100 Things to Do In Chorus

1. Fill up your water bottle at Willard Straight.

2. Accidentally drop your water bottle during rehearsal and cause an earthquake

3. Sing evening song after rehearsal

4. Audition for after 8

5. Get distracted by the chimes at rehearsal

6. Lose your voice at chariot

7. Bond with other members over hating some aspects of eca

8. Figure out how to tie an ascot

9. Sing from the crypt at lessons and carols

courtesy of Nina Young

10. Get Louie’s after a concert.

11. Get competitive about your voice part

12. Bluff your way through the words to Cornell songs

13. Do choralography at an inappropriate moment out of instinct

14. Reach out to the community for help about a non-chorus related problem.

15. Tour burn!!!!

16. Almost fall off the riser.

17. Run up the tower after lessons and carols

18. Be an officer <3

19. Panic because you forgot your folder

20. Fall in love with another glorus member

21. Have to share your life story with the secretary to get excused from rehearsal

22, Argue about which class is superior

23. Max out on service points

24. Make friends with a Chorus alum

25. Sing a solo in Song of the Classes

26. Get popcorn before rehearsal. 

27. Spend a rehearsal in the “sick bay”

28. Ask the Care Chair for Advil

29. Drink water conspicuously when the warmup goes out of your range

30. Forget to bring black tights on tour

31. “Forget” to return your music

32. Spill something on your permanent rep packet

33. Buy black shoes for your first Twilight because you somehow didn’t bring any to college

34. Get a Chorus mentor!

35. Load up on reception snacks

36. Trip while walking across the Bailey risers

37. Attend Chorus History Tea

38. Quartercard for the Chorus on Ho Plaza

39. Forget something in Sage Basement

40. Send an email to the listserv

41. Accidentally reply all to the listserv

42. Stay up too late at retreat

43. Stay for senior week

44. Sing in Cornelliana

45. Go to an AC meeting

46. Accompany the Chorus on an instrument

47. Forget your pencil and/or folder

48. Nap in Sagement

49. Sing in more than 3 different languages in one semester

50. Meet your best friend

51. Enter the Choral Library and plumb its secrets

52. Go on tour

53. Get sick during tour

54. Travel to another country on tour

55. Listen to interesting stories from your host families on tour. 

56. Accidentally be late when returning to the tour bus

57. Add your homestays on LinkedIn during tour

58. Take pictures with your homestays’ pets :)

59. Wear your ECA far too many times without washing it

60. Let your folder slam onto the floor at a concert

61. Learn a Glee Club song

62. Make a gingerbread house for the winter competition

63. Cry when the seniors are featured at Lessons and Carols

64. Go to an After Eight concert

65. Go to one of the Hangovers’ concerts

66. Walk up a hill in ECA

67. Run up a hill in ECA

68. Get mistaken for a flight attendant while wearing DCA

69. Break or lose your candle at Lessons and Carols

70. Be photographed for a poster or interviewed for a recruitment video

71. Get rained on at commencement or convocation

72. Get sunburned at commencement or convocation

73. Take a group pic with the commencement speaker

74. Become a superfan of a commission composer

75. Read all the words printed around the ceiling of Sage

76. Live with other Chorus members

77. Have a pre-Glormal photoshoot

78. Doodle/write down quotes from rehearsal onto your sheet music. Realize that you have to return it at the end of the semester

79. Sleep on a pew (or pew cushion) at retreat 

80. Perform a Major Work!! 

81. Suffer through wearing black tights for concerts before realizing that black dress socks are the move

82. Pick your favorite perm rep song <3 

83. Meet eyes with a Glorus member across the room and make a silly face

84. Fall in love with a homestay family on tour, whose kindness you will never forget

85. Not have cell service and/or the correct currency on tour 

86. Walk proudly through a dining hall in your ECA while getting pre-concert dinner

87. Stay up late having a deep conversation with a member you didn’t know well before at your tour homestay

88. Make a new friend at retreat :)

89. Pick your senior dinner song T_T

90. Hastily grab dinner or a pre-rehearsal snack at Libe, spotting no less than 5 Chorus and/or Glee Club members doing the same thing 

91. Stretch your mind or your legs at Midnight Madness

92. Make an announcement during rehearsal

93. Hang up concert posters for ~points~

94. Change your Facebook banner and write a post for a Chorus event

95. Have too much class spirit at the gingerbread competition

96. Make a meme for the GroupMe

97. Make a mistake in a concert and play it cool

98. Struggle to put on the boutonniere pre-concert, and get help from another member

99. Buy and wear Chorus merch!

100. Listen to recordings of the Chorus when you get nostalgic

Contributors: Melissa Gao, Nina Yang, Zoe Kim, Ketchel Carey, Heather Hamann, Maggie Lin, Amy Crouch, Crystal Arguelles, Caroline Hinrichs, Victoria Correa, Sanjeevani Joshi, Emily Hurwitz, Marinna Chung

Reminiscing this Christmas

By Heather Hamann ‘23

As we approach the holiday season, I’m reminded of the beautiful Ithaca snows and holiday carols ringing through the halls of Lincoln Hall and Sage Chapel. As Cornell has sent us home for the rest of the semester, my friends and I are stuck at home cramming for finals among family, hoping that quarantine will take us to where we need to be as a community. The thing that I miss most of all, though, is certainly Lessons and Carols, the annual concert that the Glorus performs for the Ithaca community. Right about now, we would be upon our last rehearsals in Sage Chapel, welcoming the instrumentalists into our midst or running through the choreography of the night. This year, we’ll be doing a virtual service.

About a week ago, I sat at my dining room table and recorded my parts in the pieces we’ll be doing. I balanced my phone on top of a speaker and propped it up against a banana. . I used my Apple earbuds- plugged into my phone- as a speaker. I had my headphones linked to my laptop to hear and sing along to the provided soundtrack. It felt strange and lonely to hear my voice alone sing the melodies that are usually heard in a swell of a hundred voices. I pictured the boom of the organ scaring all of us out of our seats at the beginning of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. As I sat still and smiled during the seniors’ verse of Silent Night, I pictured the graduates of 2021 as best I could, imagining all of us together to say goodbye. Still, I’m grateful to be able to participate in this service in whatever way I can this year. I’m eager to see and hear the final product.

I’ll miss the beautiful windows and ornately decorated walls of the Chapel. I’ll miss running up the tower to get there in time to sing along with carols with other chorus members, hoping my knees don’t give out on my high heels. I’ll miss the somber candles and singing every single verse of “O Come O Come Emmanuel”. I’ll miss the overwhelming excitement when we crowded downstairs in Sagement. I’ll miss the beautiful sound and feeling of singing with the Glorus live. Most of all, though, I’ll miss the chance to share a night celebrating with friends and family. I’m sure that it will feel all the more meaningful, when we are finally able to execute Lessons and Carols in its full glory again. Until then, I am grateful to have the love and support of the Glorus this Christmas, even if from afar.

The tree that members decorated for Lessons and Carols 2019 in Sage chapel.

New members in the crypt at Sage Chapel, preparing to sing the first piece of Lessons and Carols 2019, O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis.

College, Choral Music, and Covid-19: How a Current Freshman is Experiencing All Three

By Wynne Williams-Ceci, ‘24

As a current freshman, starting college in the fall of 2020, the words I have heard more than any others in the past 6 months are ones of pity and remorse. Since the pandemic began, people I hardly even know have been reaching out to express their sympathy for the circumstances my cohort has faced: having finished high school in a covid-spring and started college in a covid-fall. As a Cornell student, I feel extremely lucky to have been given the chance to live on campus at all. Many of my friends attending other institutions have not been blessed in this same way. However, despite this great fortune, it is easy as a choral singer to still feel especially discouraged during this time because the very essence of what it means to be a member of a choir directly contradicts necessary safety regulations. As our director, Robert Isaacs, likes to say: “My job is normally to gather people in an indoor space, pack them together, and tell them to all breathe deeply.” While Robert’s task seems virtually impossible during this time, he and the students in the Cornell University Glee Club and Chorus have been working virtually non-stop, and in doing so have managed to still create an incredibly special and memorable experience for new members of the ensembles (both on and off campus).

Since receiving my acceptance letter into the Chorus, my life at Cornell has been enriched in so many ways. Every Monday afternoon, I attend (in person!) my Choral Musicianship class for all new members. We may not be able to sing together and learn the permanent repertoire of the ensembles like most years, but we all still spend these afternoons learning about what it means to be a musician: bettering our technique, honing our ability to read rhythms, and laughing together when inevitably certain exercises go awry. On Wednesday evenings, all of Chorus attends our weekly zoom call, in which we learn new and exciting things pertaining to strengthening our skills as singers (and listening to some great music along the way). Beyond that, Robert made an assortment of additional activities available to all students, with the option to join as few or as many as desired. I participate in a few of these activities: a bi-weekly sight reading mastery class, a project team dedicated to creating virtual choirs this semester, and a small in-person consort group that sings 12 -feet-apart, outdoors, fully masked. Aside from these formal activities, the students of the Chorus and Glee Club have created a multitude of fun virtual activities for members to join, ranging from trivia nights, to movie nights, to Homecoming Celebrations. 

My biggest fear coming into the Chorus this year was that I would not be able to experience the same sense of community that its members have in the past. Having grown up in Ithaca and attended Chorus concerts since I was in the womb, I have always had a strong sense of the close-knit friendships that are born out of shared membership in the Chorus. With covid-19 regulations, and no large group in-person singing, achieving this seemed practically impossible, and I had essentially accepted the fact that I likely would not get to make any friends in these ensembles until the pandemic no longer poses such a threat. Thanks to the tireless work of the students and our director, though, I am happy to say that I was proven wrong. On Monday nights, after my class with new members, I go and enjoy a distanced dinner with several of my friends who are also freshmen in the two ensembles. On Tuesday afternoons, I often get walked to my bi-weekly covid test by the girls from my consort group, allowing me to meet older members and learn from their experiences at Cornell in past years. In all of the online activities, I have been greeted by such a warm and friendly group of people each and every time, all of whom I feel connected to, even across a screen.

It’s the unfortunate truth that large group choral singing is simply not a possibility given the current circumstances. But, the Cornell University Chorus has in no way allowed this to hinder its overall goal of bringing people together over a shared love of music. While it is definitely not your typical year, I am incredibly grateful for and satisfied with the experience I have had as a part of the ensemble thus-far. I know that our time apart will make it all the more wonderful when we all come together again.

Pictured: Wynne singing with her consort at the Johnson Museum.

A Cautious Return

Caroline Hinrichs, ‘22

Cayuga with its crawling thunder

In late March stood still and grey

Students, campus torn asunder

As we packed and went away.

N’er did Schoellkopf stand so empty 

As it did that summer green.

Chimes atop our tower wept, for 

No chimesmaster could be seen. 

Now as autumn lights the grounds

And vultures fly across the lake

Still! And you might hear the sound

That less than ten masked singers make.

Spaced apart in sculpture gardens,

Learning theory over zoom,

Sending tons and tons of emails-

One chorus in 40 rooms.

Still, with bated breath we’re waiting

For the day when, in a throng

We can safely lift the chorus

Of a rousing evening song.

Being an International Chorus Member During COVID-19

by Justine Kim, ‘21

When I parted with Chorus after the Pacific-Northwest tour, little did I know that I wouldn't see them for another year. 

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

I'm Justine, and I am a rising senior from Sydney, Australia. In Spring 2020, I planned to study abroad at Yonsei University, Korea. But COVID-19 broke out, and all my plans fell apart. 

I returned home to Sydney and snagged a last-minute internship at a solar company. To make up for my 'lost semester,' I enrolled in four online summer classes in Communications. I filled the void of silence by learning the guitar, stimulated the joy of  learning a new skill by teaching myself how to edit videos. When the loneliness became unbearable, I decided to become a Pilates Instructor.  

I realized I was making up for the parts of my life that the Chorus had fulfilled. I missed the beautiful sounds of Sage Chapel, the giddiness of mastering a challenging musical phrase, and the feeling of 'wholeness' as I sang with the people I loved. After my 6 months hiatus, I couldn't wait to go back. 

Recently, Australia announced that it would close its borders. But Cornell announced that it would re-open for the Fall semester. I was torn; I wanted to go, but my parents had emailed my landlords to cancel my lease. I guess they were concerned about New York's COVID-19 cases, America's widespread violence, and just Trump in general. As an international student, I didn't know when I would be forced to return home.

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

But where was 'home?' While I grew up in Sydney, the Chorus had been my home for two years. During the most challenging years of my life, they were with me. The Chorus shared my happiest times and made me feel as if I truly belonged at Cornell. They are why I kept going back to Ithaca - even if it meant flying for 30 hours. 

Suddenly, I began recalling all the details that I thought I forgot. Walking through the dimly lit aisles in Sage Chapel as my friends waved my name card, the ebb and flow of our breaths, the surreal overtones that electrify the room at the end of a piece...I miss it all. 

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

I realized what a privilege it was to sing with the Chorus. I'm so lucky that I was part of a community connected and empowered by music. It's been six months since I actually "sang." My lungs feel a little crusty, and my vocal cords have shrunken to half its size. But my love for singing and the Chorus has grown two folds. 

I'm not even an alumnus yet, but I think I know how they feel. Often, we don't know how important something was until it's gone. I hope that next year, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available so that I could go back and experience it all again. 

I'm graduating in Spring 2021 - during the Chorus centennial! I can only imagine how spectacular it's going to be. If I can go back, I know that I will embrace every moment that I have with the Chorus.

Because this time, it will truly be my last.

Days Gone By

Brigid Lucey ‘18

Have you ever watched the sun set from the Sage Chapel lawn,
ascended those crumbling concrete steps from the basement to find
a spilled watercolor stretching over Lake Cayuga?

Have you walked in, ice in your eyelashes,
the radiators hissing and pinging and popping,
to seek respite from the snow?

Have you floated up Collegetown’s hills,
humming on the walk home from Chariot,
not even caring about the rain?

A Letter from the President

Dear friends of the Cornell University Chorus,

As the student leader of a university student organization, I struggled with our place in adding to the current global conversation resulting from the tragic deaths of George Floyd, David McAtee, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other black Americans. However, the Chorus is one of Cornell University’s flagship choirs, and as we are frequently called upon to represent the University on tour, in workshops, and beyond, I felt compelled both personally, and as the President of our organization, to use our influence and platform to speak out.

As an organization, the Chorus condemns the persistent and nationwide injustice and violence towards the Black community. Black lives matter. I acknowledge that as a non-Black individual, I have an extremely limited perspective. I promise that this letter is not merely a response to the recent tragedies, but a commitment to a much deeper conversation concerning racial injustice both in our society and our organization.

Although recent events have once again highlighted violent patterns of clear racial discrimination, structures of privilege and oppression pervade every level of our society. These systems can affect all of us in much more subtle yet equally sinister ways. Our exec team is currently actively discussing amongst ourselves, with current members, and with our director the ways the Chorus can fulfill its promise to be an inclusive and welcoming space, and a responsible organization that thoughtfully engages with our repertoire, and with our own challenges. This letter marks the beginning of a reinvigorated conversation on justice and equity within our organization.

Maggie Lin ’21, Chorus President

June 2, 2020

Ithaca, NY

Homecoming: A Reflection on Generations

Brianna Cox ‘20

Ever since the first rehearsal of O-Week, I was acutely aware of the fact that I’m a senior. Time had really flown since joining the Chorus the fall of my freshman year, and it had seemed like all of a sudden, 2020 was the oldest class and the Glorus now included members who were three (!!) years younger than us. With all the stress of figuring out what I’m doing next year, I kind of resented being a senior, and wished for my younger days at Cornell when my biggest worry was just upcoming prelims.

However, all of that changed over Homecoming Weekend. In the days leading up to Saturday, I saw on social media that many of my good friends from the classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019 were coming back, and I realized that being a senior was such a unique position to be in. I knew people from the classes of 2017-19 from when I was a freshman, but as a senior, I now know the classes of 2021-23, too! It dawned on me how exciting it was to know six generations of the Glorus, appropriate to the theme of this year’s homecoming concert: Generations. It warmed my heart that I had gotten to know so many amazing people over the course of my four years at Cornell, and I had a great time catching up with the young alums at the tailgate.

The concert that night was an even more powerful experience. After pinning on a white boutonniere for the first time, I watched the Glee Club open the concert, sitting in the balcony with the rest of the Chorus. I was happy to hear Patrick Braga ‘17’s piece, having known Patrick and having sung some of his compositions my freshman year, when he was a senior.

While walking down from the balcony to line up for the Chorus’s set, it dawned on me that this year was the first truly joint homecoming, a huge change from my freshman year. Not only was it a positive step for our ensembles’ parity, but our new members were performing an entire set at Bailey less than two months into their time in the Chorus. I remembered how nervous I was freshman year during Homecoming, to just sing one short piece from the balcony, with the Glee Club covering the rest of the concert.

Singing Armottoman Osa as part of the joint set was my favorite part of the night. When Robert explained to the audience that Armottoman had been a hit on the joint 2016 tour to Guatemala and Mexico, I saw my 2017-2019 friends in the audience grinning and looking at each other. I remembered being a freshman and hearing all about that tour, since 2020 was the newb class that joined in the fall following Guatemex. We sang Armottoman and Bogoro at every Chariot, and many members of 2020 like me learned those pieces by rote, whereas younger classes of the current Glorus learned it in a rehearsal setting. It warmed my heart that Robert was bringing those old pieces back for the Glorus’s next joint tour this January to the Pacific Northwest.

As we sang through the last “hai jaa jaa jaa’s” of Armottoman, I felt proud to be a part of the next generation of Glorus members to take that piece on tour. Being a senior finally felt like a positive thing because my fellow ZOZOs and I would get to be the leaders on this tour and have one of our last hurrahs together.

Homecoming really felt like home came back to me because the Glorus members who had made Cornell feel like home for me way back freshman year had come back as young alums. On the other hand, my young alum friends told me at the tailgate how weird it was to be back. They had made homes elsewhere in their post-grad lives, from New York City to DC to Phoenix. But Cornell was still home, even if it had changed in the time they were away. It made me remember that I, too, will soon become a young alum. That was an incredibly weird realization to come to, but at the same time, it made me smile. Cornell is home for countless numbers of students and alums, and within Cornell are smaller homes like the Glorus. The rest of senior year is going to rush by, and while I want to enjoy it, I am already looking forward to coming back home.

My Experience in the Chorus So Far

Victoria Correa ‘23

I knew I wanted to continue singing in college, and I've listened to a couple of songs by Cornell's a cappella groups as soon as I got my acceptance letter, but I did not know there was a treble choir. When I found out, I was excited, because I sang in a treble choir my last year of high school and loved it. You can test the ability of a bunch of treble voices, and it was like being a part of one big sorority.

I signed up for auditions, and I was pleasantly surprised by how inclusive the Glorus was. Getting to know them and the other recruits was a fun way to spend some of O-week. I could not believe it when I got into the Chorus, and I was psyched for the new year. 

So far rehearsals have been fun and challenging. I like how Robert emphasizes personal growth as a musician in many other aspects besides just learning to become a better sight reader. I always got enough sleep senior year of high school, so I forgot what it was like to come into rehearsal tired af yet still having to push yourself. I'm glad I stick with it as much as I can even when I'm tired, because in the end I learn something new every rehearsal. The other ZOZƎ kids seem awesome and I'm excited to get to know them as well as everyone else in the glorous in the year to come!

First Impressions

Elizabeth Latham ‘23

“Alright everybody. Put your hands on your waist and pant like a dog.”

Not the typical first phrase you hear in a 3000-level ivy league class. I was used to warm-ups, of course, but nothing so creative and strange as this. As a long-time chorister myself I have had my fair share of warm-up experience. From early childhood to high school and onward, it was a steady stream of exhausted but enthusiastic choir instructors lift their arms to get us to a loosened “OOOOoooohhhh” sound like a bunch of kids on a rollercoaster. Sometimes they got more physical, stretching up as high or as low as we could. Sometimes they even got personal—I had one instructor that had everyone sing to the top and bottom of their range on their own name or the name of one of their peers.

The Cornell Chorus is different for warm-ups, though. Each has a story to follow along with. They are engaging and kinesthetic; sometimes we are passing a ball around behind our backs to mimic the path of the sound ringing around in our open vocal chambers. Sometimes we are mmmm-ing, “as if someone has just said something very intriguing”… “OK now as if someone has said something that you disagree with quite strongly”. Hands around our diaphragms, we feel the muscles meant to push the sound up and out of us fully at work. Hands at our throats or our nose or the backs of our necks, we feel the notes spinning out of us like drill bits.

Everything is “feel for this” or “observe that” and we have different imaginary motivations for doing so every day. I have never been in a singing group whose warmups engage my imagination as much as my technique and my technique as much as the simple mechanics. Every rehearsal feels like a voice lesson and the extended time dedicated to individual technical elements to performance allows each musician to advance not only their performance in each specific song, but their actual singing to be applied to every piece they would ever encounter.

My Chorus Audition

Hanora Chapman ‘23

Hi! My name is Hanora Chapman, and I am a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, majoring in Biological Sciences. I am from Northern New Jersey, and music has been an important part of my life all throughout high school. I participated in my high school choir for four years and I loved making music there. That is why I knew I wanted to make music at Cornell. I was at the Chorus showcase and I remember hearing the Chorus sing so many interesting songs, and I was mesmerized with every chord and melody. From that concert I knew that this was a group of talented and dedicated group of singers who wanted to bring people the joy of music. 

So the day of the audition I nervously walked up to Lincoln Hall, not quite sure what to expect. I have done auditions before, but I was especially nervous because I knew that this was such an amazing chorus. I remember walking into Lincoln Hall and immediately being greeted by chorus members, and talking to them about the chorus. They helped calm my nerves, and they all were telling me about the amazing time that they had in chorus. I immediately noticed the supportive community that was the Cornell Chorus from the minute I walked into the door. Before I knew it, it was my time to walk in. I nervously walked into the audition room and was greeted by Robert and Steve. 

The audition was like something I have never experienced before. Robert asked me to sing a few scales, and I did, and then we had a genuine conversation about my voice, and we worked on different vocal techniques and talked about the positives in my audition, and on the other hand what I could improve on. It really felt like Robert and Steve wanted me to succeed, and they really helped me feel more confident in my voice as a singer. Then I got the email at the end of the week saying that I got a callback, and I was over the moon! The callback rehearsal was so fun, and I had a great time singing wonderful music with this wonderful group. 

I was still very nervous about the callback audition. The callback audition was also unique because I sang with three other members of the choir in a quartet. The song we sang was Natus Est Nobis. When the quartet started singing, my nerves immediately went away and I felt myself becoming immersed in the music. After the song Robert gave me some notes, and had us sing it one more time. I remember nervously waiting at night for the call about audition results. When I got the call I was so excited and so happy to become a member of this group! I am so grateful for this opportunity so far.

Growth at Every Step

Ketchel Carey ‘23

I was nervous when I first auditioned for Chorus. I did choir in high school, but was absolutely amazed at the musicianship by the choral showcase. I doubted I’d measure up.

My preliminary audition immediately soothed those fears. It was held in the directors’ office and was incredibly relaxed. People always say, “an audition is a learning experience.” And it is! It’s just that, often, you learn how to audition. This audition actually taught me about music. The chorus’s growth mindset was apparent from the start. Robert, the director,  immediately launched into a lesson about choral resonance and breath support when I struggled in my upper vocal range. I was asked to repeat a sequence of pitches, but did so imperfectly. Rather than just grimacing as I’ve seen in the past, Robert asked, “Which one did you get wrong? How can you get it right?” It felt like a mini voice lesson.

You can imagine my excitement to advance to the next audition. My first try had been so positive and instructive that I was sure I would learn more from the next. This audition would be with a piece we would learn in a group setting and then sung in a quartet. I waddled into the practice room for group rehearsal after briefly getting lost in Lincoln basement and was blown away within the first five minutes. Warm ups had always felt perfunctory in high school, a sort of, “Let’s remember what singing is” type of thing. Robert’s were completely different. I felt the energy and focus build in the room as we worked intonation, support, and technique. I was more and more impressed as the rehearsal continued. We read everything from the get go, no piano involved. The choir launched into  music making from the first minute. I wound my way back to my dorm after rehearsal more than a little intimidated. The speed of sightreading in the group rehearsal of the audition piece amazed me. I diligently practiced my piece, but was still nervous when my audition came. I knew the standards now and was afraid I wouldn’t meet them.

Turns out I had nothing to be scared of. I was the last audition of the night at 10:30 pm. The auditioner before me had driven to the auditions and kindly offered to wait for me and drive me back to North Campus. After a short wait, the chorus secretary took me to the audition room. We began almost as soon as I went in. It wasn’t perfect, but it was joyful from the get go. I knew I wanted to make music with these people. Just as before, Robert took the time to teach me and improve my performance where I struggled. Everyone said goodnight and my newfound friend drove me back to my dorm. I didn’t think I’d gotten in. After all, I’d made so many mistakes. However, I wasn’t at all disappointed because I learned so much just in the few minutes I’d spent with the chorus. I slept as soon as I got home.

I slept, that is, until I got a phone call at 11:30 pm. I promptly hung up, thinking it was a telemarketer. They called again. I hung up. “Who’s calling me at 11:30!” I thought. I answered on the third call  and was so happy that I did. I had made it into the chorus. Just a few days later I was in rehearsal. Now, just a few days after that, I’m certain it will be one of my favorite parts of my college experience. Much like all the best parts of life, it will be great because I will be learning and growing with like minded people who believe in each other. It will be great because I took a risk to get here.

Reflections on Another Audition Season Gone By

Sarah Sperber ‘22

Excitement mounts as we prepare for our group to grow this audition season, and I can’t help but reflect on my first experiences with the chorus last January. I came to Cornell in the fall of 2018 excited to explore all of the opportunities people said this school would offer me. As a freshman who felt in over her head at an enormous competitive new school, I was scared. Despite my zeal and best efforts, I found myself a little lost during my first semester here. I ended up without a single extra-curricular activity, as I was simply overwhelmed by the club fair and too nervous to audition for any music groups. I went through my freshman fall uninspired and began to feel hopeless; transferring schools became a very attractive prospect as I sank into despondency.

However, after many cups of tea with my mom over winter break, I decided I’d give it one more semester. As we made a game-plan for the spring, my mom suggested I try out for a musical group. I didn’t like a cappella because I didn’t want the pressure of being the only one on a part, and I didn’t think anything could beat singing classical music. That left me with Cornell’s Treble Chorus. I set up my audition and arrived to it trembling on the 25th of January. Immediately, I was disarmed by the warm welcoming energy from the director and the members in the lobby, and at that point I knew--this was the group I wanted to belong to. A few days later, I was thrilled to get an email offering me a callback. As I went through the second round, I only grew more determined and more certain that I wanted to join. Members greeted me with smiles and kind words at my callback rehearsal and I was stuck by the beauty of their sound. Needless to say, I just about jumped over the moon when I got in. My spring semester proved much more fruitful than the fall. As the weeks passed, I remembered what it was like to apply myself and began to gain musicianship and a lot of incredible friends. I felt a glimmer of an unfamiliar feeling--pride. Making music with these people was (and is) inspiring and rewarding. Spring break came, and we went off to Canada for an incredible tour. I finally learned the entirety of the repertoire and solidified friendships that I cherish today. I came back to the states holding my head a little higher. Between the Glormal, wine tour, and Senior Week, the end of the semester was the time of my life. I come back to my second year motivated and prepared to succeed. The chorus has supported me and empowered me to work harder and strive further in all aspects of my life. Last year, I lost myself in the new context of Cornell and the chorus helped me find my path. I’m so excited for our family to grow and I hope our newbies feel at home in our community. Here’s to a great semester!

Top Ten Memories

Jenn Catalano ’20

As a rising senior returning to Cornell in just a couple weeks, it is inevitable that I will become a bit nostalgic.  Thinking back on my past three years at this university, the Chorus has emerged as the common theme of my best memories.  I thought it would be timely to recount on my top ten memories from my time in the Chorus. If you are a prospective member on the fence of auditioning for the Chorus, then you absolutely should—you will be able to make all these incredible memories and more!

10. Treble Choir Conference.

In the spring of my freshman year, the Chorus hosted a treble choir conference with five other collegiate treble choirs from Mount Holyoke College, NYU, Harvard University, Smith College, and the College of William & Mary.  The weekend consisted of workshops, concerts, and social events. I met so many incredible singers, engaged in very topical conversations, and became closer with members of the Chorus all in two days!

9. Co-leading my first AC meeting.

In June, I co-led the biannual Advisory Council meeting for alums and current members alongside Chorus General Manager Sophie Arzumanov ’21.  Preparation for this meeting involved several calls to alums I have never met before, writing a full report detailing events and financials, and the very careful art of meeting moderation.  While I was incredibly nervous for the meeting, having Sophie by side gave me the confidence to make the meeting a success and was a great learning opportunity in the process.

8. Southern BBQ.

My first tour as part of the Chorus was to the Atlantic Coast, organized by Liz Mueller ’18, traveling all the way from Ithaca to Atlanta and everywhere in between.  I had only been to one of the eight cities on the tour, and I was beyond excited. One night, the entire Chorus freshmen class decided to get some BBQ while we were in Atlanta, and it did not disappoint.  Not only was this one of the most fun nights I ever had on tour, but the waiter even asked us to sing a song. We all proudly and joyfully sang “Will the Circle”—a beloved Chorus classic—and we did not disappoint.

7. Meeting Joe Biden.

In May 2017, I had the honor of meeting former Vice President Joe Biden as part of Cornell’s Convocation ceremony.  We were right next to the stage during his speech, and he even took a picture with us! Every year the Chorus and Glee Club sing at the university graduation in May, receiving accolades from the Cornell President and Convocation speaker.

6. Getting two standing ovations at ACDA.

In March 2018, the Chorus was invited to perform at the American Choral Directors’ Association Conference in Pittsburgh.  Michelle Carfagno ’19 and Chiara Alvisi ’20 admirably led the effort to earn us the funds to travel there. Thanks to their help, not only was I able to travel to a city I’ve never been to before—attending a professional choral concert in the evening and touring the University of Pittsburgh during the day—but the Chorus received standing ovations for both of our performances.  There was not a single member not beaming during the applause.

5. Getting an internship.

This past summer, I interned at a large consulting firm in Washington, DC—an incredible and unforgettable experience.  Looking back, I really have the Chorus to thank. Much of my interview was spent discussing my role in the Chorus, the scope of projects the Chorus takes on, and the leadership and management skills I have gained in the Chorus.  No doubt the confidence and skills I have developed in the Chorus allowed me to be accepted to and excel in this internship.

4. Performing Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.

In May 2018, the Chorus and Glee Club performed the St. Matthew Passion.  Never have I performed a work so daunting yet so beautiful. I will always remember this concert because it was the first choral concert my parents were able to attend, and they were absolutely blown away.  I got tears in my eyes during the last movement, and I still do every time I listen to a recording.

3. Becoming an officer.

One of my favorite memories of the Chorus was receiving a phone call from the then-President Brigid Lucey ’18 alerting me that I had been selected as an officer for the Chorus.  I (a bit timidly) applied for the position of Social Chair, who is responsible for planning the logistics of all social events for the Chorus—ranging from weekly get-togethers to formal concert receptions.  My claim to fame as social chair, you ask? An outer-space themed afterparty following the Chorus’ tour to the Gulf Coast and the Houston Space Center—with an outer-space themed playlist of course.

2. Science presentation in Toronto.

During the Chorus’ most recent tour to Canada in Spring 2019, organized by Sophia Zhang ’21 and Dana Luong ’20, the Chorus was asked to participate in a dual science experiment and choral concert at Trinity College in Toronto.  An ecstatic Chorus alum and physics professor displayed the sound waves we produced throughout the concert. I can confidently say that there are virtually no other choirs who can claim a similar experience. 

1. RPCC Dinners.

While a simple memory, by far one of my favorite memories was weekly dinners at the Robert Purcell Community Center every Wednesday after rehearsal with the rest of my freshmen Chorus and Glee Club class.  Coming into Cornell I was extremely nervous about making friends, but I immediately found a group of best friends in the Chorus, and I could always look forward to these weekly dinners to bring us closer and help us all find a home at Cornell.

Spring AC Meeting — the General Manager’s Perspective

Sophie Arzumanov ‘21

This past June I co-led my first AC meeting as the new General Manager. Jenn and I had been preparing for this meeting for about a month. I was so happy that we had each other’s backs, but I’ll admit there were a lot of nerves going into the weekend. From making sure the report was polished and printed in time, to ensuring that all of the important topics were covered effectively, there was a lot to think about. However, reflecting back on the weekend, I am very satisfied with how everything went, and optimistic about the future of the Chorus.

One of the key topics of discussion was our Endowment. It was great to hear ideas from new voices and to feel the momentum that we were starting to capture. Some of the ideas that I hope to bring to fruition were things like having class agents to reconnect with alums, and work with the Glee Club committee to learn their strategies from their successful campaign. We now understand that financial parity between the groups is as important as ever.

Our discussion of the Centennial preparation was linked to the Endowment, and was extremely fruitful. For instance, we decided to change the date of the Centennial celebration to Reunions Weekend 2021. Though this was a small hiccup, I am very excited that we could have this transparent discussion and agreement with the alums in order to make sure we were reaching as many people as possible during this exciting celebration of the Chorus’s history. I am very excited about alum engagement in preparation for the Centennial, and I cannot wait to see our plans come together during the next year.

Above all else, this AC meeting was personally special to me because I felt that I could really connect with alums and hear what they had to say. In planning and logistics, it’s easy to lose sight of why you are doing something. The AC meeting energized me and realigned my purpose in serving this ensemble. I cannot wait to see how Chorus members, past and present, shape our future.

Finding and Creating Forever Friendships

Melissa Gao ‘21

When I first came to Cornell,  I had trouble making friends. I was living in a small hallway of singles in a quiet dorm, and my classes were all overwhelmingly large introductory lectures in big auditoriums. I knew I wanted to audition for the Chorus because I had been a choir kid my whole life, and I was so excited to have been accepted and to be able to continue doing and getting better at what I loved. However, as my previous choirs had only focused on music, I didn’t join this one expecting much socially.

But chorus soon gave me much more than just the gift of music — it gave me the gift of friendship. As I got to know all of my fellow ZOZIs and the amazing upperclassmen, I met and became close with the people I now call my best friends. I felt immediately included in this friendly, accepting, and fun community full of diverse individuals whom I looked up to both musically and academically. It was the first time I ever felt like I truly belonged on campus, and I was incredibly happy. Every rehearsal I sat next to someone new and interesting, and I was grateful to be surrounded by so many people that I admired.

Having made my closest friends from the Chorus, I knew I wanted to give back and create events that would help others have the same experiences as me. I applied for and became social chair last spring, and have been loving it ever since. Though it is incredibly fun to create fun for everyone, I would be lying if I said the job didn’t have its ups and downs. It can be tough to satisfy everyone’s needs, entertain over 100 opinions, and be the main planner and organizer for social events at least once a week. Something will always go differently than planned, and less than ideal situations sometimes pop up. However, being social chair has always been worth it. Not only have I grown personally and professionally, but I’ve also had the opportunity to get to know almost every member of the Glorus (Chorus + Glee Club) at all the social events, and even create my own.

Perhaps the greatest reward is the privilege to see friendships budding right before my eyes and the reactions to fun events showcased on fellow members’ faces. Looking around a room full of smiling, laughing people and knowing I helped create that happiness brings one of the warmest and most rewarding feelings I have ever felt to my heart. The joy of successfully putting on an event and creating long-lasting memories for my fellow members is why I continue to love my position, and why I will miss it so much when I leave it this April.

I am eternally thankful for the Chorus because it’s given me a warm, loving community, as well as the people I now consider to be my closest friends. I can proudly say that Glorus really is my main social circle, and no matter what mood I’m in, I always feel better when I go to rehearsal and am surrounded by so many familiar and friendly faces. Chorus/Glorus is my family at Cornell, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s large, fun and quirky, and whenever we’re together, we all can’t help but have a good time — and I’ve been able to contribute to that happiness and cohesiveness by being social chair.

Chorus is not just a two-credit class you go to two times a week. Chorus is not just a club choir that you sing in. It is much more than that. It is a family and community of passionate, like-minded individuals from a plethora of majors and backgrounds who recognize the importance of singing. It is a caring group of individuals who will support you both personally and professionally, not only in your time at Cornell, but forever.

On Opportunity

Michelle Carfagno ‘19

When I came to Cornell and decided to audition for the Chorus, I was simply looking to continue my singing career after high school. I was excited to make music at the collegiate level with people who were just as passionate about classical singing as I. However, I never could have predicted that the Chorus would provide me with the opportunity to develop the leadership skills that I will treasure for the rest of my life and throughout my career.

I realized how special the Chorus was during my first Chorus retreat in Vestal, NY. Each class was brainstorming ways we could raise funds for our endowment campaign and improve our visibility on campus. I was amazed by the fact that every member of the group was equally invested in the future success of the Chorus and that every voiced idea was valued, no matter the person who voiced it. I realized that the Chorus was different from all my other general body clubs from high school. I decided at that moment that I wanted to take it a step further and hold leadership positions within the Chorus so I could help the Chorus grow in any way possible.

Since then, my organizational and leadership skills have blossomed. My positions have taught me how to deal with conflict, to lead a large group of people, and to communicate effectively.  These skills are simply not things that you can learn in the classroom.

While holding these leadership positions within the Chorus, I have had the chance to work on  meaningful projects. During my time as Officer-At-Large, I helped to lead a crowdfunding campaign to raise more than $11,000 for our trip to the American Choral Directors Association Conference, eliminating the potential financial burden for members to attend. This involved designing and implementing a fundraising strategy and overseeing the efforts of twenty team members throughout the month-long campaign. As Vice President, I am currently developing and maintaining our Alumnae Mentorship Program in order to foster relationships between our alumni and current students. These are just two of many projects on which I have had the honor of serving.

As I am a senior interviewing for jobs, companies love to ask about what I learned at Cornell. Experiences like these are always the first that come to mind. Beyond that, these experiences have allowed me to meet so many of our inspiring alumni along the way who are equally invested in the prosperity of the Chorus. These experiences have given me the opportunity to mentor younger members both musically and socially as they adjust to the group. The Chorus is like no other organization I have ever been a part of. I will forever cherish all the opportunities the Chorus has given me to grow, and I can’t wait to join the alumni ranks and continue to give back to the organization that keeps on giving.

Spring Auditions: Worth It?

Euna Park ‘21

At first glance, it may seem a bit daunting to join an organization halfway through the academic year. As a spring admit, I get it. I understand the worries of finding your place in a new campus where everyone already seems to be settled down, friends made, clubs and club sports joined. The temptation to wait a semester and join with a whole host of new students in the fall can be very strong.

Despite these doubts, I went ahead and auditioned for Chorus in the spring of 2018. I was elated when I got in, but being one of just two new members to the Chorus that semester, I was worried I’d feel more like an outsider than anything. Without me, the group had gone on tour together, had sung at numerous concerts, had built up tons of inside jokes and traditions. Without a strong number of newbies to wade through unfamiliarity with me, who was I to think I could fit in?

That fear dissolved as soon as I stood with the other members at my first rehearsal — at first into awe, then delight. Eyes shining, I was rapt from warm-ups to dismissal. It was amazing listening to the dozens of talented voices mesh around me into one beautiful, full sound. After rehearsal, members approached me and walked with me to new member dinner, which erased any doubt that they would welcome me with open arms. Smiling and amicable, they peppered me with questions and answered my own, making me feel right at home.

Both the Chorus alone and with its brother group, the Glee Club (combined, we affectionately call ourselves the Glorus), feel like a large, loving family. From rehearsing many hours together to performing on stage to, on occasion, embarking on joint tours, we make joyous memories with one another every year. If the local weather were as warm as the love everyone shares and showers new members with, Ithaca would be green year-round.

Entering in the spring also allowed me to experience our most recent concert, Lessons and Carols (previously called “Vespers”), in a way that few other Chorus members can. New members sit at the back for this performance, so there I was, the oldest of the new, sat in front of bright-eyed freshmen and behind seasoned seniors of the Glorus. This was an especially interesting place to perform in the group. In front of me, I could hear Glorus past; in back, I could hear its future. There were several times when the realization of what once was and what would never be again, combined with a rush of hope and love for the future, hit me while singing and listening to the others sing. In one such instance, I was nearly moved to tears.

I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on experiences like this. Singing with the Chorus has been such a magical part of my time so far at Cornell, and I’m so glad I looked into auditioning as soon as I set foot on campus. If you love singing, even if you don’t have much previous experience, or any at all, I’d highly suggest auditioning. We’ll be here, arms wide open.

A First Semester (Why Audition?)

Caroline Hinrichs ‘22

Now is the time when students celebrate the anticipated arrival of Winter Break with all the pure delight associated with the first snow of the year (though that happened in October — just Ithaca things!!). It’s also a time to reflect on the events of the semester. As a freshman, I found that this semester encompassed a lot of new things — some wonderful, some challenging, some wonderfully challenging. I’m happy to say that my experience with the CU Chorus falls into the last category.

I remember the day over the summer when I saw a Facebook post by the recruitment chair about the Chorus. Eager to continue my high school interest in choral music, I clicked over to this website and excitedly looked through recordings and blogs (just like this one!). It was clear that the Chorus had a lot to offer musically, but at the same time, I couldn’t help wondering if all of the hype on the website about love and community was true. Regardless, I wanted to find out. That same day, I signed up for an audition and resolved to come to campus and try out. 

Once I got to Cornell, my nerves almost got the better of me. I was a little sick, I told myself, and my voice wasn’t at its best. Then, I went to the Orientation week concert and was blown away by such pure, cohesive sounds — I decided I had to give it a shot.

An audition is an incredibly nerve-wracking experience, but every single member of the Chorus I interacted with during the audition process was nothing less than helpful and kind. Today, I am so glad I tried out. I have grown and been challenged in my musicianship, but I have also found my place as part of a community on campus that is strengthened by almost 100 years of marvelous music-making. To learn the Cornell songs, to sing on the Bailey Hall stage, to don the long black evening dress and flower boutonnière — experiencing all these nostalgic, beautiful traditions as a newcomer made me feel at home at the University. I had just arrived, and yet I had the privilege of contributing to something greater than myself, stretching long through generations past and wide across the country and the world. Being part of Chorus means that you are Cornell. You represent the University, and are part of the tradition that forms its vast, venerated, ever-beating heart.

Today, I can confirm that what they say about the Chorus is true. We are like a family. I have made some of my closest friends within the freshman class through Chorus, and I’ve also had the opportunity to meet inspiring upperclassmen and alumni who have shared their valuable insights on life and being a Cornell student. Making such connections as a freshman is truly a unique opportunity. 

Do you love making choral music too? Do you feel called to tradition, belonging, and community? Please, take the leap and audition. We would love to have you.

Happy Holidays from the Chorus Class of 2022!

Letter From the A8 MD: Witching Hour and More

Lucy Park ‘20

Editor’s Note: It’s a cappella concert season here at Cornell! Time to shine a light on the Chorus’ own official a cappella subset, After Eight. For more information on this group and its members, visit https://www.cuaftereight.com/.

On October 27, After Eight performed its Fall Witching Hour concert under the theme of Mint Eye (a spin-off of the popular TV show Queer Eye). It was my second concert in the group, but my first as the Musical Director.

One of my responsibilities is choosing the setlist. I really wanted a compilation that reflected the tastes of the entire group. By selecting songs this way, I believe we were able to really put our all into each piece. The final setlist included songs by Earth, Wind & Fire, Sam Smith, Amy Winehouse, Glass Animals, Marina and the Diamonds, and Queen. We tirelessly rehearsed twice a week until two weeks before the concert, when we kicked into high gear and rehearsed every single day (with a wonderful Twilight concert at a week prior). We also performed every song with choreo, which is a novel achievement for us. It was great to perform for our Glorus family and friends and alumni, and I am so proud of every single one of our members. I’m excited to see how much more we will grow from here.

Since I have most of the rest of the semester off after the concert, I wanted to reflect on and share a few things about my experience being Musical Director. My favorite part of being MD is getting to listen to the comments, concerns, and opinions of each member. After each interaction, I feel like we’ve formed a deeper connection between MD and member, and also, more importantly, as a group of friends who like to sing together. I encourage my peers to step up and speak out, since it isn’t just my voice that matters. The biggest challenge that comes with the position, in my opinion, is pushing and motivating the group when everyone is going through prelims, presentations, late nights, etc., including myself. On those days, I try not to push our voices by running songs over and over again, and instead spend rehearsal time on rhythmic unity or other fundamentals of singing in a group. All in all, I am very grateful to be a leader of such strong talented people, and will strive to be a better leader next semester.

Two weeks after our concert was our brother group the Hangovers’ 50th anniversary fall concert! The artistry and sense of unity and brotherhood were off the charts, and the sea of striped rugbies filling Bailey Hall was an unforgettable sight. I believe I speak for After Eight when I say that we are so proud to have such a talented brother group and that we thoroughly enjoyed every second of that concert. Huge kudos to the Hangs’ exec as well (especially now knowing how much work exec puts in for each concert)!

I would like to thank Robert, Steve, the Glorus, and our supportive family and friends for teaching us and/or dealing with us this semester, and deeply hope you will continue to do so in the coming semesters.

With much glorus love,
Lucy Park