Purdue News
Purdue News
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March 9, 2001 PMO groups begin singing tours of Florida, MichiganWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – While some students are heading to Florida for fun and sun, Purdue University's Purduettes are launching Purdue Musical Organizations' spring tours with a trip to Florida for fun and song. On April 6, the University Choir will head out on a weekend singing tour of Michigan. "The Purduettes have not traveled for a few years, and we are very excited to visit PMO alumni in Florida," said Stacy Kenaga, a senior in the school of liberal arts from Elkhart, Ind. "We are looking forward to sharing our music with others." The Purduettes leave by bus from the Elliott Hall of Music today (3/9), stop in Hilton Head, S.C., for a performance, then head to Florida where they will perform in Port Charlotte, Naples and Sarasota. Performances are: Saturday (3/10). 7 p.m. Dell Webbs Sun City Resort. Hilton Head-Bluffton, S.C. Sunday (3/11). 5:30 p.m. Port Charlotte United Methodist Church. Port Charlotte, Fla. Monday (3/12). 10 a.m. Naples High School. Naples, Fla. Monday (3/12). 1 p.m. Barron Collier High School. Naples, Fla. Tuesday (3/13). 8 p.m. Southwest Florida Club. Naples, Fla. Wednesday (3/14). 8 p.m. Sarasota Club. Sarasota, Fla. On Thursday and Friday (3/15-16), the Purduettes will visit Walt Disney World. They will return to the West Lafayette campus Saturday. Directing the Purduettes is Ly Tartell, Matt Falker is assistant director and Jon Ranard is the accompanist. The group performs a variety of music, including show tunes, pop, country and jazz. The group was formed during World War II, when members of the all-male Glee Club were leaving for military service so rapidly that the Glee Club schedule had to be curtailed. PMO responded by forming the Purduettes, a group of 13 women. During the war they performed throughout the United States. In 1952 the Purduettes were reorganized, and today the group has 48 women. On Friday, April 6, PMO's University Choir leaves on its weekend tour of Michigan, where the group will perform at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield, Mich. On Saturday, April 7, the choir will perform at 7 p.m. at Romeo High School in Flint, Mich., and will return to Purdue on Sunday, April 8, after a 3 p.m. performance at Saginaw First Presbyterian Church in Saginaw, Mich. Matt Falker is the choir director and Frank Kuntz is accompanist and assistant director. This mixed ensemble is composed of 70 men and women who perform throughout Indiana and neighboring states. The choir performs traditional choral songs as well as pop, folk and novelty tunes. Al Stewart, who founded PMO as the official choral department at Purdue, started the University Choir in 1933. The ensembles are two of the five that comprise PMO, directed by Brian Breed. CONTACT: Julie Silver, PMO marketing director, (765) 496-6091, jasilver@purdue.edu.
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