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Glee Club

Glee Club

One of the university's oldest student clubs, the UNC Glee Club was founded in 1848 at the suggestion of math instructor Charles Phillips. The club soon became a fixture at celebrations and official events and helped introduce at least a couple of notable songs. In 1878 the Glee Club was the first group to perform "The Old North State," which would later become the state song of North Carolina. At the club's 1897 commencement performance they introduced a new piece, "Hark the Sound," which was soon adopted as the university's alma mater. In 1934 women students at the university organized a Women's Glee Club. The men's club often performed outside of Chapel Hill, traveling around the state and country for concerts and going on extended tours of Europe in 1927 and 1966. In June 1966, the Men's Glee Club performed before a national audience in an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The Men's and Women's Glee Clubs remain active on campus and are now overseen by the Department of Music.


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