Many students and faculty know the Indiana University Kokomo Cougar Choir as the entertaining singing ensemble that performs in dazzling Christmas concerts during the holidays and enjoyable themed concerts in the spring such as folk music from around the world and hits from the Fifties.  

However, many do not know that the choir gets invited to perform with various music ensembles within the Kokomo community whenever the opportunity arises. 

On Feb. 12, the Cougar Choir was invited to perform with the Kokomo Park Band, a community-based symphonic band, as the grand finale to the band’s concert entitled “A Musical Valentine.” The concert was Kokomo Park Band’s love letter to the community with music about or inspired by the love we share with family, friends, significant others, or simply for the love of our country.  

“Experiential learning is a key feature of our teaching at IUK,” director Wendy Grice said. “When we were asked by the Kokomo Park Band to perform two numbers with them on Sunday, I felt this would be a very good opportunity for the choir. It was a challenge to coordinate the songs with the band in one rehearsal Saturday, but I was very proud of how the choir sang.” 

Since the beginning of the semester, the choir worked on these two pieces to sing in the concert: “Andrew Lloyd Webber: A Concert Celebration,” which was a medley of the music from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musicals such as Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar, and “The Promise of Living,” a song that praises the work of farmers and the bounties of harvest by famous American composer Aaron Copland, in addition to the pieces for their Spring Spectacular at the end of the semester. 

Every Tuesday and Thursday for the past month, the choir members stayed a few minutes after their regular rehearsal to practice these two pieces. Faculty and IU Kokomo graduates who were choir members were also invited to sing with the current choir singers.  

This experience was rewarding to everyone in the IU Kokomo Choir, for it shows just how hard they worked to give everyone a great performance and how well they work with others in our community. 

If you are interested in singing in the choir, please contact Wendy Grice ([email protected]) for more information. Be sure to mark your calendars for IU Kokomo Choir’s Spring Spectacular on Friday, Apr. 28, and Sunday Apr. 30 to check out the choir’s spring concert.