Purdue Glee Club Returns to Area In Concert March 23

The Purdue Varsity Glee Club is returning to the Fort Wayne area and will present a concert at Woodlan High School Friday, March 23. In addition, the Woodlan High School Ambition Show Choir will perform.

Five of the 55-member-ensemble are from the Fort Wayne area. Sam Hathaway, a senior studying building construction management, is a graduate of Woodlan High School and the son of Steven and Linda Hathaway. Senior Micah Reynolds, a Concordia High School graduate, plays bass guitar in the back-up ensemble and is son of Douglas and Natalie Reynolds. He’s studying civil engineering. Junior Stephen Wirtner, a Homestead High School graduate, is studying electrical engineering technology. He’s the son of Greg and Cindy Wirtner. Sam Simpson, is a sophomore studying social studies education. He graduated from Bishop Dwenger High School and is son of Sam and Virginia Simpson. Zach Bucher is a sophomore studying management. He’s an Adams Central High School graduate and son of Trent and Kelli Bucher.

The men of the Glee Club have served as ambassadors of the university with honor and dignity for nearly 125 years. They have thrilled audiences across the state, the country and around the world with a musical repertoire that ranges from gospel, jazz, swing, religious and contemporary music to romantic ballads, barbershop harmony, folk tunes, patriotic selections and novelty numbers. They also showcase small groups specializing in a variety of popular music.

They’ve taken their entertaining brand of music and showmanship throughout the state and the nation, presenting more than 60 concerts a year. The group has performed in Florida, California and New York City where they were in concert at Carnegie Hall and at several presidential inauguration venues in Washington, D.C. The group has traveled internationally with concerts in Australia, China, South Africa, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, United Kingdom and most recently in Poland and the Baltic States.

Widely known as a world class engineering institution, Purdue does not have a music degree program. Glee Club members study a wide variety of majors ranging from photography, education, health and fitness, accounting and management to sciences and numerous engineering disciplines. They participate in the Glee Club because of their love of music and do not receive academic credit.