The University Glee Club of Tokyo
a.k.a.
Around Singers

　　The Universities Glee Club of Tokyo (a.k.a. Around Singers among Japanese choral community), one of the finest male choral ensembles in Japan, will be performing in the United States in early May 2005 on its 2nd US concert tour. The Glee Club was founded in 1992 and marked its first appearance in 1996 at Carnegie Hall (New York) and the Symphony Hall (Boston) with a remarkable success.

at Carnegie Hall, NewYork (April 29, 1996)

History and Legend

　　In 1992, at his 60th Birthday Concert, Mr. Kyoichi Kitamura, the Music Director of The Around Singers, expressed his wish to create a university graduates' glee club for periodic concerts and CD recording.
Professor Ryosuke Hatanaka, the then Artistic Director of The New National Theater of Tokyo and Professor Emeritus of the Tokyo Artistic University, offered his support to the project. In addition, Ms Reiko Itoh, a record producer working for Toshiba-EMI gave the group an opportunity for recording its performance to release CD's.

In June 1993 the first concert was held in Tokyo which amassed a substantial audience and critics with a great deal of excitement. Since then, while 6 concerts were held in Tokyo with even more success, 4 CDs were released with favorable reviews. Thus, the Glee Club has built up its fine reputation in Japan.

Mr. Seiji Ozawa, the then music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, was impressed with those CDs and gave this message to the Glee Club

I recently had the chance to hear a compact disc recording of The University Glee Club of Tokyo and was extremely impressed with the sound from this amaterur group. It gives me great pleasure to hear that their plans call for an upcoming performance tour the United States, and I would like to wish them all the very best of success on this trip. (Seiji Ozawa)

While none of the members are the graduates of musical institutions, each has extensive singing backgrounds since their school days. Moreover, the artist staffs consist of distinguished figures in Japan. Their combined expertise has elevated the potential and talents of the Glee Club resulting in high acclaim for their four CD releases and for their recent performance in Japan.

Concerts

1st Season
　　　June 6, 1993 Yu-Port Hall, Tokyo

2nd Season
　　　October 9, 1994 Yu-Port Hall, Tokyo

3rd Season
　　　April 7, 1996 Yu-Port Hall, Tokyo
　　　April 20, 1996 Fujisawa Hall, Fujisawa
　　　April 29, 1996 Carnegie Hall, New York
　　　May 1, 1996 The Symphony Hall, Boston

4th Season
　　　May 24, 1997 The Symphony Hall, Fukuoka
　　　June 1, 1997 Hitomi Memorial Hall, Tokyo

5th Season
　　　October 24, 1998 Kosei Nenkin Hall, Tokyo

Planned 6th Season(This time)
　　　April 2003 (American Club, Tokyo)
　　　November 2003 (American Club, Tokyo)
　　　November 2003 (Kan-i Hoken Hall, Tokyo)
　　　April 2004 (American Club, Tokyo)
　　　October 2004 (American Club, Tokyo)
　　　April 2005 (Kan-i Hoken Hall, Tokyo)
　　　May 1, 2005 Chicago （Pick-Staiger Concert Hall)
　　　May 3, 2005 New York (Carnegie Hall)
　　　May 6, 2005 San Francisco (Herbst Theatre)

CD Releases, Toshiba-EMI

1993 Around Singers I (TOCZ-9278)
1995 Around Singers II (TOCZ-9279)
1996 Around Singers III (TOCZ-9280)
1997 Requiem by Miroru Miki (TOCZ-9289)

contact:shin@dream.plala.or.jp