Posted on March 20, 2012
When I applied to be a big brother for this year’s Brothers in Song-Chicago program, I was initially hesitant to sacrifice three entire weekends away from the surreal bubble of Ann Arbor. As a naive Californian barely acclimated to the watered-down Midwestern atmosphere of AA, I had never experienced Chicago, much less any of the area five miles beyond Central Campus. Regardless, I decided to take the plunge, and have had a tremendously eye-opening experience in the process.
Arriving in Chicago late the first Friday night, my first impression of the city was positive to say the least, as the other clubbers and I were greeted by an all-you-can-eat dinner at Pizzeria Due’s provided by our incredibly gracious alumni hosts. The next morning after a food recovery at Steve Ramsey’s house, the Chicago Children’s Choir welcomed clubbers to the Chicago Cultural Center with a mind-blowing performance. They sang a clubber favorite, “Freedom Train.” Eventually, this uncomplicated introductory performance by the group transformed into a choreography lesson for UMMGC members, shocked by the choir’s lack of awkward, uncoordinated chemistry undergrads attempting to “dance.”
In all seriousness, the profound talent and raw energy of the Chicago Children’s Choir were shocking for us clubbers. We all knew instantly that the mentorship role we aimed to provide for these teens would be much more mutual than we ever could have anticipated. As much as I loved answering questions about the UM School of Music for any aspiring professional musicians from the CCC throughout the two weekends, I had a much better time discussing the rich experiences of these young singers, from their incredible world tours to their recent collaborations with Bobby McFerrin. In many ways, my time with the Chicago Children’s Choir reminded me of the passion for music that once propelled me to pursue my degree in Sound Engineering, providing me with a renewed sense of energy and drive.
All in all, I am incredibly excited to take the stage with the Chicago Children’s Choir, and am proud to call them all my brothers in song.
Rob Bisel, Public Relations Manager
Posted on March 20, 2012
On March 11, we elected next year’s President, Vice President, and Parliamentarian. The elections were difficult for all because of the strength of character, commitment, contribution, and leadership displayed by all the candidates – we should be quite proud of all the men who ran for office as they displayed their passion for this organization.
Posted on March 20, 2012
You may recall a brief mention of this program in last fall’s alumni communication. The Alumni Network is pleased to announce that we are ready to launch our pilot mentoring program. Over 25 alumni indicated an interest when they signed up to join the Alumni Network. So they will automatically be given the opportunity to confirm their participation but we wanted to make it known more broadly in case a few more of you would like to help out.
In a nutshell, we’re asking alumni to provide some contact information that includes their work experience and current job by industry. Clubbers will be given a list of participating alumni and invited to contact anyone on the list who has a background that looks interesting to the student. The two people will connect, share experiences, and the student will get valuable answers to such questions as “what is a typical day in your job like?” to “what prepared you the best for this role/career?” to “what can you tell me about being a (specific job title) that I probably wouldn’t hear about as a student?” etc.
The idea is for alumni to be able to give back to the Club in other ways than financially and for Clubbers to benefit from the work experience of alumni.
The initiative will lie with the Clubbers. The contacts can be by phone, email and/or face-to-face meetings depending on proximity and mutual agreement.
Your role as an alumnus is to provide some wisdom, ideas and serve as a sounding board for Clubbers who are looking for advice from those who share their commitment to excellence in all areas of life.
Please contact Paul Byrd at pbyrd78@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more. Paul is our alumni mentoring “match maker.”
In T, C, and ME,
Bill Tiffan
Posted on March 19, 2012
The Glee Club has been working diligently in preparation for Dr. Eugene Rogers’ inaugural spring concert. Details are located below along with ticket information:
When: March 31st, 8PM
Where: Hill Auditorium
Repertoire: Kuster, popular Chinese folk songs, Motown Medley, Michigan songs, and much more!
With the 152nd Annual Spring Hill Concert rapidly approaching, there have been numerous questions regarding how tickets can be purchased. Thankfully, there are ample options available to do so. The most convenient way to procure tickets is through our online shop. All tickets orders will be held at will call.
During the week of the Spring Hill Concert, patrons also have the option of buying tickets over the phone. The Box Office will be open (March 27th-31st) and can be purchased by calling (734) 764-1448. Please have credit card information available when you call. Again, please note that all tickets will be held at will call.
Posted on February 8, 2012
January 7th, 2012 was a day of great collaboration between the UMMGC and our high school brothers in choirs across the state. Long acknowledged as one of our largest recruiting efforts, Male Vocal Arts Day (MVAD) has been a staple of the UMMGC calendar since 1991. In the 22nd annual event I am proud to relay that club was able to coordinate one of the most successful MVAD’s in recent memory. 375 young men from 45 schools in Michigan were in attendance this year. Hailing from as far as Elk Rapids, and as close as Ann Arbor, high school singers participated in a day long workshop facilitated by Dr. Eugene Rodgers.
Ringing with notes skillfully played by UMMGC pianist David Gilliland, the Rogel Ballroom came alive as Dr. Rogers and the students came together to learn three pieces of music. With club’s arrival in the early afternoon, college and high school students combined for a joint rehearsal culminating in a free concert at Hill Auditorium. For many of the high school men it was their first experience with a substantial all male chorus, and we can be sure that it will not be their last encounter with collegiate music, whether it be at the University of Michigan or at another institution. Several students expressed that they would be greatly interested in club, with reasons that ranged from the coat and tie attire to the professional and mature manner in which members presented themselves.
Additionally, this year for the first time the UMMGC created a subsidy program that allowed students from underserved communities to attend MVAD regardless of economic constraints. The program was a rousing success, and we had over 50 high school students who were not able to attend in the past participate in this year’s MVAD. As a result, high school students, Clubbers, and faculty were able to collaborate with and learn from students from diverse backgrounds across the State.
Personally, it has been a pleasure to give back to an organization that has provided so many memories in my college career and as MVAD coordinator for 2012; I only hope that this day will have inspired future Wolverines to pursue their love of music with UMMGC.
T, C, & ME,
Marc Campos
MVAD Coordinator
Posted on February 8, 2012
Thursday Night post-rehearsal revelry, hearty laughs shared among friends, Hill Auditorium filled with excited concertgoers. All three are memories common to a member of UMMGC, and for that reason constitute the pillars of this organization: Tradition, Camaraderie, and Musical Excellence. In my October 2011 eLaudes article, I described how we, as clubbers, have a common responsibility to ensure the growth of Club so that future generations of Michigan Men may too enjoy the title of “Clubber,” and wear it proudly.
As students and stewards of the Club’s resources, we also bear the responsibility of using the club’s energies for the good of local and global communities. Our “Brothers in Song,” program is a fantastic example of Club’s current efforts to carry out its firm commitment to community outreach and engagement initiatives. BIS has allowed the Glee Club to share its love for music, inspire the pursuit of higher education, and t become friends with, learn from, and mentor hundreds of youth vocalists across the state of Michigan.
This semester, the Glee Club will be collaborating with The Chicago Children’s Choir for the Brothers in Song program. Clubbers are looking forward to growing together as musicians and sharing in each other’s unique and diverse experiences. We hope you’ll consider attending Club’s joint concert with CCC on the 24th of March at the auditorium at Northeastern Illinois University; it’ll surely be a night filled with unforgettable music. Lastly, our sincere thanks go out to all Chicago alumni who are housing Glee Clubbers over our three weekend rehearsals with CCC and making this program possible through their generous donations; we look forward to seeing you soon!
Salve Universitas Michiganensium,
Raymond Strobel
Small Groups and BIS-Chicago Operations Manager
Posted on February 8, 2012
The Friars will be performing February 11th at Rockford High School. The 7:00 pm concert will benefit the opening act, the Rockford Aces, who are traveling to the World Choir Games this summer. The concert is sure to be enjoyable for all ages as the Friars share "Everything I Learned in College" through song and of course, dance. If you are around the Grand Rapids area please come out for an entertaining evening for a great cause. For more information, or to order tickets, visit www.ummgc.org/friars/.
Posted on November 10, 2011
I must admit that this was not in my worldview when I left Ann Arbortown in 2008. Now, after returning to lead, mentor and learn from the gentlemen of the Glee Club, I often find myself thinking of how lucky I am to be an integral part of such a long- standing pillar at the Uni- versity. I also find myself ob- serving that the club I knew in the late 90’s is somewhat different than the club I see today. Of course, there are many of the same traditions and a strong commitment to musical excellence. How- ever, the level of ownership and pride exhibited by these gentlemen, in tandem with equally committed alumni, is deeper and richer than ever before. As the new man in town, this has brought about many engaging and lively discussions that have made my interactions with the gentlemen more mean- ingful than I ever could have imagined.
This year holds many exciting opportunities for the Glee Club; perhaps most exciting, our trip to China next May. In addition, The Brothers In Song program with Detroit Public Schools continues this year, and we look forward to collaborat- ing with the young men of Renaissance High School. Moreover, we are happy to announce the expansion of this program to include working with young men from the esteemed Chicago Children’s Choir. Selected members of the Men’s Glee Club will work with the young men of the Chicago Children’s Choir, who to- gether, with the entire Glee Club will perform a joint con- cert in Chicago next March.
Equally exciting is our 152nd Fall Hill Concert, a program titled “Let all the world in every corner sing,” that will celebrate singing from a diverse array of tra- ditions. As I embark on my first official Hill Concert in November, I look forward to sharing this new beginning with you. The program will feature many new composi- tions and arrangements. Of special note is the Luceat eis composed by my friend and colleague Timothy Tackach of the group Cantus, which is a powerful work commis- sioned by a parent of a sing- er who lost her life on 9/11. The work will be jointly pre- miered by Cantus and other collegiate men’s choirs from across the United States this fall. Also noteworthy, the program will include an original Pan-African medley that includes Xhosa, Kihaya, Swahili and Zulu along with four other premieres.
Whether in China, Chicago, or at home in Ann Arbor, I hope that you will join us at a concert this year as we look forward while we also honor our rich history and unwavering commitment to musical excellence.
Eugene Rogers, UMMGC Director
Posted on November 1, 2011
For the past month, a select group of Clubbers have been traveling to Renaissance High School to rehearse with their Varsity Choir. Under the direction of Dr. Eugene Rogers, we have sung, laughed, and forged the bonds of brotherhood we all hold so dear with the young men of Renaissance High School.
As a new addition to the program this year, the Glee Club was fortunate enough to have Trisha Fountain, Assistant Director of Admissions for the School of Music, Theater, and Dance, speak to the current high school students about the application process at the University of Michigan. The Renaissance men received valuable information and were proactive in talking to current Clubbers about our experiences at the University.
As Clubbers in the “Brothers in Song” program, we take the responsibility of acting as liaisons to the Glee Club as well as to our University very seriously. We not only represent the visionary values of the organization but also its fundamental pillars: Tradition, Camaraderie, and Musical Excellence.
Whether growing as musicians together with the Renaissance men through song, acting as ambassadors of our University, or interacting with students from diverse backgrounds, it is a humbling experience to sing alongside fellow brothers in song.
Matthew Hill, Assistant Alumni Relations Manager
