The Department of Music’s ensembles perform music from many cultures and historical periods, offering students a chance to find new outlets for artistic expression during each rehearsal or concert. Students frequently remark that their time in their respective ensemble was a central aspect of their Cornell career, providing them with fulfilling experiences and close friends. Our approach to musical education provides students with more than just tools for artistic expression: it instills creative thinking, fosters aesthetic appreciation, promotes experimentation, and allows for students to develop different methods of approaching the world around them. But Cornell Music’s commitment to providing rich, transformative experiences also manifests itself in another way: our ensembles are dedicated to touring, giving students once in a lifetime travel opportunities while sharing their music with communities across the United States and around the world. Following are highlights from this year's tours!
Orchestra tour to Taiwan, January 2019
The Orchestra visited three high schools and one middle school in the city of Taipei playing side by side rehearsals with orchestras and bands in those schools for the first five days of the tour. During the second half of the tour, the Orchestra collaborated with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra in a joint performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and Mahler's First Symphony. 89 students and 3 faculty members lived like locals for 10 days in the city of Taipei and made unforgettable connections with the people of Taiwan!
“Every moment of every day was filled with new adventure and excitement: hikes up Elephant Mountain to catch the best views of the city, walking along the boardwalk at TamSui, impromptu photo shoots, eating food from every stall at the night markets, and rehearsals that encouraged me to grow as a musician and made me proud to be a member of the Cornell Orchestras. Tour is so valuable to us because we get to meet each other outside of rehearsal - without the stress of school. We become more connected, more trusting of each other, and as a result, the musical experiences we have together become all the more meaningful and enjoyable.” - Dominic Grasso, ‘20
Cornell Orchestra bass section
Wind Symphony tour to Haiti, January 2019
Going on tour allows ensembles to use music as a vehicle for cross-cultural exchange and collaboration, in keeping with Cornell's core values of public engagement and awareness. This past January, the Wind Symphony embarked on its second service-learning tour to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They had the honor of collaborating and performing with the musicians of the Holy Trinity Music School, a community music school based in Port-au-Prince. After a week in Haiti, they crossed over the border to the Dominican Republic. There, the Wind Symphony held masterclasses for the students of the newly-founded band program at the Cap Cana Heritage School in Punta Cana.
The Winds had an amazing time on tour engaging with the musical communities in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Many students even described the tour as life-changing because of the meaningful interactions, musical experiences, and unique perspectives that going on tour provided!
Cornell Wind Symphony
Glee Club Sesquicentennial Tour- January 2019
The Glee Club celebrated its 150th anniversary with several large-scale events this year, from our Homecoming Concert to our Reunions Celebration (where over 300 alumni took the stage to perform our most treasured repertoire). But the highlight for current members was our massive tour to both coasts. The choir visited Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, and finally New York, performing repertoire that represented its storied history, all the way back to its early days as the Glee, Banjo, and Mandolin Club.
“This tour was an incredible experience for me as a vocalist, instrumentalist, and Glee Clubber. Our repertoire this year highlighted all the ways we’ve changed as a group since we were founded in 1868. I was asked to play both the mandolin (which I learned how to play specifically for this year!) and djembe during tour, which was a flattering request from our director but mildly frustrating during travel days! Our alumni were incredibly friendly and treated us to many extravagant receptions, and our time in each city was marked by exploration and a whole lot of fun as we all grew even closer as an ensemble!” - Milo Reynolds-Dominguez, ‘20
Cornell Glee Club rehearses at Strathmore Hall
Chorus tour to Canada, Spring Break 2019
This spring, the Chorus ventured northward to spread its love of music with the U.S.’s neighbors in central Canada. They visited several cities in Canada, including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Québec City, where the ensemble performed in concerts and held workshops to connect with local communities. The Chorus ended its tour in Boston, participated in the Harvard Radcliffe Choral Society's Rising Voices Treble Choral Festival. They concluded their final stop with a performance of few pieces of their repertoire, including a memorable performance of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," during which the other choirs participating in the festival joined in from their seats in the audience.
“The tour was an incredible journey of bonding and friendship, bringing all of us closer to each other as well as our alums in Canada and Boston. We had the privilege of working with many of our amazing alums, performing in a wide variety of venues, meeting members of the local communities of all ages and demographics, and enjoying the local activities and attractions in each city. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible, and I look forward to what is in store for the Chorus next tour!” - Sophia Zhang, ‘21
Cornell Chorus at Mt. Royal
Chamber Singers tour to Hawaii, August 2018
The Chamber Singers completed a successful cultural exchange in Maui, HI. In addition to collaborating with the Maui Chamber Orchestra and Chorus on Haydn’s Harmoniemesse at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, the Chamber Singers held a free concert at the historic Keawala’i Congregational Church.
“There’s nothing that says “Welcome to Maui” like being greeted with Leis and singing and ‘ukulele and beloved former directors! From this initial welcoming came gesture after gesture of amazing hospitality, helpfulness, and camaraderie.” –– Matthew Milano
“The Keawala’i concert flew by in a whirlwind of emotion, bolstered by a lovely and lively audience. They particularly enjoyed our Hawaiian repertoire, which we’d worked on over the course of the week with John Rowehl and other local teachers and singers. I was grateful to come away from our time in Maui knowing some of their musical tradition and language.” — Brigid Lucey, ‘18
“There were moments during the evening performance where the distant sound of crashing waves rocked with the tempo of our music and I just couldn’t have asked for a more amazing experience.”— Jess Barbini
Cornell Chamber Singers in Maui
