, it was a great show and seeing all the different people come out to support the choir program was a reminder of the community that chorus has given me. A few of the glorus members went to dinner together after the concert and had a taste of Philadelphia (we loved it)!

Thank you to everyone who has been so thoughtful and accommodating towards the Chorus and the Glee club—tour has truly been such a joy!

Much love,

Amy :-)

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 6: NYC

By Priscilla Natawidjaja, 01/16

Hi! I’m Priscilla, a senior in the Chorus. As a tour manager from NYC, I was so incredibly excited to plan this stop and bring the Chorus and Glee Club to my hometown!

In the morning, we had a workshop at Stuyvesant High School, my Alma mater! We had three sessions with the high school’s tenor bass choir, the treble choir, and the SATB choir learning different songs from our rep. We also sang a few pieces from our rep and answered questions about our experience at Cornell.

Next, we had free time to explore the city. Students wandered all around Manhattan, walking around Brookfield Place, Times Square, and Tribeca.

In the evening, we got ready for our concert at St. Barts, a stunning venue in the heart of the city, lit up in red for Cornell. The concert was incredible, with a huge turnout! After the concert, we had a lovely reception coordinated by a few NYC alums: Megan Lemley, Nancy James, Debbie Skolnik, TP Enders, and Jacques Boubli. It was so great to meet all the alums and sing Cornell songs together.

This day was particularly special to me for a myriad of reasons—not only was I able to return to my high school and reconnect with old teachers and friends, and it was the first time my family was able to listen to us sing in person.

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 5: Boston -> NYC

By Pranati Patnam, 01/15

Day 5!

Today was a travel day. My friends and I departed Boston early that morning to head to Providence for lunch. The weather was very pleasant and the sun warmed up our faces and lifted spirits.

We stopped in Providence for lunch, and decided to look around Brown University before getting a meal. We took pictures of the famous “Rocktree” on campus. Then, we ate at Wong’s Kitchen, which had served tasty Vietnamese food.

Heading towards New York City after filling our stomachs, most of us napped. While entering Manhattan, the familiar sights and sounds of the nightlife from the city that never sleeps comforted my senses after a long day. I met my college friend after reaching the hotel and took the subway to her house in Brooklyn. Today was a great mix of new experiences tied with old, familiar, and homely places.

Stay tuned!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 4: Boston

By Lourdes Diaz, 01/14

Today was filled with beautiful people, lively places, and delicious food. In the morning, our lovely homestays Heather and John fed us eggnog muffins, baked casserole, and fresh fruit, a wonderful way to start our day.

While heading to the Boston Commons, we were given a quick tour of the seaport! Shortly after, we briskly met up with some friends at the commons and split up to start our respective days. My friends and I planned on visiting the Boston Public Library but we ended up arriving at an hour early.

To kill time, we headed to Newbury street to explore and eat lunch. We stopped by a cute bookstore cafe, exploring and bonding over their unique trinkets.

We decided to eat a warm ramen lunch at Red & White. I ordered a Truffle Salt ramen—thick cut ramen in a thick broth and topped with light salty truffle oil. While we were waiting for the ramen, I made a quick boba run with some friends! I got a caramel cheese foam milk tea which was divine. Stuffed and happy, we wrapped up Newbury Street with a bit of shopping.

We headed back to the Boston Public Library and wandered about before finally heading to the church. After rehearsal and the concert, we all headed to the concert reception, which had such beautiful, grand decor. Covered in gold and intricate details, the reception hall was filled with nostalgic energy and excitement.

After a night of festive singing and socializing, we all headed back to our homestays where we happily shared pizzas and stories about Chorus and Cornell. We were so lucky to hear the endearing stories of our Cornell alumni. Thanks to our homestays, we’re ready to rest up and take on NYC!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 3: Montréal -> Boston

By Janice Shen, 01/13

Today was definitely a long day of travels, but it was full of opportunities for fellowship and fun.

Although we were all quite groggy in the morning, leaving at 8:30 AM, we got to catch up on some sleep on the bus from Montreal to Lake Placid. When we arrived, Lake Placid was raining and the ground was slushy, so we had to cancel our plans to go sledding. However, my friends and I quickly started exploring the beautiful town, with cute ceramic stores, a chocolate shop, and a hockey tournament going on.

We also took a photo at Mirror Lake, which is usually packed with people skating, sledding, and tobogganing. However, today, we had the beautiful scenery all to ourselves. Then, we had lunch at The Smoke Shop BBQ, where we bonded over a hearty meal of wings and burgers.

Then it was back to the bus. Five more hours of bus ride till we arrived at Springfield for a quick dinner at Joy Bowl. And then two more hours on the road till we got to Boston.

Thankfully, our amazing homestay picked me and five other chorus friends up to their gorgeous house. And we quickly drifted into dreamland in beautiful homemade quilts.

Today was no easy feat. There’s something about the nothingness of bus rides that drains our energy away. However, by the grace and support of friends, we remain in good spirits and excited for the next step ahead.

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 2: Montréal

By Sarah Cooke, 01/12

Day two complete!

Today was our full day in Montreal! We were given free time in the morning to explore the city and see some cool sights! I was happy to sleep in and then for breakfast I went to Tim Hortons! As a Philadelphian I would classify Tim Hortons as a knock-off Wawa, but sorry Canada, it’s not as good.

My group and I then walked by the Notre-Dame Basilica while on our way to the waterfront. The water front ended up being more of a snow front since it was mainly iced over with a layer of snow on top. So far it’s been a mild winter in Philly and Ithaca, so seeing all of the snow and getting to really wear my snow boots felt like a great way to get in the winter mindset!

For lunch we tried a cute salad/bowl place called Mandy’s which was super yummy! This lunch concluded our free time and we then headed to the Christ Church Cathedral to prepare for our first concert!

There we had a rehearsal and got to listen and meet the Yale Glee Club! After rehearsal we all went to the Underground City for dinner. It was more of a multistory mall with a food court in the basement. There we properly met some of the Yale Glee Clubbers and got some good food! After dinner some friends and I went for a walk through the mall and found an arcade that had free tea cup rides which we made sure to take advantage of!

We sang during the first half of the concert running our first half of our tour music set and the Yale Glee Club sang during the second half. They sounded amazing and even had a few student conductors which was really cool! At the end of the concert we sang two pieces together as one choir. Afterwards we had a mixer with the Yale Glee Club a short walk away where we were able to meet and talk with the other group which was so much fun! They are on their own mini tour and will be traveling to New York City tomorrow to conclude their tour. We also learned that they also like to add GL- to the beginning of words just like us Gloristers.

I had a blast in Montreal and hope to explore the city more in the future! It was my first time to Canada, and it did not disappoint! First concert was a success and I am excited to head to our next stop tomorrow!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 1: Ithaca -> Montréal

By Audrey Lyons, 01/11

Let me tell you, waking up extra early on such a brisk day was no easy feat! My homestay group and I were up extra early in order to fit in a CTB stop on our way to the bus (and get some much needed caffeine) in preparation for the week ahead. We started the day off heading out bit later than intentioned, but our wonderful drivers Stacey and John made up for our lost time beautifully!

As is typical for many tours, our first day was full of travel. We all found different ways to stay occupied on the bus, from personal activities to group bonding over the movie ‘The Prince and Me’. Members spent their time knitting, playing cards, or in my case learning to cross stitch! We faced some concerning weather in Canada, but once again our drivers saved the day and we were none the wiser until all was well.

We stretched our legs in Kingston, Ontario and spent time wandering around the mall (including the food court!). A bunch of members quickly located the music store in the mall in typical Chorus and Glee Club fashion!

We finally arrived in Montréal in the late afternoon and soon set out exploring the city! Group dinner ended with a lovely rendition of the Bloch and we broke off to pursue our respective interests. For me and my group this meant wandering the city to see the beautiful light displays on every corner!

Though it is only the first day of this tour, it is already so special to me. The opportunity we get from membership within this group to bring our music to different people is truly one-in-a-million. We may have largely spent the day traveling and unpacking, however I already feel closer to my fellow chorus members, and I am so excited to keep fostering these relationships that will last a lifetime!

A Note For New Members

Johnna Margalotti '19

Here we are, at the start of another semester that now sprawls dauntingly ahead of me but will once again be far behind me too soon.  Just the other week, I sat in Lincoln Atrium welcoming another round of nervous callbackees, and couldn’t help but become a bit nostalgic thinking of my own Chorus audition freshman fall.  I remember it all so vividly – chatting with upperclassmen who were younger at the time than I am now yet who somehow seemed so mature.  I laughed when a few of the auditoners thought I was a senior, but was instantly humbled to think that they might look up to me just as I looked up to the older Chorus members who calmed my nerves before my own audition. 

That’s when it dawned on me: I am now a middle-aged Chorus woman. I am entering my fourth semester in the group, with nearly half of my career behind me and only half remaining.
As bewildered as I am that so much of my time in the Chorus has already elapsed, I am excited for what lies ahead.  Most importantly, I am excited to welcome a new batch of members to share my remaining time in the Chorus with.  I am excited for them to sing in their first Twilight concert, their first Vespers, their first Commencement.  I am excited to make memories and jokes with them, to make them feel welcome as I was made to feel welcome when I first joined the Chorus. 

So, to my lovely new friends – Katie, Lucy, Gauri, Somi, Dana, and Grace – welcome! I implore you to cherish every moment of your time in the Chorus, because I promise you nothing will prepare you for how quickly it passes.  There will be times sitting in rehearsal when you are forced to tediously sing the same three measures over and over again in pursuit of some yet undiscovered new musical idea, and you will think that those two hours of rehearsal have managed to defy the laws of time and space and stretch out to infinity.  And then, before you know it, you will have survived infinity 40 times over, wishing you could live it all over again because it is such a privilege to be able to enter into this realm that exists outside of time, outside of the daily stress of Cornell.  Enter into this realm willfully and joyfully, always with the awareness that your time here is a finite resource, and glean from this experience all that you possibly can.

My advice to you, and the advice that I hope to heed myself in the next half of my Chorus journey, is to immerse yourself fully – not only musically but also academically and socially – in the incredible experience that lies before you. Be open to new people, new ideas, new ways of thinking and being.  Go to Chariot nights, sing the “Evening Song” on Ho Plaza even when it only 15 degrees outside, sit next to someone new every rehearsal, visit Sage Basement often.  Bring a pencil to rehearsal (and use it). Sing boldly.  And when the next set of new members comes along, remind yourself what it felt like to be in their shoes, and welcome them with open arms.  Keep the circle unbroken.  

New Website!

Welcome to the new chorus website!