Brothers in Song: 150 Years of Tradition

Music has a way of permeating space and time — connecting us to a place, a moment, a feeling and often each other. When you witness a tight-knit group of students in their element, weaving a tapestry of sound that resonates deep within your soul, that connection becomes clear. The Ohio State University Men’s Glee Club (MGC) embodies what director Robert Ward describes as “the quintessential manifestation of all that is good and right about the institution.”

Founded in 1875, just five years after the university was established, the MGC will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year. As the oldest student organization on campus, it’s weathered two world wars, the Great Depression and two pandemics. “We’re still standing. We’re still thriving. We’re still making a downpayment on the future,” said Ward. The sesquicentennial celebration is aptly themed “Honoring the past, building the future.” 

MGC is an audition-based extracurricular ensemble of about 70 undergraduate students. These “brothers in song” come together from across the university, all from different backgrounds with varying professional aspirations, to form “a community that sings.” 

“It’s an emotional tether in the best sense of the word,” said Ward. When describing how the students feel about MGC, he added, “it’s that ensemble, those friends I made, that experience, that university that helped form who I am today.”
 

Beyond the music

Ward stresses the importance of each piece’s text, encouraging the members to find deeper meaning. “Want to be inspired? Come to rehearsal and listen to these singers share their ideas about the texts. They want to talk about challenging situations and significant emotional issues — they’re not afraid to try and work things out. We should all hang on to that ideal throughout our lifetimes.”

Ward, who just completed his 20th year of teaching at the School of Music, comes to life when he talks about the MGC. His role provides him with the opportunity to watch these students grow into young adults with bright futures, which he believes to be a great privilege. His joy and enthusiasm for what he does is contagious and refreshingly authentic.

“Nobody has a better job than me. Every day of those 20 years I’ve thanked the gods of choral music for bringing me here. I hold a coveted position in my profession. There are many people in the profession who are just aching to know when I’m going to retire. I get it, but they can’t have it yet.”
 

A Culture of Community

Those affiliated with MGC describe it as a welcoming space that embraces diversity and fosters a sense of belonging, which are paramount for a thriving university, as studies show that these elements are positively correlated with academic outcomes, continued enrollment and the mental health of students. “It’s very ‘slice of Ohio State life’ — it’s everybody,” said MGC Alumni Society President Tim Best '70, '72 MA, '81 PhD. “And at a big place like Ohio State, the Glee Club really provides community for its members.”

The culture is one of care, joy and a shared passion for music. “More than anything it is an extended family for these guys. They trust each other,” said collaborative accompanist Casey Cook, or “The Glue,” as they call her (because she holds everything together). She expressed admiration for Ward’s ability to balance attention to detail in the music with laughter. He subscribes to the mantra that “if it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.”

“Anytime that I’ve been overwhelmed or stressed, I know that Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4:10 p.m. there is a place where I can just go have fun with my brothers and create memories that will last me forever,” said MGC member Roman Wentzel, a music education major and film studies minor.

“Men’s Glee Club has allowed me to grow as a person, whether that be professionally, socially or musically,” said MGC Vice President of Finance Grant Eckstrom, who is majoring in finance and minoring in music. The ensemble has allowed him to connect music and business — two of his passions — in a way that he never expected was possible.

Best is a prime example of members’ undeniably strong connection to the university that MGC holds for its members long after they’ve graduated. He calls current members “alumni of the future” and hopes that they will see graduation as a transition instead of an ending. 

“You’re not graduating and leaving the club. You’re just moving on to a different format.”
-Tim Best ’70, ’72 MA, ’81 PhD

Ward agrees: “They have friendships of the present, they have a way of engaging with alumni, and they have a sense that they are part of a 150-year tradition. It’s palpable. Even if you can’t articulate it, you know it when you’re in the middle of it.”

The MGC’s biennial Alumni Reunion Weekend in June kicked off a full year of celebration for the ensemble, including a performance with the Harvard Glee Club and the University Glee Club of NYC at Lincoln Center, as well as an on-campus concert in Columbus with glee clubs from the University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University. Alumni will be invited to participate in the final performance in April.