As some of the unsung heroes of the Masses at Jesuit, Men’s Chorus members, along with practicing on many mornings and afternoons every week, arrive early in the morning, one Friday out of every month to help get the ball rolling before the Mass. About an hour and thirty minutes prior to the event, the boys gather in the largest room of the Terry Center. The scene usually entails a variety of individuals in different stages of their early morning conditions, each having his own attitude about the hour of day.
By 7:50 a.m., most of the choir is physically present, with some members leaning lifelessly against the wall or groggily stumbling through the doorway with their messy hair and loose ties, whereas a few lively others are up and ready to go, having recently left band to swap their musical instruments for iPads. “It makes music easier to participate in because singing is the natural human instrument”, says Nick Fox ’16, a switch hitter in both Men’s Chorus and the band. Â Once everyone is together, the boys take on their usual jobs, consisting of setting up the sound equipment, rolling in the risers, unfolding the risers, and occasionally offering some additional muscle to help the Peer Ministry members lift the altar onto the stage.
Finally getting to the music, the boys split into three groups: altos, tenors, and basses. Warm ups, breathing exercises, and yawns help the Men’s Chorus shake the dust off just in time for the Mass. Assuming their jobs as singers now, the Mass flies by in rush of hallelujahs, amens, and the Our Father. The Liturgy helps “us bond as a group while we lead the entire Jesuit community through liturgical music”, according to Henry Chu ’16. Ending the Mass with the Alma Mater is a constant contest between who’s tempo to side with: the Men’s Chorus, or the Seniors. The Seniors always prevail in choosing the tempo of the Alma Mater, outnumbering the choir by a few, but the choir has no problem fitting into the the booming sound from the upperclassmen.
The Men’s Chorus also plays a role in being committed to social justice. Back in December, the Men’s Chorus boys were allowed to miss school in order to sing Christmas carols for all the good people at St. Joseph’s Residence. St. Joseph’s is a residence for the elderly that are not able to be self sufficient. The Jesuit Men’s Chorus is a personal favorite of the residents of St. Joseph’s, who even know some of the students by name because of a few members’ involvement with other choirs outside of school. The choir boys received many encouraging smiles and cheers from the crowd, with a large number of the residents singing along with the songs.
The lineup of Christmas Carols, ranging from Russian folk songs to pop versions of “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls,” excited the crowd, prompting many residents to sing in their native languages, mostly Spanish but also some German too. After ending their performance, the Men’s Chorus didn’t stop there. A good half hour was spent simply talking to the residents, sharing the joy of the holiday season. Many of the residents shared old stories of presidents, military service, childhood memories, and college experiences with the choir members, giving back to the boys who had already given so much to them. Along with receiving the service hours for their service in the community, the Men’s Chorus members each took away the joy they felt from caroling with the residents at St. Joseph’s.
This past Tuesday night, April 28, the Men’s Chorus had their Spring Concert. With the Jesuit Ursuline Ranger Band playing their own concert the same night, along with an important game between the Jesuit and Coppell lacrosse teams raging outside in Postell Stadium that eventually ended in a decisive win for the Rangers, the Men’s Chorus had a lot to contribute to this night of Jesuit activities. The Men’s Chorus started their performance off with “Ode to Beethoven,” arranged by Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz with music by Ludwig Von Beethoven, a melodic mashup of classics “Ode to Joy,” “Moonlight Sonata,” and “Beethoven’s Fifth” that possessed all the rapid tempos and highs and lows associated with a dramatic symphony. After the opening piece, the boys made a transition to a more subtle song, “Lullabye,” arranged by Roger Emerson with words and music by Billy Joel, a slow, soothing melody that surrounds the audience in a sea of drifting rhythms and notes.
To end the night, the choir performed an all time favorite, “My Girl,” arranged by Roger Emerson with words and music by William “Smokey” Robinson and Ronald White, an upbeat, 60’s Rock classic that makes your heart beat just a little bit faster and leaves the room with the accents of springtime and love in the air. In an attempt to boost the boys enthusiasm of the song, Director Mr. Crownover said, “just pick a girl out in the crowd and sing it for her,” which ultimately worked and even inspired a dramatic ending where the boys held out the last note with arms outstretched and waving jazz hands.
