Wednesday, May 19, 1999

Center Daily Times Opinion Section

Don't allow Singing Lions to lose their voices

The writer was a child therapist and is now raising her two children. She and her husband, Timothy, met in 1988 while both members of the Penn State Singing Lions. They now live in Asheville, N.C.

I am writing with urgency regarding the impending loss of a Penn State institution, the Penn State Singing Lions. Your paper printed an article about the Singing Lions on April 26. I am hoping you will consider doing a follow-up article about the group, it's imperiled future, and the new campaign to save the Singing Lions.

The group's director for the last 14 years retired at the end of the spring semester and, to date, no replacement has been found. Questions regarding continued funding of the position also have been raised.

The Singing Lions show choir adds a dimension to Penn State's music offerings that is replicated nowhere else in the university. The community will also lose a source of public entertainment as well as a service organization (the Singing Lions have been active in the community in a variety of ways).

The Singing Lions (previously the Pop Choir) is a 19-year-old Penn State performing group (with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians as roots) serving current students, alumni, local residents and Penn State fans extending far beyond the bounds of the University Park campus. For 14 years, the Singing Lions have rallied crowds at Beaver Stadium, sung at Penn State basketball and hockey games, brought Penn State pride to alumni clubs everywhere from Michigan to Texas, served the community through frequent performances at schools, retirement homes and senior centers in and out of State College, and have been a recruiting tool, bringing countless talented students to Penn State.

As members of this performing group, students gain real-world experiences that extend far beyond the stage. Membership in the Singing Lions helps students develop valuable life skills that are given only a token glance in other college classrooms (skills such as self-confidence, stage presence, problem solving, time management, professionalism, responsibility, dedication and working for team success, to name a few).

To lose such an outstanding Penn State organization would be a grave loss, not only for future Singing Lions, but for the university and the State College community.

Addressing this community issue in State College is very important. The music department at Penn State and President Graham Spanier have received many letters supporting the group from alumni, community members and fans, current members and parents of members, all asking for continued funding and support of this performance group. We would love for CDT readers to send letters, or even e-mails, of support for the group and its funding to the following addresses:

Dr. Richard Green, director, School of Music, 233 Music Building, University Park, Pa., 16802 (rgreen@psu.edu) and Dr. Graham Spanier, 201 Old Main, University Park, Pa.,16802 (gspanier@psu.edu).

If no action is taken, the group will be forced to disband before the fall 1999 semester. Public knowledge about and responses to this issue is critical to the survival of one of the most Penn State-proud organizations I know.

The Singing Lions have worked hard for Penn State and the State College community. Please help keep the music alive! We are Penn State and we need you!

© 1999 Centre Daily Times

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