To honor the men and women who have served in the United States armed services this Veterans Day, Syracuse University’s lead choir will perform at an annual ceremony in Hendricks Chapel dedicated to this country’s heroes.

At the Veterans Day ceremony, the University Singers, which consists of 30–40 students, will perform an arrangement of “Amazing Grace,” “America the Beautiful” and the national anthem sung by senior Jaclyn Clark, said Abigail Brockamp, a sophomore vocal performance major and member of University Singers. The ceremony will take place Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

University Singers, which many say is the best and most selective choir at SU, selects its choir members through auditions that students in the Setnor School of Music must complete each year, said David Weber, a sophomore music industry major and member of the choir.

Weber said Tuesday’s ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate the day and honor the men and women who have served, and the event is taken very seriously, as many members of the armed forces, both current and veterans, will be in attendance. It also gives every member an opportunity to honor veterans and reflect on personal stories of loved ones that have served, he said.

For all involved, the Veterans Day ceremony is a very humbling, eye-opening experience. Being able to see men and women in uniform while performing sheds a new light on the meaning of the pieces, said University Singers member Dajon James, a senior who has been involved with the group since his sophomore year. Overall, it creates a great connection with one’s country, and it is not just a happy or sad experience. The entire ceremony is very emotional and powerful, James said.

Because the Veterans Day event is annual, many of the logistics behind its planning are already sorted out, and preparation for the ceremony tends to revolve around making sure the singers are ready to perform. Members of the choir take themselves as being a part of such a group very seriously. They also take the title of being the best choir at SU seriously, and they are always striving to keep that title and become an even better group, Weber said.

“To me, it’s kind of like a family in the music school because we all want the same thing,” he said, emphasizing that members of the group all have the desire to improve their skills in an environment such as University Singers.

Other events that University Singers will be participating in over the rest of the academic year include its fall concert on Wednesday, “Holidays at Hendricks,” which is an annual event that showcases various musical groups on campus, and a trip to France directly after graduation, Brockamp said.

In the past, the choir has always made a tour outside of the Syracuse area once a year, but the trip to France in 2015 is special because the group hasn’t had the opportunity to travel abroad before, Weber said. The Setnor School has connections in Strasbourg, and an anonymous donor to the school provided the funds that are allowing University Singers the opportunity to tour abroad. While in France, University Singers will have the opportunity to sing and enter a competition at the National Conservatory of Strasbourg, Weber added.

In the past few months, the choir has toured in Baltimore, attended the American Choral Directors Association and participated in other concerts, including the choir sampler over parent’s weekend, said Weber.

Said Brockamp: “I really like the fact that it is a very professional choir, but it still has warmth and is full of great relationships.”

Published on November 10, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Erin: eemcdona@syr.edu