Glee Clubs tours Ireland

The WPI Glee Club and Clake University Choir in the Limerick Concert Hall. Photo by Ken Gagne

"Hey Ken, have you heard the news?... Our flight's been cancelled!"

And so began the Intercollegiate Chorale Tour of Spring Break, 2001.

The WPI Men's Glee Club, joined by women of the Concert Choir, Alden Voices, and the members of the Clark University Choir, eventually made their way to Ireland on their biennial international tour. Some had the pleasure of a direct flight to Shannon; others took a scenic tour of the Paris airport; still others "suffered" a 24-hour delay in Boston.

Rehearsals had begun in December for Arthur Honegger's "King David," an extensive narrated piece detailing the life of David: from a shepherd, to the warrior who slew Goliath, to a king, to a man who took another man's wife, to the father of King Solomon. The piece was directed by Prof. Louis Curran, who is in his 34th and final year as director of the WPI Glee Club

Caution over Foot and Mouth disease was high during the time in Ireland. Though benign to people, the disease can be transmitted by humans to livestock, upon which Ireland is heavily dependent. Several tourist attractions, including Muckross House and the beautiful Cliffs of Moher, were closed to prevent the disease from spreading. The disease also prompted many Irishmen to stay home, keeping them from enjoying the performance of the Intercollegiate Chorale. But those who did attend witnessed the results of many hours of work by nearly a hundred singers and instrumentalists.

Of course, there's more to Ireland than music - especially when so many people get together. Early forced attempts at socialization between WPI and Clark failed, but slowly, people trickled between the two tour buses and got to know each other. The long rides between the cities of Galway, Killarney, Kilkenney, and Dublin presented many opportunities to get acquainted.

The tour guides also helped long bus rides pass quickly. Pat, the WPI bus driver and an Ireland native, impressed all with his knowledge of every feature of the Irish landscape. His jovial temperament and friendliness to each guest on his bus made them feel right at home in the strange country. The rolling green hills, painted sheep, and Irish coffee were all landmarks of the journey.

A farewell banquet was held at Fitzsimon's in Dublin, where the choirs had the dining room and downstairs nightclub to themselves. Sophomore committee chair Ed Quinlan presented Prof. Curran with an especially appropriate gift, commemorating his many years of service to the Glee Club. The tour staff was also thanked for their work with gifts of WPI mugs and "Ireland 2001" tour shirts - with a little something extra for Pat.

Despite smaller-than-expected audiences, the tour was a great success, providing the musicians with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

A CD-ROM is being compiled of photographs and MP3's taken during the tour, and will be available for a nominal. Email gleeclub@wpi.edu for more details.