Alumna Perspective

Allison Bailey '10

Like many of my fellow young alumnae, I consider Chorus to be the defining aspect of my time at Cornell.  I am currently in graduate school, and although I obviously received outstanding academic preparation from Cornell, when people ask me about my experience I invariably end up describing how wonderful the Chorus is!  My four years in Chorus truly shaped my development as a person through music, leadership, and friendship. 

When I graduated, there was no question in my mind that finding another opportunity to sing was a necessity; however, this task has turned out to be much easier said than done, as it seems to be for the majority of alumnae.  It is surprisingly hard to find similar opportunities with a balance of musical quality and social camaraderie, which serves to highlight just how unique the Chorus is.  I definitely appreciated how much of a privilege it was to create outstanding music and work professionally with so many wonderful people at the time, but the longer I spend in the real world (as much as grad school can be the real world…), I realize that nothing will ever be quite as great (in a good way)!

I was fortunate enough to hold the office of Vice President for two years while I was in Chorus, and I remember being challenged by trying to think like an alumna would when planning Reunions events or forms of outreach.  Alumnae outreach is crucial to the future of the Chorus, both for the success of the current group and for all the alumnae who want to stay connected, but there were always questions of how often should alumnae be contacted, for what reasons, and which mode of communication is the most efficient.  With the amazing new website and the re-vamped group on Facebook, I think that alumnae outreach is one aspect of the Chorus that has really flourished in the last two years.  I think I speak for everyone when I say how much I love seeing pictures and especially videos from Chorus events, almost instantaneously!

As I write this, Reunion weekend, one of my favorite Chorus events, begins in just a few days.  This year will be particularly bittersweet as we say goodbye to Professor Tucker.  Tucker has been such a critical part of the Chorus and our lives, and I am so sad to see him go; however, I am excited and eager to witness the hard work, friendships, and most importantly the beautiful music the Chorus will create in the future.