Indianapolis Men’s Chorus & Purdue Varsity Glee Club – Courtesy of IMC. Used with permission.
Choral music fans like me might have felt like they were in heaven as we listened to the celestial sounds of the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus and the Purdue Varsity Glee Club, which joined forces for a concert Sunday at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown Indianapolis.
Purdue Varsity Glee Club – Courtesy of Purdue University Glee Club. Used with permission.
Performing before a massive crowd gathered in the soaring Gothic-style performance space, the choruses, numbering more than 150 singers, were powerful as they raised their highly trained voices together in a program that blended classical, art, and contemporary music.
The internationally traveled Purdue Varsity Glee Club, founded in 1893, is celebrated for its versatility, which it skillfully exhibited during Act 1. Highlights of their set included a Nat King Cole Medley, A Brand New Day, the exquisite Sure on This Shining Night, and Beautiful City. Notable for their electrifying stage presence, the group of college students was masterfully led by director William Griffel. Pianist Scott Hines and the Glee Club band provided excellent accompaniment throughout their set.
Indianapolis Men’s Chorus – Courtesy of IMC. Used with permission.
Led by Artistic Director Greg Sanders, the IMC, with its rich and seasoned sound, displayed its own vocal artistry and versatility in an impressive Act 2. My favorite selections were the haunting Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight, the nostalgic Boomer Medley, the uplifting I Can See Clearly Now, the stirring How Great Thou Art, and the exuberant gospel number Operator/Ready for a Miracle. The IMC band, consisting of pianist Matt Richardson, drummer Matt Finger, and bassist Connor Green, added energy and polish to the performance.
The concert’s finest and most inspirational moments came at its conclusion when both choruses returned to the stage together. The combined voices filled the cathedral theater with Brothers, Sing On, Franz Biebl’s Ave Maria, and Sunday from Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. The sound was absolutely stunning, full and resonant, and beautifully blended, leaving the audience visibly moved.
For more information about the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus, visit indianapolismenschorus.org, and for the Purdue Varsity Glee Club, visit purdue.edu.
