University of Michigan Men's Glee Club
"The Key", the club's official logo | |
| Formation | 1876 (origins tracing to 1859) |
|---|---|
| Founded at | University of Michigan |
| Type | Student organization |
| Purpose | Glee club |
Director | Matthew Abernathy |
| Award | Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (4) |
| Website | www |
The University of Michigan Men's Glee Club is a tenor-bass glee club (or choir) at the University of Michigan. With roots tracing back to 1859, it is the second oldest glee club in the United States and is the oldest student organization at the university. The club has won the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on four separate occasions. Since 2025, the Club's musical director has been Matthew Abernathy, who has continued to expand the Club's repertoire and arranged performances.
The origins of the club stem from a variety of groups that came together in 1876. After a number of years including banjo and mandolin players in the club, it reverted to simply a vocal group by the mid-1920s. It received a substantial rise in profile under the directory of Philip Duey in the 1950s, who organized national, then international tours, and numerous television appearances. Since then, the club has continued to tour internationally at high-profile venues.
The club is entirely managed by students, except for the musical director, taken from the university staff, and has a number of traditions.