Brief History of the Down Town Glee Club

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Channing Lefebvre and George Mead co-founded the Down Town Glee Club in 1926. The debut concert was held at New York's Hotel Roosevelt and featured Metropolitan Opera soprano, Florence Easton, as a guest artist. The entire concert was broadcast over WNYC radio.

 

Between 1927 and 1970, the DTGC not only performed at the White House for President Herbert Hoover, but also presented 85 bi-annual concerts at Carnegie Hall.

 

We have sung at War Bond Rallies during World War II, at Trinity Church for many Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve recitals and at 9/11 Memorial Concerts. We have sung at two New York World's Fairs, both in 1939 and in 1964, and have appeared on television with Mitch Miller. For decades we sang for the O'Hara chapter of the Merchant Marines and at Saint Rose Hospice in Manhattan. Some of our rehearsals and concerts have been featured on local news broadcasts. We have also performed at numerous other venues including Town Hall, Schimmel Hall at Pace University, Saint Peter's Church, Saint Paul's Chapel, South Street Seaport and Church of the Good Shepherd.

 

Our motto, "Music Fellowship and Service", has remained our cherished ideal during our almost century of song.