Among the many fall traditions at Notre Dame such as tailgating and watching “Rudy,” the Glee Club concert is the one I eagerly anticipate the most. The excitement leading up to the event is always palpable.
A shuttle from Holy Cross Village was outside when I arrived at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on Friday night. Along with older ladies dressed in their church dresses, the auditorium was crowded with Glee Club alumni, the families of current Glee Club members and all their adoring fans.
They started off with a bang. As the lights dimmed over the audience, the club’s members ran out, and they started with an upbeat jazz number, which set the tone for an exciting evening.
The Glee Club director, Daniel Stowe, gave a short introduction before moving into two numbers in Portuguese — I wouldn’t have known the club wasn’t fluent in the language.
After this, they moved on to the mandatory religious portion of the concert, performing several Catholic hymns. Soloists Caleb DeLorenzo, Ben Rohr, Ethan Dimaano, Ray Warth, Owen Roesch and Allen Lopez performed incredibly, and their facial expressions made it clear that the reverence of the pieces was not lost on them. Even though I am a lapsed Catholic, I admit that the “Salve Regina” will always have a special place in my heart.
After this song, Stowe brought Connor Morrissey, a Notre Dame graduate student, to the front to conduct the next several numbers, which he did incredibly well.
Glee Club continued its international tour by performing several songs in German. The gentlemen were able to soften the harsh German into something I would want to listen to, leaving me impressed.
Still, I would like to remind the club’s members not to sway on stage as much as they do. I got a little seasick watching them. Remember to plant your feet, gentlemen!
They ended the first half of the performance with one of their staples, “Ave Maria,” which is something I look forward to every year.
After an intermission, they moved into a series of barbershop quartets. Now I must admit that I am not immune to a good barbershop quartet, and the gentlemen of the Glee Club did an incredible job with these selections.
After this, the group paid tribute to Brian Wilson (the late, great singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Beach Boys), who passed away early this year. I am not usually a fan of choral arrangements of pop songs — I suffered through many of them in middle school and high school choir — but this was really well done and a testament to Stowe’s ability to find excellent arrangements and Wilson’s composing ability.
They continued with some less severe numbers, including Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements.” Soloist Jack Christensen had a fantastic stage presence during the song, and it brought a bit of levity that made me smile.
They finished the concert off with several classic Notre Dame songs performed by both former and current club members, getting the audience ready for the game the next day.
But the fun did not stop after the concert, for, while exiting the concert hall, the club surprised us with a teaser for their Christmas concert with songs including “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The club’s energy was unmistakable — as it always is — and I always recommend that people go to see them.
Their next concert will be Saturday, Dec. 6, alongside the Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra. If you have the time, I highly recommend it.
