The 34-member Pomona College Glee Club brought its exceptional tapestry of unaccompanied choral music to audiences in Colorado and New Mexico late last month on its 2026 concert tour.
It was the first time in at least 30 years that the group had performed in either state.
“Tour is always one of my favorite parts of Glee Club because it’s the culmination of what we’ve been working so hard on all semester,” says Sydney Cottrell ’26, who graduated with a politics major just days before setting off on tour.
Cottrell notes that her favorite part of the tour performances was singing with Glee Club alumni attending the concert. “Without fail, singing a college song—‘Over the Years’—and a beautiful arrangement of ‘Amazing Grace’ with former members of the Glee Club who graduated 10, 15, maybe even 30 years ago always brings tears to my eyes,” she says. “It reminds me what a privilege it is to sing and to be part of such a special community that I know I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Connecting with Alumni
This was the 28th time Glee Club conductor Donna M. Di Grazia, David J. Baldwin Professor of Music, has led the group on tour. The alumni who come to the concerts “are so excited,” she says, “so that really rubs off on the current students.” On this tour, she adds, “the oldest alum was from the class of 1958!”
Three Glee Club alumni helped to arrange the concerts, says Audrey Dunne ’13, Music Department concert production manager. They were Deborah Jenkins Teske ’85 in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Emma Tebbe ’15 in Denver and Hayden Eberhart ’07 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Glee Club is Pomona’s most advanced choral group, with members selected after a rigorous audition evaluating their singing and sightreading skills and their ability to collaborate within a small ensemble. It is a semester-long academic course carrying a half unit of credit.
A Lasting Experience
“Music is more than just learning the right notes, rhythms and pronunciation of the words,” says Di Grazia, describing the rigor involved. It is learning “to actually turn something into a work of art. You have to embody it.”
That lesson came through this year to Sahana Stanger ’28, a chemistry major. “Professor Di Grazia emphasized the meaning behind the music,” she says, “which strengthened our musical interpretation. Through these experiences I learned to engage with music not just as a performer, but as a reflection of history, culture and community.”
Beyond making music, Glee Club members often find that the experience opens doors to friendship and personal growth. “Every year I’ve made friendships that will last well beyond graduation,” says Alan Jiang ’27, a computer science and mathematics double major, who adds that it has “also been a great place to develop leadership skills and experience building community.”
Reflecting on the tour experience, media studies and music double major Matthew Cheong ’27 says, “I love bringing our music and artistry to the communities we visit.” He especially enjoys the opportunity to speak with older alumni “for whom the Glee Club was an incredibly formative and significant part of their college education,” he says. “I am grateful that we can bring such a meaningful experience to these alumni in their hometowns.”
Taylor Campbell ’26, a computer science and mathematics double major, concurs. “The tour experience has been so exciting,” she says. “It’s easy to forget there are so many passionate Pomona alums. Every time we have the privilege of singing with them, I am reminded of Pomona’s legacy and the Pomona network.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.pomona.edu ’
