Three days a week, the voices of 37 students harmonize and travel through Booth Hall; but just a few weeks ago, the enchanting sound echoed through the halls of Italian churches and cathedrals, according to the Director of Choral and Vocal Activities Désirée LaVertu. Since 1906, the Glee Club has been one of Occidental’s musical ensembles. According to LaVertu, Glee Club is a two-unit course offered in the music department that is open to all students.
The Occidental’s Glee Club has been touring the world for the past 75 years, traveling both domestically and internationally. However, one of their most recent events was their week-long tour to Italy, according to LaVertu.
“We sang in some of the most famous and beautiful spaces in Italy,” LaVertu said. “The churches were absolutely full of people, which was super exciting.”
During the tour, they sang 14 pieces in a variety of churches and cathedrals including St. Peter’s Basilica, Florence Cathedral, Giotto Chapel at Assisi, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pietá Church, Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti and Chiesa di Sant’Agnese in Agone, according to LaVertu.
Pierre Cozic (senior) has been on three tours throughout his four years as a member of the Glee Club. He went to Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas during his sophomore year. In his junior year, he went to Jackson, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. Now, during his senior year, he also attended the Glee Club’s most recent tour to Italy.
According to Cozic, his favorite performance on the tour was at the Vatican, during Wednesday night mass.
“It was unlike any other concert of our tour,” Cozic said. “I received communion halfway through our repertoire; the whole experience was very emotional and moving. It will forever be one of the most important and memorable performances of my life.”
Along with Cozic, Shelby Kernisant (first year) and Maddie Thorpe (sophomore) are Glee Club members who travelled to Italy. According to Kernisant, the tour was unbelievable.
“We sang in churches where iconic composers lived, worked and made their impact,” Kernisant said. “Having the opportunity to integrate ourselves with a whole other side of the world through our music, even if we don’t speak the same language, was really amazing.”
According to Thorpe, this experience provided her with new knowledge and awareness about singing.
“I learned a lot about singing in different spaces and how to adjust the way that I sing to complement and work with the space that I’m in,” Thorpe said.
Glee Club students prepared tremendously for this tour, according to LaVertu. Rehearsals usually consist of warmups, vocalizing and practicing the pieces for their upcoming events, mounting to four and a half hours a week.
“I hope the whole Oxy community understands how seriously the students in Glee Club really work. The concerts are fun, they’re exciting, but it’s a lot of work,” LaVertu said. “In rehearsals, we learn a lot of music each year, so I’m really proud of them and how great they sounded on tour.”
Cozic said that the commitment of all individuals in the Glee Club has had a positive impact on both him and the group. According to Cozic, what differentiates this group from other choral groups that he has been a part of is that Occidental’s Glee Club does not feel like an obligation, but is instead a choice.
“It’s really inspiring to see the commitment and energy that each individual brings to the group,” said Cozic. “It really strengthens the collective impact we can have on each other as performers.”
Apart from students’ dedication, LaVertu said that one of her favorite things about the Glee Club is the connection that choral singing brings.
“I love that choral music connects people from different backgrounds — different socio-economic backgrounds, different ethnic backgrounds, different geographical backgrounds,” LaVertu said. “It is this really powerful thing that connects people.”
After returning from Italy, the Glee Club performed their Home Concert where they sang all of the songs from their tour. This spring semester, the Glee Club has five upcoming events. March 23 at the Claremont Colleges, they will be performing at the Pacific Southwest Intercollegiate Choral Association’s choral festival. Then, April 14, they will be performing their annual Pops concert in Herrick Chapel, which is a student favorite, according to LaVertu. Following this event they will sing at the Spring Choral Concert with College Chorus April 28, the Senior Concert May 18 and finally at Commencement May 19.
Cozic said that the connection he has found in Glee Club is incredibly special, and is one of the reasons he has stayed all four years. Despite auditioning online his first year, due to COVID-19, he said that the environment was still incredibly welcoming for new members of the group. According to Cozic, all students interested in Glee Club should audition.
“We find community, safety, vulnerability and love in this space, and that’s something we choose to stay for,” Cozic said.
Contact Eliza Bodden at bodden@oxy.edu
