The Michigan Daily

Glee Club provides post-game fun
By Layla J. Merritt
Daily Staff Reporter
Published November 21st, 2003

What better way to celebrate a victory of the best football teamin the west than to top it off with a performance by the bestmen’s collegiate choir in the world? This Saturday, after theOhio State game, the University’s Men’s Glee Club,directed by Stephen Lusmann, will hold two performances of their144th annual fall concert, which will also feature an a capellaoctet ensemble known as the Friars.
For those unfamiliar with the GC, it is a collection of about100 of your male peers. As a group, they are capable of shaking thefoundations of Rackham Auditorium with a powerful stream of bassand tenor voices resonating through a selection of well known andundeniably adored University anthems.
Exult in the satisfaction of having recently fed your bellicoseappetites with a platter of Ohio State by surrendering to a wave ofresonant anthems such as “Let All the People Sing Praises tothe U of M,” “Varsity” and “TheVictors” and the “Yellow and Blue.”
Despite its love of the University, the GC’s repertoire isnot limited to swollen chants of victory, and features a culturalshowcase of musical delights including Russian, Latin and Nigerianpieces, as well as several spirituals derived from the blackcommunity.
“We like to do a variety, and spirituals because they havea very beautiful quality to them, and they are fun, motivating,challenging and have a whole history,” said Adam Rosenwasser,an LSA senior who has been with the GC since his freshman year.
The audience has been known to succumb to a range of emotionswhile listening to the concerts Rosenwasser said. Perhaps this isdue to the dexterity of the GC, which can swiftly capitulate from asoft, harmonious hum to an intense rush of masculine voices,ringing in unison before dispelling into a soft, warm hush onceagain.
“We have a big, powerful, melodic quality in ourmusic,” Rosenwasser said of the GC. “It’s uniquebecause there are no women, and so there is a very big, deep,masculine sound that’s very traditional. We also have sometenors who can falsetto, so there’s a variety of sound andnothing’s lacking. You’re not wondering ‘whereare the women?’ It’s very joyous and very rousing. Wedefinitely have had people cry at our concerts; it’s a verymoving, beautiful sound.”