Do You Love to Sing? Join Us for Our Spring 2010 Rehearsals and Performance

If you have musical experience or have sung in theater, a chorus, or a choir, please consider auditioning for the Mendelssohn Glee Club. Rehearsals begin Monday evening, February 1, for the second performance of our 144th season, with a gala concert slated for May. (Learn more about us by viewing the video clip below.) Rehearsals take place Tuesday evenings on the Upper West Side. For more information or to make an appointment for an audition, contact conductor Gene Wisoff at 212-362-8550 (genewisoff@aol.com).

Men Who Sing  Documentary Featuring MGC Makes Its Debut  click on image to view trailer

Men Who Sing: A 56-minute documentary showcasing MGC's rich history since its founding in 1866 and recent resurgence has recently been   released. The film follows the Club from rehearsals through performances over two years, providing glimpses of the singers and conductor at work and at play, and features interviews with both members and others connected to the chorus. Click here to learn more about the DVD and to place an order. It's hoped that the documentary will inspire other men who love to sing to come forth and let their voices be heard. If you would like to audition for our Spring 2009 season, please contact conductor Gene Wisoff at GeneWisoff@aol.com or phone 212-362-8550.

The Mendelssohn Glee Club of New York City was founded in 1866. Named for composer Felix Mendelssohn, the Club has offered for the enjoyment of our members and friends at least two concerts in every year of our existence. The nonprofit organization is the oldest men’s chorus in the country and the second oldest independent musical organization (after the New York Philharmonic).

Repertoire

We are always adding to our eclectic library of over 1,600 male choral pieces. Our repertoire includes art songs, ballads, spirituals, hymns, seasonal works, operatic choruses, lieder, barbershop songs, and selections from musical theater. Recent performances.

Historic highlights

The glee club received accolades from Sir Arthur Sullivan and Arturo Toscanini and sang at the dedication of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1888.  Its conductors have included Joseph Mosenthal, Edward MacDowell, Frank Damrosch, Cesare Sodero, Emerson Buckley, and John Royer Bogue. Guest soloists have included Victor Herbert, Helen Traubel, Aprile Millo, and Emily Pulley.  Detailed history. 

MGC on NPR

Listen to Lars Hoel's feature about MGC on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition Sunday (December 23, 2007). Click here.

The Club gives two major performances a year, in the spring and winter. For details about past performances, click here. 

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Winter 2009 Holiday Concert Highlights

Our 144th annual winter holiday concert was held Tuesday evening, December 8, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Manhattan Temple, on the Upper West Side.

The Club's program, typically varied, drew from spirituals, traditional and folk pieces, classic American popular songs, and seasonal music.

In celebration of Felix Mendelssohn's 200th birthday, the Club sang "Turkish Drinking Song," "Auf Flügeln des Gesanges," and "To the Sons of Art." The men also performed Bernstein's "Dream With Me" (from Peter Pan) and, by the conductor's uncle, Gerald Wisoff, "Japanese Lullaby."

To ring in the holidays the chorus offered "Oh! Christmas Tree???," "Catalonian Christmas Carol," and Mendelssohn's "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." Pianist Ellen Farren and MGC's Alexandra Akulich provided four-handed accompaniment for the Club's classic rendition of "Ding Dong Merrily on High" (by G. R. Woodward).

The guest artists' chamber quartet program included the first movement from Debussy's string quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (Animé et très décidé); and the Menuetto and allegro molto movements from the Beethoven string quartet Op. 59, No. 3.

As part of the Mendelssohn commemoration, cellist Julia MinJeong Kang and Ms. Akulich played excerpts from his Songs Without Words.

Guest artists were Juilliard graduates Julia MinJeong Kang, cello; DanBee Park, violin; So Young Bae, violin; and Chen-Erh Ho, viola.

About Felix Mendelssohn

This year marks Felix Mendelssohn's 200th birthday. He was born on February 3, 1809, in Hamburg, Germany. His best-known works include A Midsummer Night's Dream (with the famous "Wedding March"); his four symphonies (especially the "Italian" and the "Scottish"); a violin concerto; piano pieces entitled Songs Without Words; and the oratorio Elias (a large-scale work for chorus, orchestra, and soloists).

Mendelssohn inspired the creation of many choral clubs -- amateur and professional -- including the Mendelssohn Glee Club of New York City, founded in 1866.

The Mendelssohn name was adopted in recognition of the composer's important role, historically, in choral music. Not the least of his contributions to European and world culture was his crusade to bring attention to the choral works, genius, and deserved preeminence of Johann Sebastian Bach.
        
Past performances

For details about other performances, click here.
 

We hope that our audiences have enjoyed our performances as much as we have enjoyed singing. Please keep in mind that the ability of the Club to continue depends on financial support from friends like you. Donations.

Benefit recitals and special performances

The Club serves the community by performing at local hospitals and senior centers and singing at special events. 

Click here to read about benefit recitals.

We welcome the opportunity to share our joy of singing. If you would be interested in having the Club perform for your organization, please contact us.

To make an appointment for an audition, please contact the conductor at 212-362-8550 or send email to GeneWisoff@aol.com. 

For general questions about the Club or for additional information, please contact the President, John Memmolo: jamskier@aol.com.  

The Mendelssohn Glee Club would like to thank radio station WQXR for its generous support.

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