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The Cornell University Glee Club (CUGC), founded in 1868, is the oldest student organization at Cornell University. The CUGC is a thirty-nine member chorus for tenor and bass voices, with repertoire including classical, folk, 20th-century music, and traditional Cornell songs. The Glee Club also performs major works with the Cornell University Chorus such as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Handel's Messiah, and Bach's Mass in B Minor.

Achievements

  • Performances at two American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conventions as an auditioned choir: the 2008 ACDA Eastern Division Convention in Hartford, CT, and the 2009 ACDA National Convention in Oklahoma City, OK.
  • First American collegiate ensemble to tour the Soviet Union, traveled to the Soviet Union and England from December 1960 to January 1961.<sup>:126</sup>
  • Performed for national television and radio on such networks as Television Moscow, BBC, Educational Television Network, Radio Leningrad, Frankfurt Radio Network, Television Singapura, PBS, NBC, and others. Notable appearances include: The Perry Como Show (1954), and The Price Is Right (1999).
  • Frequent domestic and international tours have traveled to over thirty-five states and nearly thirty countries across four continents.
  • First group to bring the Franz Biebl Ave Maria' from Germany to the United States after meeting the composer during a recording session on the 1970 tour of Germany.
  • Three month tour through East Asia in 1966 on an all-expense-paid tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department.
  • 1989 tour of China was the focus of the PBS documentary Geographical Fugue.
  • First published history of an American collegiate choral ensemble, Songs from the Hill: A History of the Cornell University Glee Club by Michael Slon, Class of 1992, was published in 1998.
  • Alma Mater and Crew Song (1929, 78 RPM), Victor Records No. 21934 – also includes orchestral selections
  • Cornell Songs (1940, 3-disc set of 12" records) – includes two discs by the Glee Club and a third by the Chimes
  • Cornell Alumni Association ( – 1957, 78 RPM Maxi Single) – Includes four songs by Cornell Glee Club: "Alma Mater," "Evening Song," "Crew Song," and "Cornell." No date given. Thomas B. Tracy '31, Director. Matrix/Catalog #XP 40581 / XP 40582.
  • Cornell Music (1950s, 33 RPM LP) – includes selections by Glee Club, Chimes, and Concert Band
  • During the 1950s, the Glee Club released recordings on a near-annual basis through the Cornell Recording Society.
  • Songs of Cornell (19XX, 33 RPM LP)
  • Songs of Cornell (19XX, compact disc)
  • A Concert of Cathedral Music (1992, compact disc) – Recorded live during the 1992 Tour of Spain, France and Switzerland
  • Echos From The Walls (1997, compact disc)
  • Pacem (2006, compact disc)
  • Last Letter Home (2011, compact disc and electronic release)
  • Songs of Cornell (2015, compact disc – jointly with Cornell Chorus, featuring Cornell Symphony Orchestra and pianists Michael Slon and John Rowehl)

Miscellaneous

The seal

Adopted as the official emblem of the Glee Club by Thomas A. Sokol shortly after he became director, the CUGC seal features the head of Apollo, the Greek god of music and poetry. It also recalls the well-known glee Glorious Apollo by Samuel Webbe.

"Throw out all stereotypes. The Cornell University Glee Club has developed a virtuosic choral sound that has far more in common with the King's Singers than 40 guys with a keg."

:Alfred Thigpen of The Washington Postin a review of the Glee Club's performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on January 9, 2010.

"I want to send you my heartiest congratulations on your superb singing...I do not exaggerate when I say you made choral history, and I hope sincerely that before long we can again make music together."

:Eugene Ormandy, in a letter to the Glee Club and Chorus, after conducting a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony by the Glee Club, Chorus, and Philadelphia Orchestra on October 9th and 10th, 1962. The Hangovers' repertoire consists mainly of popular songs arranged for a cappella by members and alumni of the group, but they also perform traditional Cornell songs, as well as selections from the Glee Club repertoire on occasion.

The Hangovers have two major on-campus concerts every year, one in the Fall and one in the late Spring. The Fall concert has been named Fall Tonic since 1980, while the spring concert (produced since 1993) is known as Happy Hour.

Performances and tours take place around campus, around the country, and around the world. These efforts are undertaken in addition to the performances and travels that Hangovers members are also involved in as members of the Glee Club (see above). The Hangovers' first solo tour was to Bermuda in 1971, with subsequent tours undertaken to Antigua, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, and Switzerland. The ensemble also records periodically, and has released thirteen albums.

Earlier subset history

Prior to The Hangovers, the Glee Club spawned several spinoff a cappella subsets in the second half of the 20th century as collegiate a cappella emerged as a popular form of music.

  • Cayuga's Waiters (1949–1956)
  • disassociated from Glee Club in 1956; existed independently through 2017
  • The Sherwoods (1956–1958)
  • removed from Glee Club in 1958; existed independently through 1973
  • alumni often perform during Cornell Reunions weekend
  • Glee Club Eight / Glee Club Octaves (1958–1966)
  • The Hangovers (1968–present)
  • continue to tour and perform within the CUGC and separately as the official a cappella subset
  • Leftovers (1971–1972)
  • merged with The Hangovers in 1972

The Sherwoods

First appearing at the Glee Club's 1956 fall concert, The Sherwoods of Cornell gained prominence quickly among collegiate musical groups. They took their name from Sherwood B. "Woody" Bliss, Cornell class of 1958. They embarked on their first international tour in the summer of 1957 (with an itinerary including Hawaii and the Far East) and by 1958, they were a successful act in great demand both on and off campus.