When John Grecia, the University Singers’ long-time accompanist, became director of the choir in August, one of his first tasks was to invite faculty, staff and alumni to join the predominantly student membered group.
“We opened the gates to include more of the fabric of Saint Joseph’s,” Grecia said. “In the past, there was a staff presence, one, two, three, four people that would sing with us, but I wanted to make that official this year and let it be a flagship choir.”
Grecia was named the new University Singers’ director after Thomas Juneau left to become director of choral activities at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. Grecia, a two-time Grammy winner, had been the group’s accompanist since 2002.
Of the 40 singers in the co-ed choir, most are undergraduate students of all majors. About six members that recently joined are faculty, staff and alumni.
The group practices on Monday nights in Nicoletti Music Studio.
“It’s not a big number,” said University Singers President Abi Ladipo ’22. “But the fact that they’re willing to show up every Monday night and to sing with us is an amazing show of spirit.”
Jennifer Falcon, executive assistant to the university president, has been at St. Joe’s for 18 years and joined the choir in September.
“It’s a great group of talented, energetic souls who love to sing,” Falcon said. “I look forward to being with the group during our Monday evening practices and am grateful that the students were so welcome to having faculty, staff and administrators join the group.”
Joan Aspan also joined in September. Her husband is Paul Aspan, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies. Joan Aspan said she has been singing her entire life, as well as attending concerts at St. Joe’s for the past 15 years.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever really been in a group of just students,” Joan Aspan said. “They seem really friendly with each other. They support each other, and they are there for each other.”
The choir is no longer accepting new members as it prepares for its big concert on Dec. 2, according to Hannah Krupa ’21, University Singers social chair.
“We’re not taking anybody else new because they would have to learn all of the music,” Krupa said. “But I think next semester, we’re gonna have a lot more, hopefully.”
That is Grecia’s goal as well: to entice people to attend the December concert and then hook them into joining the choir.
“We’re really gonna try and advertise the heck out of our winter concert and have a great attendance there,” Grecia said. “We’re going to restate that this is truly open to everybody, and if you want to join spring semester, join.”
While the group has primarily focused on classical music in the past, this year’s concert will feature a wider array of music.
“We do a variety of music, going back to what they call early music, the 1500s and 1600s, and then we move all the way up to pieces that were literally written two or three or four years ago,” Grecia said. “[There’s also] music from different parts of the world, Caribbean influences, Puerto Rican, Christmas carols. We really do try and make it a diverse palette for the students to sink their teeth into.”
Grecia said he is excited about his new role with the choir, and with the new voices the choir has welcomed.
“It feels like a very nice path to be taking, and it just works so well for the students, and the faculty and staff,” Grecia said. “They all feed off each other, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
