On Tuesday evenings in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene, men fill the front five rows of the nave. Usually people gather here to pray. But tonight, these men are here to sing.
Over 50 men make up The Eugene Gleemen, an all-male chorus that’s been an institution in the area for a century.
After wrapping up a Valentine’s banquet, the group shifted focus to rehearse for their 100th Anniversary Spring Gala Concert on May 30, where they will perform their greatest hits from each decade.
At their first rehearsal, Vice President Mark Hunter said to expect chaos. The group was in a new space – the church – and many of the songs haven’t been performed in years.
But when the Gleemen broke into song, their voices melded into one, with layered harmonies creating depth and emotion.
The secret to their synchronicity could be the longevity of the group and the members’ involvement.
Michael Beery has been a Gleeman for 54 years, making him the longest consistent member of the group.
He said being a part of the Gleemen has brought him purpose and community.
“It means everything to me. I live to come to practice on Tuesday nights. And I love our concerts that we have,” Beery said. “For 54 years, that's been a blessing to me. I love music. I love to sing.”
Members range in age from veterans in their 90s to newcomers in their 20s. Many of the men were introduced to the group by members who have passed on, and some are second and even third-generation members.
Hunter said it’s always exciting when new faces come in, because they ensure that the legacy of the Gleemen will continue. Hunter himself has only been a part of the group for four years after moving to Eugene from San Francisco.
“We didn't know anybody except for two family members. Now, we have greater than 55 family members being Gleemen. So for me, it's a sense of belonging,” Hunter said. “The men here are come across from our county, from all different swaths of life. And we're all so different, yet we have one love, and that is the love of singing.”
The love of singing has kept the Gleemen performing through challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, when the group was forced to rehearse over Zoom and perform outside wearing masks.
But in their 100 years of singing, the group has also had the opportunity to perform across the state and the globe, including visits to Germany, New Zealand and Scotland.
Beery said these trips have only further cemented the bond of the group.
“We've gone out to eat together. Some of us have slept in the same motel rooms together, which is strange, but it was fun. We've gone and traveled together in cars, buses, airplanes,” he said. “It has been just a wonderful feeling and a joy to be with them.”
During the rehearsal, the men cracked jokes about the difficulty of the songs, helped each other with the timing of verses, and remembered members who have passed on.
The group felt established and close, even with new members still settling in. When Beery says he’s been in the group for more than 50 years, people ask him why he’s stayed for so long.
But that question simply never crossed his mind and, even now, he says he isn’t going anywhere.
“Without being in this group, and the friendships, the fellowships that we've had, I think I would have been lost a long time ago,” Beery said. “I keep thinking, am I going to continue after the 100th anniversary? And my answer to myself: Oh yes, I will sing until I take my last breath.”
