Entering the University as an LSA freshman, Ronald “Ronnie” Kendall needed to find his niche. After taking part in choir for four years in high school, Kendall naturally turned to the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club. “You can tell by how hard they work and how they strive to squeeze all of the emotion out of what we’re singing that they love the music,” Kendall said.
Kendall will be a part of the Glee Club’s upcoming 146th Annual Fall Concert this Saturday at Hill Auditorium. It will be the first concert that will be conducted by new director and University alum Dr. Paul Rardin. Rardin is also Associate Director of Choirs at the University, teaches undergraduate conducting and leads the University Choir. Rardin took over after Prof. Stephen Lusmann left in the spring to further his career as a renowned baritone singer.
The Glee Club warmly welcomed Rardin: “I remember at auditions when he took the time to introduce himself and shake hands with everyone there,” Kendall said. “He is an energetic, motivating person who strives for musical perfection while having fun.”
In the upcoming months, Rardin will compose a new Michigan song for the Glee Club to sing for the first time in a decade. The new composition will be based on lyrics for which a contest has been created. Open to all students, alumni, faculty and staff, the contest seeks lyrics that celebrate different aspects of the University. For more information, go to the Men’s Glee Club website: www.umich.edu/~ummgc/lyricscontest.html.
Under Rardin’s direction, the Glee Club will perform a variety of music at Saturday’s performance. “This concert will be particularly interesting because of its enormous spectrum of different styles of music,” Glee Club Publicity Manager Eric Bidelman said. “We have named different sections of the show. Some highlights include ‘Psalms,’ ‘Sin,’ ‘Syllables,’ ‘Pseudo-South Africa,’ and ‘Spirit.’ And, of course, we’ll end the show with a handful of Michigan songs.”
In the second half of the concert, octet a capella group, The Friars, will join the Glee Club on stage. As the oldest a capella group on campus, The Friars are known for their rich voices and charismatic humor. With five new members, the group is sure to have a fresh sound that retains the tradition of those in the past.
As he continues his freshman year, Kendall will undoubtedly feel at home in the Men’s Glee Club. “It’s nice to get out of the daily grind and have fun just singing with one another – We all love to sing and we’re all not too shabby at it – It’s a perfect fit.”