This Saturday, the Glee Club will celebrate its 60th anniversary and will premiere a work commissioned by Gwyneth Walker. Nearly 90 alumni will return to sing with the club.
Walker is a well-known composer who has been commissioned for over 160 works, including the work being commissioned by Fairfield called “Songs to the Lord of Peace.”
Fairfield was founded in 1942, and five years later the “Ambassadors of Song” were created as the original singing club. Now renamed, the Glee Club is still the oldest club on campus. The ensemble is currently conducted by Carole Ann Maxwell.
“There is a very strong sense of camaraderie and pride among the Glee Club members, and I think it is because Glee is such a tradition at our school,” said Aly Parma ’10. “As a freshman, it is really a great place to be.”
“It is very nice to say I was once president and a member of the largest and oldest group on campus. I would not have had it any other way coming to the school; it has been my best decision,” said Glee Club President Joe Duffy ’07.
“Songs to the Lord of Peace” is based on five poems written by Thomas Merton, a monk who is famous for his writings about pacifism during the Vietnam era. Walker organized the poems and composed music to accompany it. Walker, a Quaker from Vermont, sought to express the unified ideals of faith, equality and peace of Quakers and Catholics alike.
Duffy, on behalf of the Glee Club said, “It is such an honor to know that Gwyneth Walker has commissioned a piece just for us to perform for our anniversary.”
“It is very intimidating knowing that we are singing a work by a very talented woman who will have very high expectations for us,” said Duffy. “We definitely do not want to make any mistakes and want to give it our all on the piece.”
Parma agreed.
“Everyone is really excited to meet Dr. Walker this weekend but also anxious to present ‘Songs to the Lord of Peace’ to her,” she said. “I am thrilled to be a part of such a historic event for the Glee Club and for Fairfield.”
Leave a Reply