Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers celebrate 55th year with concert

They've been nominated for a Grammy, performed in 18 different countries and entertained crowds alongside Duke Ellington, Bob Hope and other renowned performers in their 55 years of existence. \nThe Singing Hoosiers, a choral and dance ensemble of more than 100 IU students, is IU's ambassador of song. The students in Singing Hoosiers play this role well by practicing hard, traveling all over the world and loving what they do.\nTheir latest spring concert, performed Saturday at the IU Auditorium, brought them home for once. Here, the Singing Hoosiers performed popular Broadway music of the 20th century and present day to honor and commemorate the hundred years since Richard Rogers' birth, with a focus on the pieces he collaborated with lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.\nBut with constant performances at IU and around the world, the Hoosiers concentrate most on two things: having fun and singing well.\n"It's really fun," said four-year Singing Hoosier senior Maria Campos. "Everyone enjoys themselves."\nThe ensemble was first called the Men's Concert Choir and had about fifty members. Eventually, a female choir merged with the men's and they grew in number, according to the group's Web site. Since then, the Singing Hoosiers have created quite an impressive name for themselves. \nOver the past 55 years, the Hoosiers have created five albums including the Grammy-nominated "A Disney Spectacular" with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra maestro Erich Kunzel. \nToday, the Singing Hoosiers spend their time practicing, traveling and performing. Just this year, the group has gone to California, Arkansas and cities all over Indiana for performances. \nLast summer, 30 of the Singing Hoosiers even went to England for a ten-day tour. \n"Being in a different country and having people see what an American choir was like was pretty cool," said sophomore Matt Christensen.\nThe Singing Hoosiers practice every Monday to Friday for an hour and sometimes even more before concerts. Moreover, the Varsity Hoosiers, the portion of the Singing Hoosiers who do the choreography, practice an extra six hours a week.\nThey get two credit hours for being in this time-consuming club.\n"It's an extremely extra-curricular activity," said senior Jennifer Shuck, the student manager of the group. "It's a huge time commitment."\nSpending an hour a day with the same people is bound to create close bonds and special memories. Campos can attest to that.\n"We're like a big family," she said. Shuck agrees.\n"These are people I'll get together and talk to when I'm 95 years old," she said.\nThe Singing Hoosiers perform approximately 10 to 12 shows a year, said Christensen. At least two of their biggest shows are at IU, the Chimes of Christmas Concert and the Spring Concert, which was this past Tuesday.\nPreparing for these concerts is hard work.\n"It gets hectic when we're getting ready for a concert," Christensen said. "We usually have to practice an extra half-hour."\nThe concerts, which feature all types of music from Indiana legend Hoagy Carmichael to Broadway tunes like "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Kiss me Kate," are usually about an hour long. Group performances, solos and dancing numbers are included.\nSome concerts are more special than others.\nShuck recalls one from her freshman year that happened the week of September 11, 2001, in Indianapolis. "We had this amazing concert and closed with 'Let There Be Peace On Earth,'" she said. "It was very moving to be a part of."\nMembers don't have to be a music major to be a part of the Singing Hoosiers. In fact, about half of the ensemble aren't, said Christensen, himself a German and international studies major.\nAuditions for the Singing Hoosiers are held at the beginning of each year and are open to any IU student, though previous musical experience is considered. For more information on auditions or the ensemble, visit the Singing Hoosiers' Web site at www.indiana.edu/~singingh.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michelle Manchir at mmanchir@indiana.edu.