By Anne W. Semmes
The Yale Glee Club (YGC), founded in 1861 and having sung for Civil War troops, and now regularly singing around the world, is coming to Greenwich, all 80 male and female singers, on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., January 12, in the main sanctuary of Christ Church Greenwich. And the concert is free.
“Part of the Yale Glee Club’s mission is to encourage choral singing and foster a love of choral music,” tells local alum Clay Kaufman. “To that end, the January concert will include a fundraising portion (donations optional) to help support the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich in starting a new choral program. The Glee Club hopes for a long and deep collaboration to help encourage young people to discover the joy of singing in a chorus.”
Kaufman, who is a YGC board member, having served as president for six years, is part of a group of local alumni singers from the Greenwich and Westchester area set to sing a few favorite songs from the YGC’s long history. The Concert will also feature new works, including “Nuestra Mirada” by Micaela Carballo, “Break Silence” by Carlos Cordero, and “Power in Our Voices” by Omeno Abutu. “They will also perform,” he tells, “works by Charles Ives, Anton Bruckner, Aaron Copland, Jeff Douma [YGC director], and Arianne Abela, along with traditional Yale songs.”
The group comes to Greenwich having recently sung several concerts in Maine. “The YGC alumni association is very active,” tells Kaufman. Its reunions occurring every five years, he says, “bring more than 400 people back to campus, with singers spanning 80 years of graduating classes at Yale. Singing is a lifelong activity and at this Greenwich concert we will have singers aged from 18 to 90. It is such a remarkable opportunity to share the joy of music across the generations.”
Kaufman shared more of the YGC history. “It’s one of the first college singing groups to undertake international travel, its first tour to Europe in 1928 was led by director Marshall Bartholomew, who, during WWI, had helped prisoners of war survive their ordeal through song. In the past 103 years, the YGC has had only four directors, including current director Jeff Douma, now in his 22nd year.”
“The YGC is comprised of a diverse group of students with majors ranging from music to astrophysics to English,” continues Kaufman. And later this academic year, “YGC will be hosting the New Haven High Schools Choral Festival, bringing hundreds of local students together. In addition, this Spring the group will perform Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms with the Yale Symphony Orchestra, Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloe” and “L’Aurore” with the Yale Philharmonia, and Mozart’s Requiem at Woolsey Hall in New Haven.”
Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Choral Program
The Yale Glee Club Concert is introducing the Boys & Girls Club’s new after-school Choral Program for kids aged 8-12. This program offers young singers the chance to explore the joy of music and develop their vocal talents in a supportive and fun environment. Participants will learn the basics of vocal technique, harmony, and music theory while singing a diverse repertoire that spans different genres and cultures.
In addition to weekly rehearsals, the Choral Program will feature special guest appearances from the Greenwich High School Chamber Choir, the Yale Glee Club, and local a cappella ensembles. These guest sessions will inspire and engage the children, exposing them to various musical styles and professional insights. The program will culminate in a special performance for family and friends. No prior singing experience is required – just a love for music and a willingness to learn! Join us in making beautiful music together!
For more information on the Yale Glee Club visit https://gleeclub.yalecollege.yale.edu/
For information on the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich visit https://bgcg.org/
