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Page 3 • Friday, September 13, 2002
I A century of perfect harmony
Singing Cadets tour through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas this season
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By Heather Campbell
THE BATTALION
■ What began as a nine-member Glee Club in the
18" k has turned into a group of talented singers
wlu) share a passion for music. A year full of tour
ing cities across the United States awaits the Singing
CB'fvts as it prepares for its 100th touring season.
■ Known for incredible talent and quality enter
tainment, the Singing Cadets was founded in 1893.
Sii e then, it has performed for audiences all over
the nation.
■ Clint Pasche, president of the Singing Cadets and
a luate kinesiology major, said singing for the
■evident’s secret servicemen was one particularly
memorable performance.
■ "We were at a concert and these men came up
and asked if we were the Singing Cadets,” Pasche
saul. "They said that they had heard a lot of our
songs in the limousine.”
I Pasche said the singers often perform for famous
people and that it’s exciting to stand in front of the
president or a famous actor and see him enjoying the
performance.
I "We sang for President Geoi^e W. Bush after
dinner at his apartment in the George Bush Library,
and it was really cool because everyone from com
mentators to TV anchors and professional athletes
m-re all there,” Pasche said. “The president and his
wile were sitting on the floor with the dog, laughing,
listening to music and just enjoying the night.”
I This year, the Cadets will have a 10-day winter
tour in January and will travel through Texas.
Oklahoma and Kansas. Its spring tours consist of
three weekends traveling to different parts of
Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Included on the
bill are Aggie songs, as well as new additions com-
momorating Sept. 11.
1 Since Sept. 11, David Kipp, director of the
Singing Cadets, said many of the songs now honor
that day. He said now, more than ever, people’s lives
arc being impacted by these songs about our coun
try-
Kipp said that a high school teacher told him that
he turned on the Singing Cadets’ CD during class
and played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and
“God Bless the USA” for his class on Sept. 11.
The teacher said tears streamed down students’
faces and even a “big football player” was choked
up. Afterwards, the teacher said students asked for it
to be played again and only scratches of pencil on
paper could be heard.
Pasche said he sees touring as a way to give back
to the University.
"This University gives a lot with the spirit and
culture and it’s neat to be able to give back to
A&M and make people around the country
aware,” he said. "Our goal is to enhance the public
relations of Texas A&M University and to promote
it through music.”
During tours, the Cadets enjoy seeing interesting
sites of the cities they visit.
"We’re going to sing at the memorial for the
Oklahoma City Bombing site and see the Air
Force tour at the Boeing Plant,” Pasche said.
"They take us around and show us the cool places
in each city we visit.”
The Singing Cadets said it feels at home when
traveling because the Aggie Moms’ Clubs host, and
the members are able to stay in the homes of local
families during tours.
Jeremiah Gore, Class of 1999, was in the Singing
Cadets from 1997 to 2001 and said that the reason
he stayed for so long was because of the tours.
"A lot of times, we are the first Aggies these fam
ilies meet,” Gore said. "Sometimes it can be like
you’re on a missionary job. The tours are a lot of fun
because you’re doing what you love and represent
ing A&M at the same time. I did it through my first
year in graduate school because I loved it too much
to quit.”
Pasche agrees and said the families they stay
with expect the stereotypical college student but
experience something totally different.
"In the host home, we’re at their disposal and it’s
neat for these families who might not even know of
A&M to see a college student impact their chil
dren,” Pasche said. "It really does happen. We hear
stories come back of people who have changed the
way they look at our University. It's neat to be able
to represent our age in a better light to these people.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SINGING CADE TS
Rehearsing for the tours begins next week after
the new members are selected. .
Brice Kelso, a freshman business major, is audi
tioning this week for the group. Kelso said the
Singing Cadets appealed to him because of the
group’s dedication.
“It’s something people join because they want to
and so everyone is motivated to do well,” Kelso said.
“I love sound and I love the opportunity it presents.”
Not only are the singers well known within the
A&M community, but they are also making their
mark all over the world. Kipp said the demanding
routine of daily rehearsals and traveling to engage
ments throughout the year keeps the Cadets on a
tight schedule.
"Each year we have 50-60 concerts so it is very
busy,” Kipp said. “I was looking at the calendar the
other day to schedule performances, and as of the
second day of school, we already had 51 events. I
am very excited about the year ahead of us, as it is
full of unique opportunities.”
Kipp said that this year will be the first time since
1976 for the Singing Cadets to sing at a football
game. It will lead the crowd in "God Bless the
USA” at the Virginia Tech game.
“It’s exciting because we do something new
every year, and we can't anticipate where we'll be
going or who we’ll be seeing,” Pasche said. "We
travel annually to the Miss Texas USA pageant and
have been doing that since the 1960s, when it was
called the Miss Teenage America pageant.”
Paxton Kelso, a senior journalism major, said the
satisfaction of being in the Singing Cadets comes
purely from the guys you get to stay in touch after
graduation.
“Really, the relationships are cemented when we
tour,” Kelso said. “It’s the one time when we're just
with the guys, have no homework to distract us. and
have plenty of time for goofing off and getting to
know who each other are.”
Kelso said the reasons for the group’s ongoing
success can be found in its motivation as it strives
to maintain Texas A&M’s image through singing.
"What 1 hope is that [members of the Singing
Cadets will] go out and be active in A&M clubs and
churches and that music will be an integral part of
their everyday life,” Kipp said.
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