History

A Brief History of Chicago Men’s A Cappella

Chicago Men’s A Cappella, affectionately called CMAC, came into existence at a bus stop on a old night in Winter Quarter 2005, when two first years, Josh Sauerman and Ben Patterson, were discussing the lack of an all-male a cappella chorus at the University of Chicago.

Soon thereafter, Ben, a member of the University’s music scene, enlisted help from Bruce Tammen, his voice teacher, and many founding members from different choral groups while Josh took care of the technicalities of becoming a registered organization.

The idea survived the summer and, at the beginning of Fall 2005, CMAC held its first auditions and rehearsals, recruiting twelve members.  The first year was spent learning a core repertoire of University fight songs and Classical men’s choral arrangements while performing at small concerts on and around campus.  The following year, we nearly doubled in size, acquired uniform attire due to many generous gifts, and presented quarterly concerts on our own, selling out Bond Chapel three times.  We also were the featured entertainment for a number of receptions connected with President Zimmer’s inauguration, and sang at Rockefeller Chapel for the Alumni Weekend convocation and awards ceremony.

In 2007-08, having burst the seams of Bond Chapel, we began presenting concerts at Hyde Park Union Church, where we also rehearse.  We expanded to thirty members, formally established our governance structure, and took our first “roll”– a weekend trip to The University of Virginia, where we were hosted by, and sang with, the Virginia Glee Club.

The year of 2009-2010 has been absolutely huge for CMAC. Now only have we increased out campus presence through gigs and concerts, but in April 2010, we had the unforgettable opportunity of performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 – known as “The Symphony of a Thousand” – in the Chicago Symphony Center in Orchestra Hall with the Symphony of Oak Park River Forest and numerous other groups, directed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s principal trombonist, Jay Friedman.

Response to our phenomenal growth has been tremendous, throughout the University and the surrounding community.  We look forward to further rolls, to hosting guest groups, to establishing service projects, and to finally begin recording our CD in the 2010-2011 school year!