.Glee Club Salutes College of Engineering with Special Piece, Performance
Purdue Musical Organizations’ Varsity Glee Club recently helped the College of Engineering kick off its 150th-anniversary celebration with a rousing performance of a special piece of music composed by Purdue alumnus Matthew Janszen.
To kick off its sesquicentennial celebration, “150 Years of Purdue Engineering,” the College of Engineering contacted Janszen with the idea of composing a special piece of music to be performed by a Purdue Musical Organizations (PMO) ensemble. Conversations with the 150 anniversary celebration committee, Dean of Engineering Arvind Raman and Bill Griffel, director of PMO, set the thematic elements for the piece of music.
The piece, entitled “Illuminate”, is a piece with hip-hop/spoken elements that includes messages about making a difference in the world, being creative and showcasing the opportunities for greatness and consequentiality afforded by the Purdue experience. The piece connects with the College of Engineering’s sesquicentennial celebration theme – “Celebrating Our Consequential Impact on the World.”
“The way I decided to incorporate the themes was through telling a story,” explained Janszen, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Acoustical Engineering from Purdue (2005). “I start with a student’s first day at Purdue and eventually follow them out into the real world where they can make a difference.”
Music has always been a significant part of Janszen’s life, which includes his experience at Purdue. As part of his educational program, he explored various aspects of music through recording, acoustics and storytelling in a theatrical setting. Thanks to mentors like Bill Kisinger, now retired associate professor of bands, and Jay Gephart, the Al G. Wright Chair of Purdue Bands & Orchestras, music composed by Janszen was performed by some ensembles at Purdue. He has since combined his love of music and many of the practical lessons learned from his engineering education into a career as a composer and producer. He is best known for his recent animation show, Archibald’s Next Big Thing, as well as his work with Warner Bros. animated comedies ThunderCats Roar! and Scooby-Doo! And the Gourmet Ghost. “It was a great honor to come full circle and get to use my musical abilities for such an important milestone in Purdue’s history,” Janszen said. “Most of the time, I’m using engineering to help problem-solve my musical pursuits. It was nice to do the reverse and write a piece of music to celebrate engineering pursuits.” 
The Varsity Glee Club was a natural fit to perform such a piece. Known for its showmanship, passion and attention to detail, the Purdue Varsity Glee Club has entertained on behalf of the university since its founding in 1893. This dynamic ensemble employs a versatile musical repertoire including gospel, vocal jazz, swing, contemporary hits, romantic ballads, classical choral selections, barbershop, folk melodies, patriotic standards, opera choruses, country and novelty tunes. Bill Griffel and Scott Hines serve as the directors of the ensemble.
“We were honored to be a part of this celebration!” Griffel said. “The Glee Club brought a high level of energy and excitement to the gathering that showcased the best of what Purdue has to offer.”
Fittingly, Glee Club members boast strong and ongoing historical ties to the College of Engineering. Prior to 2021, Purdue did not have a music major, meaning that for 130 years, Glee Club members studied other academic disciplines – such as engineering – while participating in the ensemble purely for their love of and dedication to music. Even with the addition of a music major, the majority of Glee Club and PMO members pursue degrees in disciplines other than music. For example, 39% of this year’s Glee Club members are engineering majors." 
“Our members value their time away from the rigors of classroom study to focus on their love of music and the community it brings them,” Griffel said. “Many alumni share that they learned so much from their experiences singing in PMO and the community they formed while at Purdue.”
The Varsity Glee Club performance helped kick off the College of Engineering’s year-long sesquicentennial celebration at the Annual Engineering Dinner and Alumni Association Awards in the Purdue Memorial Union. In addition to their performance, members of PMO in the College of Engineering received special acknowledgment for their participation at the event.
Watch the performance in the video below. Additional performances by the Varsity Glee Club and other PMO ensembles can be viewed on the PMO YouTube page.
About Purdue Musical Organizations
Purdue Musical Organizations' mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through the power of music. Purdue Musical Organizations (PMO) is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community that enriches the lives of students, staff and supporters. With a rich history dating back to 1893, PMO is committed to five pillars: education and growth, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, student leadership, and stewardship. Purdue Musical Organizations’ students are ambassadors of Purdue University, bringing its legacy of musical performance excellence and student success to people around the world. Many marvel Purdue provides so much in the field of musical entertainment, as the university has no school of music. PMO students form lifelong friendships while performing more than 75 shows each year including the Purdue Christmas Show, which recently celebrated 90 years. In addition to all this, PMO awards more than $300,000 in scholarships to PMO students every academic year. Purdue Musical Organizations is more than just a collection of choirs – it’s a home where the passion for music thrives, where we channel that passion into making a positive impact on the world, one note at a time.