Response to “Gleeks”

An article recently published for the Purple Quill entitled “Gleeks” has presented some false information regarding the ways in which The Elder Glee Club was run in the 2013-2014 school year. As a former “try-hard” of the Elder Glee Club, I have deemed myself qualified to address these issues and to bring to the audience of the Quill reliable and truthful information.

While many incorrect statements were made, the article did present facts which showed just how vibrant the program is, not the least of which is the bi-annual European concert tour, our exclusive opportunities such as performing at Carnegie Hall and many others.

“With a new laid back president and the departure of a few of Elder’s biggest try hards, the Elder Glee Club has a more laid back road ahead of them. This is good news for everyone.”

The Glee Club is not meant to be easy. The Glee Club is steeped in decades of tradition which come forth from the effort and hard work of former members. That hard work and effort is put towards building the Glee Club up and into something great, a task which should not be taken lightly. Members of the current board should understand the job they have been given. They have not been handed a task which is easy. Those members of the Glee Club who feel that Glee Club is meant to be easy are wearing rose colored glasses; being at the wheel of a juggernaut such as the Elder Glee Club is most assuredly not an easy job.

“This is good news for everyone. It means more people will have opportunities to participate and be active in Glee Club.”

As a former member of the Glee Club, the playing field was always level for anyone to participate in the chorus. Participation in the form of solos is based on a simple hand-raising system; if you did not raise your hand to volunteer for a solo and did not receive a solo, but you really wanted one, then there is absolutely nothing you can say about unequal opportunities. As far as opportunities when it comes to the Glee Club board, members of the board are elected by the fellow members of the Glee Club itself. If there are other areas for participation besides the two addressed I am unfamiliar.

Jay Quitter, President of the Elder Glee Club for the 2013-2014 school year had this to offer, “In response to the statement ‘One more perk to this new board is that (President of Glee Club) gives way shorter speeches so you don’t feel like you want to kill yourself.’ I, personally, felt very offended. Public speaking is one of the hardest things a person can do. I, as well as pervious Glee Club presidents, find that a speech is most effective when you put a piece of yourself into the words, so this comment was a target to not only me, but to the fellow board members who helped construct each speech. On top of our own personal feelings, there were and are certain requirements that need to be addressed within each speech. Being the leader, I felt it was very important for me to be the voice for the students in Glee Club. Before every class, we opened with a short reflection about what was going on in society as well as personal issues within the group. It was a time for the guys to really put their differences aside and focus on what was really important: applying our faith before we opened our mouths to sing. All speeches that were given throughout the year had a purpose and were all thought through and constructed with the best intentions. Anyone who thought they were “too long” or “boring” needs to stand in front of an audience and talk.”

The point which stated “(President of Glee Club) is only involved in Glee Club and is not on the musical stage so this means he has more time to dedicate to making the glee club better for everyone” is null as past years show that the most active and successful Glee Club boards were also heavily involved with the Spring Musical.

For many, including myself, Glee Club and Elder’s music department consumed much of our life. Between the Glee Club chorus itself to Vocal Ensemble, Show Choir, A Cappella, and the Spring Musical, there was very little time for other extra-curricular activities. For someone to offer opinions from positions of complete ignorance is offensive because they have no idea what the program means to those of us who dedicated ourselves to the program.

Journalism is a vital method of transmitting information to others. With the power to reach large groups of people with ideas and information, the journalist must be sure to present correct and reliable information, which the author of this article did not.

Sean Feldman ‘14