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2024 ACDA Eastern Region Conference February 28 - March 2, 2024 Providence, Rhode Island

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West Point Glee Club West Point Band

The West Point Band is the Army’s oldest active-duty
West Point Glee Club is one of the U.S. Military band, founded on the beautiful and historic grounds of
Academy’s most visible cadet organizations. Since the United States Military Academy in 1817. The band
1903, it has touched audiences around the world with traces its lineage to fifers and drummers who were part
a model depiction of the Corps of Cadets through live of Continental Army units at West Point during the time
performance, national network and feature film appear- of the American Revolution. Officially established on
ances, and recordings. Recent collaborations include an June 8, 1817, the West Point Band recently celebrated
historic concert with the West Point Band in the Unit- its bicentennial. Although many changes have occurred
ed Nations General Assembly Hall in honor of Black over the years, music continues to be an essential aspect
History Month. The Glee Club regularly commissions of daily life for the cadets and soldiers at the academy.
works from leading composers in addition to perform- Today, the band continues to inspire and motivate the
ing standard repertoire and the traditional military, pa- next generation of the Army’s leaders, as well as serving
triotic, and West Point songs for which it is renowned. as musical ambassadors for the Army to the nation.

Constance Chase is the director of West Lt. Colonel Daniel Toven serves as the
Point Glee Club, where she conducts the commander and conductor of the West
renowned college choir in America’s fin- Point Band at the U.S. Military Acad-
est venues and smallest towns. Under her emy at West Point, NY. Previous posts
direction, the Cadets have recorded for have included directorships of The U.S.
Paramount, Capitol, Curtain Call, PBS, ABC, NBC, Army Soldiers’ Chorus and The U.S. Army Chorus
and at Skywalker Studio. She conducts More Music in Washington, D.C. Lt. Col. Toven studied conduct-
Summer Festival Chorus in Connecticut, where she ing with Grammy Award-winning conductor Robert
previously served as artistic director of Connecticut Page and holds degrees from Eastman School of Music,
Chamber Choir and adjunct voice instructor at West- The Command and General Staff College, and Indiana
ern Connecticut State University. Chase is co-author of University of PA, where he was recently recognized as
Prescriptions for Choral Excellence (Oxford University Press). a Distinguished Alumni. Lt. Col. Toven is also an ac-
She holds degrees from University of North Carolina tive guest conductor, working with honor choruses and
Greensboro, Hunter College-City University of New bands all along the East Coast. His military decorations
York, and Zertifikat from Goethe Institut, Germany. include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Parachutist
Badge, and the Instructor Badge.

134 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5