Northeast Tour 2024 Day 10: DC -> Ithaca

By Emma Alexander, 01/20

While the last few days have been exciting getting ready for classes to start, it would be remiss of us not to mention any of our trip back home from DC to Ithaca!

After our fantastic reception the night before, we woke up in DC bright and early on Saturday to hit the road! While it was sad saying goodbye to our homestays and knowing tour was coming to an end, we still had a long bus ride ahead of us. To pass the time, we talked, made friendship bracelets, and took much-needed naps to rest up for our return from tour concert this Friday.

For lunch, we stopped at a mall in Pennsylvania, where there was unfortunately no singing cotton candy machine this time. After a nice lunch and looking through stores that were having sales (we are on a college student budget after all), it was time to hit the road again. For the second half of our drive, there was more laughter, talking, and much-needed rest. After driving for a few more hours through gorgeous snowy hills, we arrived in Ithaca around 6 pm. 

The fun didn’t end there, however. Once we arrived, we got to sing Will the Circle for one of our fantastic bus drivers, John. John and Stacy, our other amazing driver, worked tirelessly to make our tour as smooth as possible, and it was such a joy getting to know them throughout our trip. 

After parting ways, a group of us stood outside laughing and waiting for a bus back to our dorms, a memory I’m sure we aren’t soon to forget. That evening, a few of us couldn’t quite seem to part ways, and we spent hours reflecting on the joys that tour brought us. 

To everyone involved in this tour, whether it be our tour managers, professors, homestay hosts, or those who attended our concerts, I want to say thank you. Thank you for giving us such wonderful memories to look back on, and for helping us to create a community of music lovers. I know I speak for all of us when I say that we hope you enjoyed our tour as much as we did, and we hope everyone we met along the way will keep in touch!

And again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

With love,

Emma 26’

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 9: DC

By Summer You, 01/19

January 19th started with an unexpected snowstorm! Washington D.C. was evidently unprepared for snow, so my homestay group took an alternate route to meet with the rest of Glorus in the morning. We toured the Capitol building together; there were lots of old paintings and sculptures that were well preserved and displayed historical but outdated perspectives of the American population at the time of the artwork’s creation. The most memorable was the portrait monument to suffrage pioneers: I found it intriguing how the sculpture was left intentionally unfinished to symbolize the ongoing fight for gender equality in the US.

After enjoying some warm pho at a nearby restaurant, my friends and I headed for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the afternoon. I personally am a HUGE fan of museums so I had a lot of fun seeing all the sections. I loved playing around with the interactive gadgets in the Human Origins hall and fantasizing about all the different colorful gems in the gemstone hall. My friends and I also took some pictures with casts of dinosaurs and prehistoric humans.

We arrived at the Church of Epiphany for our soundcheck before the concert around 6PM. Everyone was talking about how we were almost done with the tour and how we hoped to end this tour on a good final note. Some Glorus members prepared gifts for our directors and tour managers and got many members to sign them, which was super sweet and wholesome. The concert went very well and I thought it had some of our best performances of songs that we previously struggled with. Dr. Nieh also laughed at our tour burn so I call that a success!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 8: Philly -> DC

By Claire Kurisko, 01/18

Today was a relaxing day full of good food and good fun with the glee club and chorus! We slept in this morning, and many of us had a nice breakfast at our hotel in Philadelphia. After our rehearsal, we grabbed a quick lunch and got ready to depart for Washington DC!

Our bus ride was pretty relaxing, and most of us ended up napping for the few hour journey.

Once we got to DC, we all ran over to see the White House before our dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. The evening was full of laughs, and we also celebrated two birthdays while at dinner!

After a long day, everyone was ready for a good night sleep to get ready for our last concert tomorrow, and my friends and I departed to our lovely homestay’s house!

Only two more days of tour left!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 7: NYC -> Philly

By Amy Mojica, 01/17

Yesterday, our day was super eventful! We started off the day in NYC, then made our way down to Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, New Jersey for a workshop with the choir members. They were all incredibly talented, and we exchanged music in the chapel. Each group sang two songs for the other, and it made for a great sense of community.

Shortly after, we had a lunch break that was initially supposed to be in Plainfield, NJ. That didn’t work out, so we drove a bit further out until we reached the Menlo Park mall and enjoyed some food in each other’s company. My friends were feeling silly so they brought cotton candy from a singing vending machine (we got a lot of laughs from it). The bus ride to Philly was peaceful, but not for long because we played CHORUS JEOPARDY! Unfortunately I was a member of the losing team, but the glory of knowing that Prof. Lergangis’ only dislike in the world was Dr. Pepper was enough to tide me over the journey of overcoming shame.

Afterwards, we held a short rehearsal for the concert in Philly, and went up to sing. Overall, it was a great show and seeing all the different people come out to support the choir program was a reminder of the community that chorus has given me. A few of the glorus members went to dinner together after the concert and had a taste of Philadelphia (we loved it)!

Thank you to everyone who has been so thoughtful and accommodating towards the Chorus and the Glee club—tour has truly been such a joy!

Much love,

Amy :-)

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 6: NYC

By Priscilla Natawidjaja, 01/16

Hi! I’m Priscilla, a senior in the Chorus. As a tour manager from NYC, I was so incredibly excited to plan this stop and bring the Chorus and Glee Club to my hometown!

In the morning, we had a workshop at Stuyvesant High School, my Alma mater! We had three sessions with the high school’s tenor bass choir, the treble choir, and the SATB choir learning different songs from our rep. We also sang a few pieces from our rep and answered questions about our experience at Cornell.

Next, we had free time to explore the city. Students wandered all around Manhattan, walking around Brookfield Place, Times Square, and Tribeca.

In the evening, we got ready for our concert at St. Barts, a stunning venue in the heart of the city, lit up in red for Cornell. The concert was incredible, with a huge turnout! After the concert, we had a lovely reception coordinated by a few NYC alums: Megan Lemley, Nancy James, Debbie Skolnik, TP Enders, and Jacques Boubli. It was so great to meet all the alums and sing Cornell songs together.

This day was particularly special to me for a myriad of reasons—not only was I able to return to my high school and reconnect with old teachers and friends, and it was the first time my family was able to listen to us sing in person.

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 5: Boston -> NYC

By Pranati Patnam, 01/15

Day 5!

Today was a travel day. My friends and I departed Boston early that morning to head to Providence for lunch. The weather was very pleasant and the sun warmed up our faces and lifted spirits.

We stopped in Providence for lunch, and decided to look around Brown University before getting a meal. We took pictures of the famous “Rocktree” on campus. Then, we ate at Wong’s Kitchen, which had served tasty Vietnamese food.

Heading towards New York City after filling our stomachs, most of us napped. While entering Manhattan, the familiar sights and sounds of the nightlife from the city that never sleeps comforted my senses after a long day. I met my college friend after reaching the hotel and took the subway to her house in Brooklyn. Today was a great mix of new experiences tied with old, familiar, and homely places.

Stay tuned!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 4: Boston

By Lourdes Diaz, 01/14

Today was filled with beautiful people, lively places, and delicious food. In the morning, our lovely homestays Heather and John fed us eggnog muffins, baked casserole, and fresh fruit, a wonderful way to start our day.

While heading to the Boston Commons, we were given a quick tour of the seaport! Shortly after, we briskly met up with some friends at the commons and split up to start our respective days. My friends and I planned on visiting the Boston Public Library but we ended up arriving at an hour early.

To kill time, we headed to Newbury street to explore and eat lunch. We stopped by a cute bookstore cafe, exploring and bonding over their unique trinkets.

We decided to eat a warm ramen lunch at Red & White. I ordered a Truffle Salt ramen—thick cut ramen in a thick broth and topped with light salty truffle oil. While we were waiting for the ramen, I made a quick boba run with some friends! I got a caramel cheese foam milk tea which was divine. Stuffed and happy, we wrapped up Newbury Street with a bit of shopping.

We headed back to the Boston Public Library and wandered about before finally heading to the church. After rehearsal and the concert, we all headed to the concert reception, which had such beautiful, grand decor. Covered in gold and intricate details, the reception hall was filled with nostalgic energy and excitement.

After a night of festive singing and socializing, we all headed back to our homestays where we happily shared pizzas and stories about Chorus and Cornell. We were so lucky to hear the endearing stories of our Cornell alumni. Thanks to our homestays, we’re ready to rest up and take on NYC!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 3: Montréal -> Boston

By Janice Shen, 01/13

Today was definitely a long day of travels, but it was full of opportunities for fellowship and fun.

Although we were all quite groggy in the morning, leaving at 8:30 AM, we got to catch up on some sleep on the bus from Montreal to Lake Placid. When we arrived, Lake Placid was raining and the ground was slushy, so we had to cancel our plans to go sledding. However, my friends and I quickly started exploring the beautiful town, with cute ceramic stores, a chocolate shop, and a hockey tournament going on.

We also took a photo at Mirror Lake, which is usually packed with people skating, sledding, and tobogganing. However, today, we had the beautiful scenery all to ourselves. Then, we had lunch at The Smoke Shop BBQ, where we bonded over a hearty meal of wings and burgers.

Then it was back to the bus. Five more hours of bus ride till we arrived at Springfield for a quick dinner at Joy Bowl. And then two more hours on the road till we got to Boston.

Thankfully, our amazing homestay picked me and five other chorus friends up to their gorgeous house. And we quickly drifted into dreamland in beautiful homemade quilts.

Today was no easy feat. There’s something about the nothingness of bus rides that drains our energy away. However, by the grace and support of friends, we remain in good spirits and excited for the next step ahead.

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 2: Montréal

By Sarah Cooke, 01/12

Day two complete!

Today was our full day in Montreal! We were given free time in the morning to explore the city and see some cool sights! I was happy to sleep in and then for breakfast I went to Tim Hortons! As a Philadelphian I would classify Tim Hortons as a knock-off Wawa, but sorry Canada, it’s not as good.

My group and I then walked by the Notre-Dame Basilica while on our way to the waterfront. The water front ended up being more of a snow front since it was mainly iced over with a layer of snow on top. So far it’s been a mild winter in Philly and Ithaca, so seeing all of the snow and getting to really wear my snow boots felt like a great way to get in the winter mindset!

For lunch we tried a cute salad/bowl place called Mandy’s which was super yummy! This lunch concluded our free time and we then headed to the Christ Church Cathedral to prepare for our first concert!

There we had a rehearsal and got to listen and meet the Yale Glee Club! After rehearsal we all went to the Underground City for dinner. It was more of a multistory mall with a food court in the basement. There we properly met some of the Yale Glee Clubbers and got some good food! After dinner some friends and I went for a walk through the mall and found an arcade that had free tea cup rides which we made sure to take advantage of!

We sang during the first half of the concert running our first half of our tour music set and the Yale Glee Club sang during the second half. They sounded amazing and even had a few student conductors which was really cool! At the end of the concert we sang two pieces together as one choir. Afterwards we had a mixer with the Yale Glee Club a short walk away where we were able to meet and talk with the other group which was so much fun! They are on their own mini tour and will be traveling to New York City tomorrow to conclude their tour. We also learned that they also like to add GL- to the beginning of words just like us Gloristers.

I had a blast in Montreal and hope to explore the city more in the future! It was my first time to Canada, and it did not disappoint! First concert was a success and I am excited to head to our next stop tomorrow!

Northeast Tour 2024 Day 1: Ithaca -> Montréal

By Audrey Lyons, 01/11

Let me tell you, waking up extra early on such a brisk day was no easy feat! My homestay group and I were up extra early in order to fit in a CTB stop on our way to the bus (and get some much needed caffeine) in preparation for the week ahead. We started the day off heading out bit later than intentioned, but our wonderful drivers Stacey and John made up for our lost time beautifully!

As is typical for many tours, our first day was full of travel. We all found different ways to stay occupied on the bus, from personal activities to group bonding over the movie ‘The Prince and Me’. Members spent their time knitting, playing cards, or in my case learning to cross stitch! We faced some concerning weather in Canada, but once again our drivers saved the day and we were none the wiser until all was well.

We stretched our legs in Kingston, Ontario and spent time wandering around the mall (including the food court!). A bunch of members quickly located the music store in the mall in typical Chorus and Glee Club fashion!

We finally arrived in Montréal in the late afternoon and soon set out exploring the city! Group dinner ended with a lovely rendition of the Bloch and we broke off to pursue our respective interests. For me and my group this meant wandering the city to see the beautiful light displays on every corner!

Though it is only the first day of this tour, it is already so special to me. The opportunity we get from membership within this group to bring our music to different people is truly one-in-a-million. We may have largely spent the day traveling and unpacking, however I already feel closer to my fellow chorus members, and I am so excited to keep fostering these relationships that will last a lifetime!

100 Things to Do In Chorus

1. Fill up your water bottle at Willard Straight.

2. Accidentally drop your water bottle during rehearsal and cause an earthquake

3. Sing evening song after rehearsal

4. Audition for after 8

5. Get distracted by the chimes at rehearsal

6. Lose your voice at chariot

7. Bond with other members over hating some aspects of eca

8. Figure out how to tie an ascot

9. Sing from the crypt at lessons and carols

courtesy of Nina Young

10. Get Louie’s after a concert.

11. Get competitive about your voice part

12. Bluff your way through the words to Cornell songs

13. Do choralography at an inappropriate moment out of instinct

14. Reach out to the community for help about a non-chorus related problem.

15. Tour burn!!!!

16. Almost fall off the riser.

17. Run up the tower after lessons and carols

18. Be an officer <3

19. Panic because you forgot your folder

20. Fall in love with another glorus member

21. Have to share your life story with the secretary to get excused from rehearsal

22, Argue about which class is superior

23. Max out on service points

24. Make friends with a Chorus alum

25. Sing a solo in Song of the Classes

26. Get popcorn before rehearsal. 

27. Spend a rehearsal in the “sick bay”

28. Ask the Care Chair for Advil

29. Drink water conspicuously when the warmup goes out of your range

30. Forget to bring black tights on tour

31. “Forget” to return your music

32. Spill something on your permanent rep packet

33. Buy black shoes for your first Twilight because you somehow didn’t bring any to college

34. Get a Chorus mentor!

35. Load up on reception snacks

36. Trip while walking across the Bailey risers

37. Attend Chorus History Tea

38. Quartercard for the Chorus on Ho Plaza

39. Forget something in Sage Basement

40. Send an email to the listserv

41. Accidentally reply all to the listserv

42. Stay up too late at retreat

43. Stay for senior week

44. Sing in Cornelliana

45. Go to an AC meeting

46. Accompany the Chorus on an instrument

47. Forget your pencil and/or folder

48. Nap in Sagement

49. Sing in more than 3 different languages in one semester

50. Meet your best friend

51. Enter the Choral Library and plumb its secrets

52. Go on tour

53. Get sick during tour

54. Travel to another country on tour

55. Listen to interesting stories from your host families on tour. 

56. Accidentally be late when returning to the tour bus

57. Add your homestays on LinkedIn during tour

58. Take pictures with your homestays’ pets :)

59. Wear your ECA far too many times without washing it

60. Let your folder slam onto the floor at a concert

61. Learn a Glee Club song

62. Make a gingerbread house for the winter competition

63. Cry when the seniors are featured at Lessons and Carols

64. Go to an After Eight concert

65. Go to one of the Hangovers’ concerts

66. Walk up a hill in ECA

67. Run up a hill in ECA

68. Get mistaken for a flight attendant while wearing DCA

69. Break or lose your candle at Lessons and Carols

70. Be photographed for a poster or interviewed for a recruitment video

71. Get rained on at commencement or convocation

72. Get sunburned at commencement or convocation

73. Take a group pic with the commencement speaker

74. Become a superfan of a commission composer

75. Read all the words printed around the ceiling of Sage

76. Live with other Chorus members

77. Have a pre-Glormal photoshoot

78. Doodle/write down quotes from rehearsal onto your sheet music. Realize that you have to return it at the end of the semester

79. Sleep on a pew (or pew cushion) at retreat 

80. Perform a Major Work!! 

81. Suffer through wearing black tights for concerts before realizing that black dress socks are the move

82. Pick your favorite perm rep song <3 

83. Meet eyes with a Glorus member across the room and make a silly face

84. Fall in love with a homestay family on tour, whose kindness you will never forget

85. Not have cell service and/or the correct currency on tour 

86. Walk proudly through a dining hall in your ECA while getting pre-concert dinner

87. Stay up late having a deep conversation with a member you didn’t know well before at your tour homestay

88. Make a new friend at retreat :)

89. Pick your senior dinner song T_T

90. Hastily grab dinner or a pre-rehearsal snack at Libe, spotting no less than 5 Chorus and/or Glee Club members doing the same thing 

91. Stretch your mind or your legs at Midnight Madness

92. Make an announcement during rehearsal

93. Hang up concert posters for ~points~

94. Change your Facebook banner and write a post for a Chorus event

95. Have too much class spirit at the gingerbread competition

96. Make a meme for the GroupMe

97. Make a mistake in a concert and play it cool

98. Struggle to put on the boutonniere pre-concert, and get help from another member

99. Buy and wear Chorus merch!

100. Listen to recordings of the Chorus when you get nostalgic

Contributors: Melissa Gao, Nina Yang, Zoe Kim, Ketchel Carey, Heather Hamann, Maggie Lin, Amy Crouch, Crystal Arguelles, Caroline Hinrichs, Victoria Correa, Sanjeevani Joshi, Emily Hurwitz, Marinna Chung

Reminiscing this Christmas

By Heather Hamann ‘23

As we approach the holiday season, I’m reminded of the beautiful Ithaca snows and holiday carols ringing through the halls of Lincoln Hall and Sage Chapel. As Cornell has sent us home for the rest of the semester, my friends and I are stuck at home cramming for finals among family, hoping that quarantine will take us to where we need to be as a community. The thing that I miss most of all, though, is certainly Lessons and Carols, the annual concert that the Glorus performs for the Ithaca community. Right about now, we would be upon our last rehearsals in Sage Chapel, welcoming the instrumentalists into our midst or running through the choreography of the night. This year, we’ll be doing a virtual service.

About a week ago, I sat at my dining room table and recorded my parts in the pieces we’ll be doing. I balanced my phone on top of a speaker and propped it up against a banana. . I used my Apple earbuds- plugged into my phone- as a speaker. I had my headphones linked to my laptop to hear and sing along to the provided soundtrack. It felt strange and lonely to hear my voice alone sing the melodies that are usually heard in a swell of a hundred voices. I pictured the boom of the organ scaring all of us out of our seats at the beginning of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. As I sat still and smiled during the seniors’ verse of Silent Night, I pictured the graduates of 2021 as best I could, imagining all of us together to say goodbye. Still, I’m grateful to be able to participate in this service in whatever way I can this year. I’m eager to see and hear the final product.

I’ll miss the beautiful windows and ornately decorated walls of the Chapel. I’ll miss running up the tower to get there in time to sing along with carols with other chorus members, hoping my knees don’t give out on my high heels. I’ll miss the somber candles and singing every single verse of “O Come O Come Emmanuel”. I’ll miss the overwhelming excitement when we crowded downstairs in Sagement. I’ll miss the beautiful sound and feeling of singing with the Glorus live. Most of all, though, I’ll miss the chance to share a night celebrating with friends and family. I’m sure that it will feel all the more meaningful, when we are finally able to execute Lessons and Carols in its full glory again. Until then, I am grateful to have the love and support of the Glorus this Christmas, even if from afar.

The tree that members decorated for Lessons and Carols 2019 in Sage chapel.

New members in the crypt at Sage Chapel, preparing to sing the first piece of Lessons and Carols 2019, O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis.

College, Choral Music, and Covid-19: How a Current Freshman is Experiencing All Three

By Wynne Williams-Ceci, ‘24

As a current freshman, starting college in the fall of 2020, the words I have heard more than any others in the past 6 months are ones of pity and remorse. Since the pandemic began, people I hardly even know have been reaching out to express their sympathy for the circumstances my cohort has faced: having finished high school in a covid-spring and started college in a covid-fall. As a Cornell student, I feel extremely lucky to have been given the chance to live on campus at all. Many of my friends attending other institutions have not been blessed in this same way. However, despite this great fortune, it is easy as a choral singer to still feel especially discouraged during this time because the very essence of what it means to be a member of a choir directly contradicts necessary safety regulations. As our director, Robert Isaacs, likes to say: “My job is normally to gather people in an indoor space, pack them together, and tell them to all breathe deeply.” While Robert’s task seems virtually impossible during this time, he and the students in the Cornell University Glee Club and Chorus have been working virtually non-stop, and in doing so have managed to still create an incredibly special and memorable experience for new members of the ensembles (both on and off campus).

Since receiving my acceptance letter into the Chorus, my life at Cornell has been enriched in so many ways. Every Monday afternoon, I attend (in person!) my Choral Musicianship class for all new members. We may not be able to sing together and learn the permanent repertoire of the ensembles like most years, but we all still spend these afternoons learning about what it means to be a musician: bettering our technique, honing our ability to read rhythms, and laughing together when inevitably certain exercises go awry. On Wednesday evenings, all of Chorus attends our weekly zoom call, in which we learn new and exciting things pertaining to strengthening our skills as singers (and listening to some great music along the way). Beyond that, Robert made an assortment of additional activities available to all students, with the option to join as few or as many as desired. I participate in a few of these activities: a bi-weekly sight reading mastery class, a project team dedicated to creating virtual choirs this semester, and a small in-person consort group that sings 12 -feet-apart, outdoors, fully masked. Aside from these formal activities, the students of the Chorus and Glee Club have created a multitude of fun virtual activities for members to join, ranging from trivia nights, to movie nights, to Homecoming Celebrations. 

My biggest fear coming into the Chorus this year was that I would not be able to experience the same sense of community that its members have in the past. Having grown up in Ithaca and attended Chorus concerts since I was in the womb, I have always had a strong sense of the close-knit friendships that are born out of shared membership in the Chorus. With covid-19 regulations, and no large group in-person singing, achieving this seemed practically impossible, and I had essentially accepted the fact that I likely would not get to make any friends in these ensembles until the pandemic no longer poses such a threat. Thanks to the tireless work of the students and our director, though, I am happy to say that I was proven wrong. On Monday nights, after my class with new members, I go and enjoy a distanced dinner with several of my friends who are also freshmen in the two ensembles. On Tuesday afternoons, I often get walked to my bi-weekly covid test by the girls from my consort group, allowing me to meet older members and learn from their experiences at Cornell in past years. In all of the online activities, I have been greeted by such a warm and friendly group of people each and every time, all of whom I feel connected to, even across a screen.

It’s the unfortunate truth that large group choral singing is simply not a possibility given the current circumstances. But, the Cornell University Chorus has in no way allowed this to hinder its overall goal of bringing people together over a shared love of music. While it is definitely not your typical year, I am incredibly grateful for and satisfied with the experience I have had as a part of the ensemble thus-far. I know that our time apart will make it all the more wonderful when we all come together again.

Pictured: Wynne singing with her consort at the Johnson Museum.

A Cautious Return

Caroline Hinrichs, ‘22

Cayuga with its crawling thunder

In late March stood still and grey

Students, campus torn asunder

As we packed and went away.

N’er did Schoellkopf stand so empty 

As it did that summer green.

Chimes atop our tower wept, for 

No chimesmaster could be seen. 

Now as autumn lights the grounds

And vultures fly across the lake

Still! And you might hear the sound

That less than ten masked singers make.

Spaced apart in sculpture gardens,

Learning theory over zoom,

Sending tons and tons of emails-

One chorus in 40 rooms.

Still, with bated breath we’re waiting

For the day when, in a throng

We can safely lift the chorus

Of a rousing evening song.

Being an International Chorus Member During COVID-19

by Justine Kim, ‘21

When I parted with Chorus after the Pacific-Northwest tour, little did I know that I wouldn't see them for another year. 

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

I'm Justine, and I am a rising senior from Sydney, Australia. In Spring 2020, I planned to study abroad at Yonsei University, Korea. But COVID-19 broke out, and all my plans fell apart. 

I returned home to Sydney and snagged a last-minute internship at a solar company. To make up for my 'lost semester,' I enrolled in four online summer classes in Communications. I filled the void of silence by learning the guitar, stimulated the joy of  learning a new skill by teaching myself how to edit videos. When the loneliness became unbearable, I decided to become a Pilates Instructor.  

I realized I was making up for the parts of my life that the Chorus had fulfilled. I missed the beautiful sounds of Sage Chapel, the giddiness of mastering a challenging musical phrase, and the feeling of 'wholeness' as I sang with the people I loved. After my 6 months hiatus, I couldn't wait to go back. 

Recently, Australia announced that it would close its borders. But Cornell announced that it would re-open for the Fall semester. I was torn; I wanted to go, but my parents had emailed my landlords to cancel my lease. I guess they were concerned about New York's COVID-19 cases, America's widespread violence, and just Trump in general. As an international student, I didn't know when I would be forced to return home.

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

But where was 'home?' While I grew up in Sydney, the Chorus had been my home for two years. During the most challenging years of my life, they were with me. The Chorus shared my happiest times and made me feel as if I truly belonged at Cornell. They are why I kept going back to Ithaca - even if it meant flying for 30 hours. 

Suddenly, I began recalling all the details that I thought I forgot. Walking through the dimly lit aisles in Sage Chapel as my friends waved my name card, the ebb and flow of our breaths, the surreal overtones that electrify the room at the end of a piece...I miss it all. 

©Princess Bari, 01.087.2018, book.interpark.com

I realized what a privilege it was to sing with the Chorus. I'm so lucky that I was part of a community connected and empowered by music. It's been six months since I actually "sang." My lungs feel a little crusty, and my vocal cords have shrunken to half its size. But my love for singing and the Chorus has grown two folds. 

I'm not even an alumnus yet, but I think I know how they feel. Often, we don't know how important something was until it's gone. I hope that next year, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available so that I could go back and experience it all again. 

I'm graduating in Spring 2021 - during the Chorus centennial! I can only imagine how spectacular it's going to be. If I can go back, I know that I will embrace every moment that I have with the Chorus.

Because this time, it will truly be my last.

Days Gone By

Brigid Lucey ‘18

Have you ever watched the sun set from the Sage Chapel lawn,
ascended those crumbling concrete steps from the basement to find
a spilled watercolor stretching over Lake Cayuga?

Have you walked in, ice in your eyelashes,
the radiators hissing and pinging and popping,
to seek respite from the snow?

Have you floated up Collegetown’s hills,
humming on the walk home from Chariot,
not even caring about the rain?

A Letter from the President

Dear friends of the Cornell University Chorus,

As the student leader of a university student organization, I struggled with our place in adding to the current global conversation resulting from the tragic deaths of George Floyd, David McAtee, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other black Americans. However, the Chorus is one of Cornell University’s flagship choirs, and as we are frequently called upon to represent the University on tour, in workshops, and beyond, I felt compelled both personally, and as the President of our organization, to use our influence and platform to speak out.

As an organization, the Chorus condemns the persistent and nationwide injustice and violence towards the Black community. Black lives matter. I acknowledge that as a non-Black individual, I have an extremely limited perspective. I promise that this letter is not merely a response to the recent tragedies, but a commitment to a much deeper conversation concerning racial injustice both in our society and our organization.

Although recent events have once again highlighted violent patterns of clear racial discrimination, structures of privilege and oppression pervade every level of our society. These systems can affect all of us in much more subtle yet equally sinister ways. Our exec team is currently actively discussing amongst ourselves, with current members, and with our director the ways the Chorus can fulfill its promise to be an inclusive and welcoming space, and a responsible organization that thoughtfully engages with our repertoire, and with our own challenges. This letter marks the beginning of a reinvigorated conversation on justice and equity within our organization.

Maggie Lin ’21, Chorus President

June 2, 2020

Ithaca, NY

Homecoming: A Reflection on Generations

Brianna Cox ‘20

Ever since the first rehearsal of O-Week, I was acutely aware of the fact that I’m a senior. Time had really flown since joining the Chorus the fall of my freshman year, and it had seemed like all of a sudden, 2020 was the oldest class and the Glorus now included members who were three (!!) years younger than us. With all the stress of figuring out what I’m doing next year, I kind of resented being a senior, and wished for my younger days at Cornell when my biggest worry was just upcoming prelims.

However, all of that changed over Homecoming Weekend. In the days leading up to Saturday, I saw on social media that many of my good friends from the classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019 were coming back, and I realized that being a senior was such a unique position to be in. I knew people from the classes of 2017-19 from when I was a freshman, but as a senior, I now know the classes of 2021-23, too! It dawned on me how exciting it was to know six generations of the Glorus, appropriate to the theme of this year’s homecoming concert: Generations. It warmed my heart that I had gotten to know so many amazing people over the course of my four years at Cornell, and I had a great time catching up with the young alums at the tailgate.

The concert that night was an even more powerful experience. After pinning on a white boutonniere for the first time, I watched the Glee Club open the concert, sitting in the balcony with the rest of the Chorus. I was happy to hear Patrick Braga ‘17’s piece, having known Patrick and having sung some of his compositions my freshman year, when he was a senior.

While walking down from the balcony to line up for the Chorus’s set, it dawned on me that this year was the first truly joint homecoming, a huge change from my freshman year. Not only was it a positive step for our ensembles’ parity, but our new members were performing an entire set at Bailey less than two months into their time in the Chorus. I remembered how nervous I was freshman year during Homecoming, to just sing one short piece from the balcony, with the Glee Club covering the rest of the concert.

Singing Armottoman Osa as part of the joint set was my favorite part of the night. When Robert explained to the audience that Armottoman had been a hit on the joint 2016 tour to Guatemala and Mexico, I saw my 2017-2019 friends in the audience grinning and looking at each other. I remembered being a freshman and hearing all about that tour, since 2020 was the newb class that joined in the fall following Guatemex. We sang Armottoman and Bogoro at every Chariot, and many members of 2020 like me learned those pieces by rote, whereas younger classes of the current Glorus learned it in a rehearsal setting. It warmed my heart that Robert was bringing those old pieces back for the Glorus’s next joint tour this January to the Pacific Northwest.

As we sang through the last “hai jaa jaa jaa’s” of Armottoman, I felt proud to be a part of the next generation of Glorus members to take that piece on tour. Being a senior finally felt like a positive thing because my fellow ZOZOs and I would get to be the leaders on this tour and have one of our last hurrahs together.

Homecoming really felt like home came back to me because the Glorus members who had made Cornell feel like home for me way back freshman year had come back as young alums. On the other hand, my young alum friends told me at the tailgate how weird it was to be back. They had made homes elsewhere in their post-grad lives, from New York City to DC to Phoenix. But Cornell was still home, even if it had changed in the time they were away. It made me remember that I, too, will soon become a young alum. That was an incredibly weird realization to come to, but at the same time, it made me smile. Cornell is home for countless numbers of students and alums, and within Cornell are smaller homes like the Glorus. The rest of senior year is going to rush by, and while I want to enjoy it, I am already looking forward to coming back home.

My Experience in the Chorus So Far

Victoria Correa ‘23

I knew I wanted to continue singing in college, and I've listened to a couple of songs by Cornell's a cappella groups as soon as I got my acceptance letter, but I did not know there was a treble choir. When I found out, I was excited, because I sang in a treble choir my last year of high school and loved it. You can test the ability of a bunch of treble voices, and it was like being a part of one big sorority.

I signed up for auditions, and I was pleasantly surprised by how inclusive the Glorus was. Getting to know them and the other recruits was a fun way to spend some of O-week. I could not believe it when I got into the Chorus, and I was psyched for the new year. 

So far rehearsals have been fun and challenging. I like how Robert emphasizes personal growth as a musician in many other aspects besides just learning to become a better sight reader. I always got enough sleep senior year of high school, so I forgot what it was like to come into rehearsal tired af yet still having to push yourself. I'm glad I stick with it as much as I can even when I'm tired, because in the end I learn something new every rehearsal. The other ZOZƎ kids seem awesome and I'm excited to get to know them as well as everyone else in the glorous in the year to come!

First Impressions

Elizabeth Latham ‘23

“Alright everybody. Put your hands on your waist and pant like a dog.”

Not the typical first phrase you hear in a 3000-level ivy league class. I was used to warm-ups, of course, but nothing so creative and strange as this. As a long-time chorister myself I have had my fair share of warm-up experience. From early childhood to high school and onward, it was a steady stream of exhausted but enthusiastic choir instructors lift their arms to get us to a loosened “OOOOoooohhhh” sound like a bunch of kids on a rollercoaster. Sometimes they got more physical, stretching up as high or as low as we could. Sometimes they even got personal—I had one instructor that had everyone sing to the top and bottom of their range on their own name or the name of one of their peers.

The Cornell Chorus is different for warm-ups, though. Each has a story to follow along with. They are engaging and kinesthetic; sometimes we are passing a ball around behind our backs to mimic the path of the sound ringing around in our open vocal chambers. Sometimes we are mmmm-ing, “as if someone has just said something very intriguing”… “OK now as if someone has said something that you disagree with quite strongly”. Hands around our diaphragms, we feel the muscles meant to push the sound up and out of us fully at work. Hands at our throats or our nose or the backs of our necks, we feel the notes spinning out of us like drill bits.

Everything is “feel for this” or “observe that” and we have different imaginary motivations for doing so every day. I have never been in a singing group whose warmups engage my imagination as much as my technique and my technique as much as the simple mechanics. Every rehearsal feels like a voice lesson and the extended time dedicated to individual technical elements to performance allows each musician to advance not only their performance in each specific song, but their actual singing to be applied to every piece they would ever encounter.