Singing Hoosiers celebrate 55 years of tradition

IU musicians are not confined to classical repertoires. The Singing Hoosiers vocal ensemble at the School of Music specializes in popular and Broadway styles, and have been belting tunes for 55 years.\nThe group will celebrate its 55th anniversary Saturday with a diverse program of music that consists not only of popular and Broadway, but also Hoagy Carmichael tunes, love ballads, spirituals and gospel pieces.\nSinging Hoosiers Director Michael Schwartzkopf said the program was specifically designed to cover a wide range of work. He said one of the group's goals is to train and educate developing performers.\n"Education is about giving the students experience in as many fields as possible -- that's one reason why the program is so diverse," Schwartzkopf said.\nSchwartzkopf also has the same goals for the audience.\n"We want to expose the audience to a variety of styles," he said. "There's definitely something for everyone."\nSenior Jennifer Shuck said the anniversary concert was important.\n"Since it is the 55th anniversary, there will be a lot of alumni coming," Shuck said. "The concert will be a flashback to all the years of the Singing Hoosiers, as well as a tribute to all the Singing Hoosiers \nbefore us."\nShuck also expressed her excitement about the program. She said Schwartzkopf wanted to showcase the ensemble's best talent by selecting a wide variety of pieces.\n"The new pieces we're doing as well as the spirituals, which are not typical of our repertoire, will really show our versatility," Shuck said.\nFreshman Maggie Mountsier described her experience as a younger member preparing for the concert she said. Comprehending music quickly as one of the most important things she's learned from the Singing Hoosiers.\n"Quick learning is definitely a skill needed for performance," Mountsier said. "There was a big crunch to acquaint ourselves with the music in time for the concert."\nBut Mountsier said learning the pieces in such a short time was a success, and it taught her to balance her time. She attributes the efficiency to the group's director.\n"Dr. Schwartzkopf always gets the needed results 100 percent of the time," Mountsier said.\nMountsier also said Saturday's concert is important for anyone interested in American music because the diverse repertoire is honoring different kinds of music.\n"The broad spectrum is nice," she said, "because that way we're not stuck in one genre."\nOverall, Mountsier said the concert would be lots of fun for anyone who likes classic American music.\nSophomore Jon Davidson was \nenthusiastic about the concert.\n"The audience should expect one of the best two-hour shows available on campus," he said.\nDavidson also described the concert as having "something for everyone," and he said the variety guarantees everyone will find something they like in the show.\nSchwartzkopf said his goals for the concert are for the audience to be entertained and, above all, enjoy the show.\n"I want them to be delighted by the exceptional vocal talent of the group and soloists," Schwartzkopf said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Adam Sedia at asedia@indiana.edu.