Occidental’s Glee Club piled onto a charter bus and headed to Northern California for their annual winter tour Jan. 12–18. The ensemble stopped in San Luis Obispo, Walnut Creek and San Francisco, performing in venues ranging from local Presbyterian churches to the Stanford Memorial Cathedral. For more than 75 years, Glee Club has toured annually, both domestically and internationally.
Charlotte de Mita (senior) said she has traveled with Glee Club four times over the past four years to destinations including the Southern United States and Nevada. During Glee Club’s previous winter tour, the group went to Italy, where most Glee members had not visited, meaning this year’s intrastate tour felt more familiar, according to de Mita.
“It really felt like a choir tour, we were all just on the bus together,” de Mita said. “This one had a homey feel to it.”
Caroline Cole (sophomore) said Glee Club members had positive interactions with alumni who attended the Walnut Creek performance. Cole said she spoke with women who graduated in the ’50s, who told her how different it was to be a female student then.
Noe Barraza (sophomore) said the venues differed in size and style which brought a variety of performance experiences. Barraza said their first venue was a smaller church with a wood ceiling, and the last was Stanford’s Memorial Cathedral, with a domed ceiling that helped sound travel.
“In ‘Ayúdame,’ we shout the words, and at Stanford, you could feel our singing hit the back of the wall, bounce back and then linger in the air,” Barraza said.
Cole said she was impressed by the Stanford Chamber Chorale, who performed a double feature alongside Glee Club at Stanford. Barraza said the collaboration welcomed a wider audience of Occidental and Stanford spectators.
Glee Club’s Winter Tour setlist contained an array of pieces from various composers and cultures, curated by Glee Club Director Desiree LaVertu.
“I think it’s a great representation of not only what Glee Club stands for — like female composers or underrepresented composers — but also, the people in the Glee Club,” de Mita said.
De Mita said that although most of the first semester pieces were chosen by LaVertu during the previous summer, suggestions were welcomed. De Mita, originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, said she brought an Indonesian folk song to LaVertu called “Hela Rotan.”
“I’ve known it since I was a child,” de Mita said, “I feel very proud, not even just performing it, but knowing that I shared it with people.”
After every concert on tour, the ensemble had a group dinner together, Barraza said. The days on tour consisted of a group breakfast, time to explore, lunch and the afternoon dedicated to preparing for the evening concert, according to Barraza.
Barraza said that in San Francisco, Glee Club members took the ferry to Alcatraz, and while in San Luis Obispo, he visited the Madonna Inn. De Mita said she visited the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose.

Glee Club had an opportunity to stop inside San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, renowned for its acoustics, and sing together, according to Barraza. Cole said Glee Club members often sing together for fun, without a planned performance.
“Someone could start singing a song, someone will come in on a harmony,” Cole says.
Barraza said the winter tour allowed him to connect with fellow members, including those from different vocal sections.
Many seniors in Glee Club felt sad throughout the tour, according to de Mita.
“[I thought] ‘Oh my gosh, it’s our last tour. What are we gonna do?’” de Mita said. “I got good memories for it, so I’m not gonna stay in the sadness. It’s a fond memory.”
De Mita said Glee Club helped her find community at Occidental while being so far from home.
“Glee Club gave me people to be friends with, no questions asked. They accepted me,” de Mita said. “That’s nice to have, especially when you’re moving or you feel like life is getting too hard — there are definitely people there that will help you out.”
De Mita said the talent and skill in Glee Club persists, even as several members are set to graduate in May.
“I’ve got no worries for Glee Club after this year,” de Mita said. “I’ll probably go to the concerts again after I graduate, just to support them again.”
De Mita said the club is always looking for new members in the fall and interested students can sign up at the Involvement Fair.
“I recommend anyone who ends up reading the article just come to a concert,” Cole said.
Barraza and Cole, who each have two more years left with Glee Club, both said they are excited for another tour. According to Cole, Glee Club unites under their shared love of music.
“It’s just a lot of fun to make music with people that want to make music,” Barraza said.
Contact Lucinda Toft at ltoft@oxy.edu