Since 1906, the Occidental Glee Club has played a central role in the life of the College, drawing musicians of the highest caliber and giving voice to our college spirit.
Founded in 1906, the Occidental Glee Club has played a central role in the life of the College, drawing students of the highest caliber and giving voice to our college spirit. The Glee Club’s reputation for excellence has also carried the banners of Occidental College far into the musical world through national and international tours. The Occidental Glee Club is dedicated to superb music making and to fostering ties that unite generations of singers. A full list of the Glee Club's concert recent repertoire is below.
In this 20-21 academic year, with no concerts planned and with our tour to Italy cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our singing continued on in the virtual world. Informed by our experience from the past semester and fueled with the energy of our new members, we directed our energy into releasing five virtual choir recordings. In the fall, we prepared the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” for the Homecoming virtual celebration; in December, we recorded Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” with which the Glee Club ends every annual Winter Concert; and in January, we released John Tavener’s serenely epic “Song for Athene,” which we had worked on all semester. Transitioning into a pop focus for the Spring, we started the semester with a recording of “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. Then to honor the Glee seniors, we recorded not only the Beatles’ “Ob La Di'' but also created a fresh recording of the “Occidental Fair," our college alma mater. ALL of these “virtual choir” videos (going back to Spring 2020) can be viewed below. We invite you to take a look and listen!
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Want to hear more Glee Club recordings? The new Oxy CD has just been released. Contact director Desiree LaVertu to purchase a copy!
TOUR REPERTOIRE - JANUARY 2023
Afternoon on a Hill – Eric Barnum (b. 1979)
Cantate Domino - Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
Der Gang zum Liebchen , op. 31, no. 3 - Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Hands – Jocelyn Hagen (b. 1980)
Hold On! - traditional American, arr. Jester Hairston (1901-2000)
It’s Gonna Be Alright – Raymond Wise (b. 1969)
Laudate Jehovam omnes gentes – George Phillip Telemann (1681-1767)
Light in the Hallway - Mae/Hoying/Grassi
MLK - U2, arr. Bob Chilcott
Precious Lord - Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993), arr. Arnold Sevier
Son Mercedes - Leo Brouwer (b. 1939)
TāReKiTa - Reena Esmail (b.1983)
Total Praise - Richard Smallwood (b. 1948)
Ubi caritas (from Quatre Motets ) - Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
POPS CONCERT REPERTOIRE - APRIL 2023
Abbey – Mitski
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (from Hair )
Dreams – The Cranberries
Godspeed – Frank Ocean
Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Bublé
Killing Me Softly with His Song - Fox/Gimbel opb Roberta Flack
Lift Me Up – Rihanna
Love’s in Need of Love – Stevie Wonder
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) – Billy Joel
Misbehavin’ – Pentatonix
Sweet Creature – Harry Styles
Things We Do for Love – 10CC
Glee Club 2021-2022 Repertoire
Alleluia - Elaine Hagenberg
Ave Maria - Jacob Arcadelt
California Dreamin’ - The Mamas and the Papas
Canción sin miedo - Vivir Quintana
Fix You - Coldplay
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Hold On! - trad. Spiritual, arr. Jester Hairston
I Will Follow You into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
If It’s Magic - Stevie Wonder
Lighthouse Keeper - Sam Smith
Musica animam tangens - Joshua Shank
Sicut Cervus - Giovanni da Palestrina
Solitude - Ellington/De Lange/Mills
Sure on This Shining Night - Morten Lauridsen
The 23rd Psalm - Bobby McFerrin
To Sit and Dream - Rosephanye Powell
Verbum caro factum est - Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
Wade in the Water - trad. spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan
Waterfalls - TLC
Where’d All the Time Go? - Dr Dog
Work Song - Hozier
Fall 2019 and Tour 2020 Repertoire:
Pops 2019
Fall 2018 and Tour 2019 Repertoire:
Pops 2018
Fall 2017 and Tour 2018
Pops 2017 Concert Repertoire
Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Scarborough Fair/Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
Mad World/Madness - Tears for Fears/Muse
Woods - Bon Iver
Hummed Low - Odessa
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
Edge of Night - from The Lord of the Rings
Misty Mountains - from The Hobbit
Skyrim - Jeremy Soule
You've Got a Friend - Carole King
To Make You Feel my Love - Bob Dylan
Heroes - David Bowie
Freedom 90 - George Michael
Purple Rain - Prince
Somebody to Love - Queen
Tour 2017 Repertoire
Your Voices Tune – Handel
Jesus bleibet meine Freude - J.S. Bach
Selig sind die Toten - Schütz
Rytmus - Hrušovský
Os justi - Bruckner
Adinu - Sufi Melody
Salut Printemps - Debussy
Son de Camaguey - Cuban, arr. Hatfield
Te Quiero - Favero
The Parting Glass – Irish, arr. Sametz
Balleilakka – Rahman, arr. Sperry
Bright Morning Stars – American, arr. Kirchner
2016 Winter Concert celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Herrick Chapel organ
Christmas Hymn (While by my Sheep) – traditional
Jesus bleibet meine Freude – J. S. Bach
Sir Christèmas - William Mathias
Ding Dong! Merrily on High - traditional French, arr. David Willcocks
Ma'oz tsur (Rock of Ages) - traditional Hanukkah Hymn, arr. Samuel Adler
Shalom, Friends - Lee Kesselman
Bidi Bom - David Eddleman
Winter Wonderland
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
White Christmas
Carol of the Bells