Fol-de-rolNewsletter of the Yale Glee Club AssociatesWinter 2014
de-rol-rol-rol
What’s Ahead for YGCA’s Support?
“Are We There Yet?” New Year Launches Hendrie Hall Renovation and Expansion
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Elm Street’s Hendrie Hall, long-time home to the Glee Club, Band, Orchestra, WYBC, and even cap-and-gown rentals.
Jeffwillbeabletopressabuttonandthere-hearsalwillberecorded.Hecanrecordasectionandreplayittoaccompanyanothersectionorrehearsewithachorusinanothernationortimezone,live,inrealtime.Sixotherroomsinthenewbuildingwillhavethesetechnologicalresources,accordingtoMichaelYaffe,YaleSchoolofMusicAssociateDean,whoislead-ingtheprojectforDeanBlocker. Anewfour-storybuildingwillconnectHendrieandLeighHalls.Thenewcomplexwillhouse35prac-ticerooms,comparedtothesevenpracticespacescur-rentlyontheHendrie’sthirdfloor.Therenovationwillalsocreateanatriumforastudentlounge,anorches-
Afterallthehandshakesandcongratulationsandthanksforsurpassingourfund-raisinggoal,it’stemptingtositbackandwatchasthe“new”HendrieHallemergesfrombeneaththerenovators’scaffolding. However,intheimmortalwordsoftheTVpitcher,”Butwait!There’smore!’” Yes,theprojectwillbegininearnestwhenstu-
“Are We There Yet?”—It’saquestionGleeClubDirectorJeffDoumaandMusicSchoolDeanRobertBlockerhaveheardtoomanytimessincetheYaleboardputthereno-vationofHendrieHallbackonthe“to-do”listayearago. Andinthedawningdaysof2014,theiranswerisajoyful“yes!” What’stheirdefinitionof“there”?JeffreportsthatYGCAgiving,sparkedbyseveralgenerousgiftsatyear’send,haspushedalumnitotalspastthe$250,000goal;a$100,000Decembergiftliftedthetotalto$311,000,which,matchedbyendowmentgiftfunds,exceedsour$500,000“there.” DeanBlockersaystheSchoolofMusic’s“there”is$50million($55millionwouldbenice,headds).“Wecur-rentlyhave$22.3millioninhandandtherestinpledges,”hesaid,“enoughtostartsitepreparationthissummerandbuildingworkinthefall.” Translatedintorealityinacoupleofyears,theplansforthe“new”Hendriearemagical.Imaginearehearsalin201,forexample,whichwilllookaboutthesameuntilyounoticethattheradiatorsaregoneandwillfeelaboutthesameuntilyourealizedthatthewindowsaresoundproofedandthatheatingandairconditioningaresilent.
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“Fol-de-rol (de-rol-rol-rol),” the newsletter of the Yale Glee Club Associates, ought to be published twice yearly at New Haven, CT.
Publisher: Clay Kaufmann ‘84Editor: Linus Travers ‘58, ‘59MATLayout & production: it dependsFor news, items, questions, quibbles, and advertising matters, please contact the editor: 70 Centre Street, Milton, MA 02186; [email protected]. For address change and subscription information, please contact the Yale Glee Club office: PO Box 201929, New Haven, CT 06520; [email protected]
Bass Notes Editorial Comment • Linus Travers
Budget Cutbacks Stalled Effort, But Vision, Leadership Gifts PrevailedWhere We’ve Been—Nearlyayearago,Yale Daily News reportersSophieGoldandSarahSwongchronicledtheon-again-off-again-on-againHendrieHallrenovationstory: “The$45millionrenovationofthebuilding—whichhousespracticespacesandofficesforundergradu-atemusicalorganizations,alongwithsomeSchoolofMusicdepartments—wasoneofthesevenmajorconstructionprojectsputonholdin2008whenadministratorsgrewconcernedabouttheUniversity’sfinancesfollowingtheon-setoftheeconomicdownturn.Aftertheprojectreceiveda$5milliondonationinDecember2011,UniversityPresidentRichardLevinandSchoolofMusicDeanRobertBlockerrampedupdiscussionswithpotentialdonorstoraisetheremainingfundsneededfortheproject.
“BlockersaidinanemailthatheandLevinhavereceiveda‘commitment’fromStephenAdams’59andDeniseAdams,whogavea$100milliondonationtotheSchoolofMusicin2005thatenabledtheschooltobetuition-freeforallstudents.TheirpotentialgifttoHendrieHall‘willtakeustoourgoal,’LevintoldtheNews,...al-lowingtheprojecttomoveforwardnextspringandreachcompletionby2016. “‘Withinthelastyear,bothDeanBlockerandIhavesolicitedmajorgiftstowardtheproject,andweareveryclosetofinalizinganagreementwithadonorthatwilltakeustoourgoal,’Levinsaid. “Beforetherecession,theUniversityhadplannedtocoveraportionoftherenovationcostsforHendrieHall,Blockersaid,butthisfinancialschemebecameinadvisablewhentheendowmentlostnearlyaquarterofitsvalueinfiscalyear2009.TheHendrieHallprojectwillbefundedentirelybygiftsand‘capitalreplacementfunds’setasidebytheSchoolofMusicfromitsoperatingbudget,DeputyProvostLloydSuttlesaidinaFeb.5[2013]email. “MostofthedonorsfortheprojectareYaleCollegealumniwho‘lovemusic,’Levinsaid,addingthatatleastoneofthemajordonorsisanalumnusoftheSchoolofMusic. “TheGleeClub,whichhasrehearsedinHendrieHallsince1937,reachedouttoitsalumniinDecember[2012]tosolicitadditionaldonationsfortherenovationproject.TheGleeClubroomandBandroomwillbeupdat-edbutwillretaintheirhistoricfeatures,Blockersaid.”
TwoormoredecadesagoIcameto201HendrieHallforameetingandwasshockedtofindthatthestairtreadswerenolongerconcave—afteracenturyofusetheyhadbeenworntoalarmingangles,andanattempttorejuvenatethebuildinginvolvedreplacingstairtreads.Inearlytripped. Thelightsseemedbrighter,theoldpainthad
beencoveredwithnewpaint,thefloorhadbeenrefinishedtogym-nasiumluster—thatwasthe1990’sdefinitionofrenovation. InMay,workwillbeginonasig-nificantlymoreambitiousarchitectur-al,aesthetic,and,reallyforthefirsttime,technologicalrenovation.IexpecttobeshockedagainwhenIambleupthe“new”stairsin2016,“shocked”asin“shockandawe.”Thepictures,theplans,thepromisesare
justthat;whatajoyitwillbetosampletherealspacestwenty-fourmonthshence. Somanyhaveworkedandwaitedforthisprojecttomoveoffpaper,somanyhavewrittenchecksandpledgedsupport.Manyofthemwillbetherefortheribboncuttingandhearreality-inspiredthank-you’s.Butforallwhohavepitchedinsofar,thankyou!Fifty-fivemillionthank-you’s!
***** AtipofthehattoYGCApresidentClay Kaufmanandhisorganizingteam,Sandra Cashion amongthem,forproducingabannerYGCconcertandourfirstSingingDinneroutsideNewHaven&NewYorktokickoffthenewyear. Andonthesubjectofroadshows,keepinmindtheMarch28-3015th Singing Weekend in Boston(Milton)whenJeffwillleadMozart’sVespersandotherworksslatedfortheAlumni Chorus’s June perfor-mances in Washington DC(again!).Info:[email protected]. Tickettime:OnFeb.22inWoolsey,PBSvetand“thePope’sMaestro,”YaleMusicalumSir Gil-bert Levine,willconducttheYGCandtheSymphonyinMahler’sResurrection Symphony;onApr.5,YGCA Singing Dinner’sattheNewYorkYaleClub.Seanhastixforboth.
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Leigh Hall (Music School)
New addition
Connecting walkway
Existing Hendrie building
The planned renovation and expansion of Hendrie Hall will dramatically redefine the building’s capabilities and character. A 28,500-square-foot addition will increase Hendrie’s capacity by 80 percent, housing optimized rehearsal rooms, a digital studio, a common area, and event facilities. The new north wing will feature a court-yard and an enclosed walkway connected to Leigh Hall.
Inside, the rehearsal space for the Yale Philharmonia, Yale Band, and Yale Symphony will incorporate technol-ogy for live musical exchanges around the world. Other rooms will boast state-of-the-art acoustics ideal for groups like the Yale Camerata and the Schola Canto-rum, and there will be improved spaces for classes, seminars, choral conducting instruction, instrument storage, a cappella group rehearsals, and alumni groups returning to campus.Inside: 35 practice rooms, each about 100 square feet closed-off,
acoustically-appropriate spaces, each with a piano. (There were only 7 in the old building, on the 3rd floor). . . . 7 classrooms plus band, orchestra, and glee club rooms . . . classrooms have “lecture capture” capacity—at the touch of a button a class can be recorded (audio and video) for future use.
The original staircase will remain, but there will be elevators so that percussionists will no longer have to carry timpani up and down that cherished staircase.
“The new building will give us a common area that we’ve never had. The commons will have space for people to gather . . . even a fire-place if I can get the funds. People can bring their coffee there . . . undergrads, grad students, alumni, and faculty can come together.”
New Spaces Reaffirm Yale’s Commitment to Musical Preeminence
New additionLeigh Hall (Music School)
dentsleaveinMay.JeffandSeanwillpackuptheirportableequipmentandtrundledownthestreetto143ElmStreet,alate18thcenturybrickbuildingforthenextcoupleofyears.Themusiclibrarywillgowiththem.SummerchorusandfallYGCtryouts/rehearsalswilltakeplaceinConnecticutHall.ThebandandsymphonywillrelocatetotheDivinitySchool,withfrequentshuttlesconnectingthemtothemaincampus.MusicfacultyandotherresidentsofHendriehavetheirownplansfortheduration.It’llbeMusicbusinessasusual(well,sortof)untilSeptember,2016. Butwhilethe2014-15and2015-16seasonscomeandgo,theGleeClubalumniwillhavesomefundingchallengestomeet.Forexample: •BotoxandLipitorwillnotbeenoughtobringJeff’sSteinwaybacktowhereitneedstobe.Somefundingex-istsforthepurpose,butthere’smoreworkthanthatahead. •BotoxandLipitorwillalsobeinadequateelix-irsforthe201rehearsalpiano—nosurprisehere,either. •TheYGCsheetmusiclibraryisenormous—morethan2,300titlesandcopiescurrentlyfill356linearfeetofshelving(thanks,Sean).TheBandandSymphonyhavetheirownsheetmusiccollectionswhichwillneedtoberehousedandcataloguedintherenovatedspaces.Willtheyremainseparate?
Combined?Reducedtoelectronicstorageprint-on-demandre-sources?Plansarestillfluid,butwhateverdecisionsaremade,oursupportwillberequired. •TheYGChasamassedanamazingcollec-tionofarchivematerial,nottheleastofwhichareconcerttourposters,audiodiscs,tapes,andCD’s,videotapesanddiscs,andmore.MuchisalreadyhousedinSterlingLibrary’sviscera,butwhatwillreturntoHendrie?Howwillitbestored?Dis-played?Portraits,posters,andphotosonthewalls,asusual,
butdisplaycases?Appropriatelighting?Again,alumnisupportwillmakepossiblethesetangibleremindersofaproud155yearsofsong. •Otherprojects?Youbet!
So,heartythanksagaintothe284YGCsingerswhowrotechecksorproddedPayPalandledusoverthetop! Nowit’stimefortheother2,216YGCsing-ers—88%—topitchinandraisethepercentageofoursupportfortheproject.TheYGCAboardreached100%participationbyyear’send.WhatpercentageofsupportfromthewholeYGCalumnipool—2,500—wouldyoubecomfortablewith?...Justasking.
Support—continued from page 1
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YGCA Suppport Challenge Continues
“TheGleeClubRoomisnotonlyarehearsalspace,butalsosomethingofamuseumofYalesinging.ThewallsholdportraitsofeachClubgoingbackto1893,includingwhenColePorterwaspresidentin1913.TheClubalsopossessestheold-estknownphotoofaYalesinginggroup,theoldestprintedYalesong,andasec-tionoftheoriginalfencewhereinformalsinginggroupsgathered.”
—JeffDouma
Hendrie—continued from page 1
2013 Gifts Ensure 2014 Starttralrehearsalspaceandseveralnewadministra-tiveoffices,facultystudios,andstudentlockers. Buildingcostsareintheneighborhoodof$50million.Arewethereyet?DeanBlockersaid
”We’reclose.SteveAdams’pledgeofanadditional$10millionputuswithincloserange.SodidCor-nelia&JoeRossi’sgenerousgifttoredotheGleeClubRoom.We’vehadincrediblesupport.Wearestillseekingcommitmentsof$3or$4millionmoreforoverallmaintenanceandsupport.” “Yale’smusic
complexhadn’tbeentouchedformorethan100years,”hesaid.“Nowwehaveasysteminplace.Ithinkwereinagoodplace,giventhedelay.”
“As the train pulled out of Grand Central”—YGC choristers sing their way home after New York Yale Club holiday concert.
School of Music Dean Robert Blocker
Rendering by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, Architects
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Travers, Pruett Awarded Coveted YGC Medals Yale Glee Club AssociatesOfficersClayKaufman‘84,PresidentSandraDavisCashion‘92,VicePresidentCatherineOlenderNeijstrom‘98,SecretaryJimKingsbury‘56,Treasurer
MembersStephenBillings‘63JonathanBush‘53SandraCashion‘92MarkCurchack‘69LeeDavis‘05JodyGoodman‘80HarriettGoren‘83MarionHanold‘83SarahHeath‘73CarlKaestle‘62LisaKant‘06ClaytonKaufman‘84DanielKim‘99JimKingsbury‘56NaomiLewin‘74CatherineOlenderNeijstrom‘98LinusTravers‘58(Honorary)R.ScottWoods‘06
Ex Officio MembersMarvinB.Berenblum’56,Pres.2006-09DavidH.ConnellMusM‘83,DMA’91,Director1992-2002MarkDollhopf‘77Pres.2001-2003JeffreyDouma,Director,2003-ConnerFay’51,Pres.1977-80RitaHelfand,MD’83,Pres.2003-06CharlesKaufmann’66,Pres.1974-77RichardKimball’52,Pres.1980-85KylePruett,MD’65,Pres.1985-89Rev.PeterSipple’62,Pres.1995-2001KennethWood,Jr.’50,Pres.1989-95T.SeanMaher,AdministrativeAssociateJereJohnston‘63YACPresident
Yale Glee Club ConductorsGustaveJ.Stoeckel,1868-1873ThomasG.Shepard,1873-1905G.FrankGoodale,1905-1921MarshallBartholomew,1921-1953FennoHeath,1953-1992DavidH.Connell,1992-2002JeffreyDouma2003-
YGCA Board Met in New York in October, 2013: Back row (L-R) Berenblum. Kingsbury, Douma, Kaufman, Goren, Hanold, Good-man, Kim, Woods, Curchack, Nei-jstrom, Kaestle; Front row (L-R): Helfand, Davis, Lewin, Cashion, Crist
TwomoreGleeClubalumniwereaddedtothesmallcircleofsingersawardedtheYaleGleeClubMedal.The16thwenttoLinus Travers ’58 ‘59MATatthe2012SingingDinnerinNewYork,the17thtoKyle D. Pruett MD ’65 atthe2013SingingDinnerinNewHaven. Asundergraduates,bothmensangintheGleeClubwithFennoHeathandperformedwithacap-pellagroups(Duke’sMenandSpizzwinks(?),thentheWhiffenpoofs).BothsangforBarty(informally)andFennoasundergraduatesandforDavidandJeffasalumni.BothhavecontinuingtiestotheGleeClubAs-sociates,Pruettasboardmemberandpresident1985-89,Traversaslong-timeboardmemberandeditoroftheYGCAnewsletter,“Fol-de-Rol,”sinceitsinception. Inhisawardcitation,YGCAPresidentClayKaufmannotedthatTravers,as“afoundingboardmemberandactiveleaderoftheYaleAlumniChorus,hashelpedbringalumnisingingatYaletothefore-front;asfounderoftheMiltonFestival,hehasgatheredalumniandfriendsfor15yearsforfullweekendsofinspirationalYalesinging.”
Pruett,whosemedicalcareeratYale’sChildStudyCenterkepthimclosetoYalemusic,“ledtheYGCABoardduringitstransitionfromaninformalgatheringofsingerstoamoreformalplanningandadvisoryboard,”Kaufmansaid.“HewaslongagreatfriendandsupporterofFennoandCarolHeath.Manywillrememberhisthoughtful,articu-lateremarksatFenno’smemorialserviceandatGleeClubreunions.” HewasfeaturedinmanyoftheGleeClub’sChristmasMessiahperformances,atBattellandattheNewYorkYaleClub,andhasbeenacher-ished,oftenbehind-the-scenesmentortomanyYGCmembersandalumni.“Musicaltohiscore,’
Kaufmansaid,“KyleandhisolderbrotherGordonwerebothmembersoftheGleeClubandtheYGCAboard.Music—includingtheYaleGleeClubandtheWhiffenpoofs—hasbeenamajorpartofKyle’slifeandembeddeddeeplyinhisheart.” KaufmanpointedoutthatTravers“isfamousforhisextempo-raneousmusingsaspartofthehummingsectionof‘Bandolero,’”whilePruett’srichsolotenorhasbecomealmostsynonymouswiththeSong-bookclassic,“DrinktoMeOnly.”PruettwasalsoawardedtheYaleChildStudyCenter’sLifetimeServiceAwardinJuly.
Linus Travers
Kyle D. Pruett MD
BySandraL.Cashion‘92andClayKaufman‘84
The153rdYaleGleeClubvisitedWashingtonDConJanuary9thand10th,2014,aspartofamini-touralongtheEastcoast.TheGleeClubsharedthefirstWashingtonDCSingingDinneratalocalschool,KensingtonMD’sAcademyoftheHolyCross.Ablyattended,withover115people,currentGleeClubbersandalumssharedaneveningofstories,camaraderieand,ofcourse,song. Itstimingimpeccable,asalways,theGleeClubarrivedjustintimethatafternoontosingseveralsongstotheHolyCrossstudents.OurroadwarriorGleeClubbershadjustmadethetrekfromNewHaventoDC,andwhatdidtheycrave?Food,fellowship,andsong,ofcourse!OurownClayKaufmanwiselyarranged
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Glee Club and Area Alums Wow DC Audiences
Amici Curia—The Yale Glee Club at the US Supreme Court on Jan. 10, under a portrait of Taft, with Justices Alito, Thomas, and Sotomayor. “We sang a Puerto Rican song for Sotomayor!” — Jef-frey Douma
YGCA Singing Dinner6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, 2014
Yale Club of New York
Glee Club concert photos by Andre Shomorony '13; Singing Dinner photo by Sandra L. Cashion '92.
eachtabletoincludecurrentsingers,sotheconversationswereenjoyableforallinattendance.Jeff
Doumaartfullypep-peredtheeveningwithsongsbotholdandnewfromourbelovedYale Song-book.Theeveningendedtoosoon,butafteralongdayofdrivingitwastimeforthestudentstomeettheirrespectivehostsandtravelto
theirtemporarylodgings. FridayincludedatouroftheSupremeCourtbuildingandachancetomeetinpersonwithJusticesSamuelAlitoandSoniaSotomayor,followedbyaconcertattheNationalPresbyterianChurchinDC.Theenthusi-asticaudienceofnearly500wasentertainedbytheGlee
Club’sremarkablesound—TheodoreMorrison’ssettingofYeats’“TheWildSwansatCoole”wasspectacular.Achorusof40alumniofferedfavoritesincluding“Didn’tMyLordDeliverDaniel”,the“SwitzerBoy”yodelfeatur-ingBertIfill‘79PhD,MartyBrennan‘87,andBuzzMauro‘84ontheyodels,andaspe-cialalumnisongwrittenbyBillFlanders‘55(whosangunderbothBartyandFenno,aswellasDavidandJeffaspartoftheYaleAlumniCho-rus).‘Twastoppedoffby“WeWhoSangatYale.” Oneofthehighlightsoftheeveningwaswhenattheconcert’sclosethecurrentGleeClubwelcomedthealumnionstagefor“RaiseYourVoices,”the“FootballMedley,”and“BrightCollegeYears.”
