Singing Hoosiers tour Australia

By Anu Kumar
anukumar@indiana.edu

The 85-student Singing Hoosiers ensemble will act as IU’s “Ambassadors of Song” as they tour Australia this week.

The group is known for musical performances from Broadway, the Great American Songbook and current hits.

“It is with great pleasure and pride that I introduce to the people of Australia the Singing Hoosiers, from Indiana University’s renowned Jacobs School of Music,” President McRobbie said in a press release.

“And I am particularly honored to introduce them as I am a native of Australia, where I graduated from both the University of Queensland and Australian National University.”

The Singing Hoosiers will be in Australia from Sunday to May 17 and will include performances at the University of Queensland and the University of Adelaide Elder Conservatorium.

The ensemble, consisting of instrumentalists and vocalists from the Jacobs School of Music and other disciplines, have a long tradition of excellence in the contemporary performing arts.

Jacobs School of  Music professor Steve Zegree directs the group.

“The Singing Hoosiers are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to represent IU musically, personally and culturally, on this international tour,” Zegree said in a press release.

“The tour will offer our students educational and performance opportunities that cannot be taught in the classroom.”

According to the release, one of the highlights of the tour is a performance in conjunction with the Queensland Show Choir’s 30th anniversary celebration.

IU alumnus Robert Clark founded the Queensland Show Choir with inspiration from the Singing Hoosiers.

Zegree and assistant director Ly Wilder will also organize several clinics and workshops on vocal jazz and show choir techniques for teachers and students.

“A tour like this is a wonderful educational opportunity for these students to travel internationally and to represent Indiana University and the United States as ambassadors of song,” McRobbie said.