The Penn Glee Club is a student group at the University of Pennsylvania.
The University of Pennsylvania Glee Club began modestly on November 5, 1862, when eight undergraduate men formed the Club, making it the oldest performing arts group at the University. Later that year, the Glee Club held its first performance in the old Collegiate Hall at 9th and Chestnut Streets for “an audience that was unusually select and large, the Hall filled to its utmost capacity.” At this concert, each member wore a red and blue ribbon through their lapel, making the Club the first group to wear the University’s colors as part of its uniform. The Penn Glee Club has toured internationally since 1959 and has traveled to nearly all 50 states in the United States and more than 40 nations and territories on five continents. Since its first performance at the White House for President Calvin Coolidge in 1926, the Club has sung for numerous heads of state and world leaders. The modern Club is a reflection of its rich heritage and its contemporary character. Now in its 161st season, the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club remains, as former Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp once remarked, “one of the finest musical organizations in existence.” It proudly represents the University in its grand tradition and is equally proud to preserve its distinctive blend of choral excellence and theatrical showmanship, the hallmark of the Penn Glee Club.
Check out our 2023 Tour Blog here for information about our recent tour of Chile and Panama!