Brothers, Sing On! - by Bruce Montgomery (Hardcover)

About the Book

A memoir from the former longtime director of the University of Pennsylvania's Glee Club.

Book Synopsis

In 1862, a group of undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania put the University's colors of red and blue in their buttonholes and gave the first performance of the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club. Ninety-four years later, in 1956, Bruce Montgomery became the Glee Club's director and brought the Club to new heights of musicianship and international acclaim. In his forty-four-year tenure, "Monty" made the Glee Club the premier musical voice of the University and brought Penn and the spirit of Philadelphia to audiences around the world.

The Glee Club has performed on five continents in thirty countries and countless times in Philadelphia. In Brothers, Sing On! Monty shares his stories and experiences. From an impromptu photo op on a Wisconsin highway during a blizzard in 1977 to singing for U.S. presidents, this exhilarating memoir is filled with the Glee Club's farflung adventures. Backstage anecdotes let the reader step behind the scenes of such performances at home, abroad, and on worldwide television.

A reflection of Monty's boundless energy and flair for showmanship, this volume also includes stories of the students with whom the Glee Club director worked in other clubs--the Penn Singers, the Marching Band, the Penn Players, and the Mask & Wig Club, to name a few. Throughout his memoir, Montgomery reflects fondly on the development of the Glee Club. It is a testament to his immeasurable contribution to its success and renown.

Review Quotes

"As a Penn alum (class of '48), and someone who has known Bruce Montgomery for many years, I was happy to read of his adventures, training and shepherding the Penn Glee Club. It is often funny, earnest, and always interesting."-- "Hal Prince"

"Monty is a treasure-and so is his book."-- "Marciarose Shestack"

"While you're reading this book, you will find yourself enjoying a wonderful man."-- "Bill Cosby"

About the Author

Bruce Montgomery is former director of musical activities at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as former director of the Penn Glee Club and the University Band. He is recognized internationally as one of America's foremost authorities on the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and, indeed, has directed and performed all fourteen of the operas both in the U.S. and abroad. His compositions have been performed by such notable ensembles as the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. His 1964 Off-Broadway hit, The Amorous Flea, is still performed throughout the world and his paintings and sculptures adorn private collections and galleries across the land. He is both former director and musical director of the Mask and Wig Club and the Penn Players. Currently he is acting director of the Penn Singers.