The Chorus has also been featured on two nationwide broadcasts. a special half hour on CBS Radio, and an appearance on PBS's MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour as part of an artistic feature on former director Susan Davenny Wyner. The Chorus has collaborated with world musician Samite of Uganda, participated in a production of Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light with Anonymous 4, and performed several major works with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, including Bach's Mass in B Minor, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, and Lili Boulanger's Du fond de l'abîme with the Cornell Symphony Orchestra.[citation needed]
Commissioning Project
In 2003, the Cornell University Chorus launched a commissioning project known informally as "No Whining, No Flowers."[2] The goal of the project is to expand the contemporary repertoire for treble choirs by commissioning pieces from women composers using text from women writers. Furthermore, these texts are intended to explore topics that differ from the traditional treble repertoire themes of lost love and scenery admiration - hence the title of the project. Commissioning projects to date include:
This list is complete and up to date as of February 2020.
In addition to these extended trips, the Chorus also travels to other universities for competitions and festivals. In the past, they have performed at Harvard for the Centennial Celebration of the Radcliffe Choral Society as well as joint concerts with the Toronto Women's Chorus, the Penn State Glee Club, and the Wellesley Chorus.
Directors
This list is complete and up to date as of August 2019.
1958-1960: James F. Armstrong (When Armstrong left to return to Harvard in 1960, the Women's Glee Club was disbanded, and replaced by the Cornell Chorus, under the direction of Thomas Sokol.)
1960-1963: Thomas Andrew Sokol
1963-1964: William C. Holmes (acting director)
1964-1965: Thomas Andrew Sokol
1965-1966: Thomas Andrew Sokol (Fall); William C. Holmes (Acting Director - Spring)
1966-1970: Thomas Andrew Sokol
1970-1971: David Buttolph (Fall): Thomas Andrew Sokol (Spring)
1971-1974: Thomas Andrew Sokol
1974-1975: Donna Bloom
1975-1983: Thomas Andrew Sokol
1983- 1984: Thomas Andrew Sokol (Fall); Byron Adams (Acting Director -Spring)
After Eight, formed in 1991, is the official a cappella subset of the Cornell University Chorus. After Eight regularly performs contemporary repertoire arranged for a cappella by current members and alumnae of the group. They additionally perform selections from the Chorus repertoire on occasion, as well as traditional Cornell songs. After Eight has two major on-campus concerts every semester, one in the Fall (Witching Hour) and one in the Spring (Evening Affair). They also perform around campus at student and alumni events throughout the year.
Earlier subset history
Nothing But Treble (1976-1990) formed as a subset of the Chorus in 1976. In 1990, the group disassociated from the Chorus. They are still an active a cappella group on campus.
