The Glendon Musical Ensemble’s tenth season is going to be a big one. From the Ensemble’s inception ten years ago, big dreams and lofty ideals were central to the GME’s success. Being the only musical group on campus, the GME could have easily filled this obvious void by performing the odd concert here and there, but the founders envisioned more – we, the GME’s new Musical Directors, can certainly attest to that.

From its roots, the GME was always about the happy union of music and community. The music itself varied from year to year, but the comfortable sense of belonging was a constant. The attraction of an artistic outlet is what draws our members in, but the tight-knit closeness is what makes them want to stay. For two first-year students coming from as close as Toronto and as far as Cleveland, the GME was an excellent way to get involved in extracurricular activities and forge strong friendships. Coming from rich high school music experiences, neither of us expected the slightly unconventional but amazing amalgamation that was the Glendon Musical Ensemble, but we both loved it and jumped at the opportunity to take on leadership roles the following year.

And here we are. We, along with an amazing team of fellow members (most of them second-year students like ourselves), have quite the show planned for this year. The feature for our main performance is Music From Movies, featuring pieces originating from black and white films of the 1920s to 21st century blockbusters (and many others in between)! Cinema has become a reflection of the past, present, and future of our culture, just like music remains. Our show will be a combination of these two important forms of expression, much like the GME itself. Music and movies can certainly exist independently, as can instrumentalists and vocalists, but the sum is greater than the parts. The two compliment each other and support each other – the very same roots the Ensemble has stuck to even after 10 years. The GME of today is comparable to Hollywood: it has more members, bigger shows, and more impressive effects, but when all of that is stripped away we are left with a community of people with a shared interest in performing and creating.
Ten years is an important milestone and a time when we reflect upon our roots found in realised ambition but also look ahead to the future, and who will join us along the way.

Kerrie Boyle and Charlotte Petrie