Who We Are
The Spelman College Glee Club
The Spelman College Glee Club is the premiere performance organization for Spelman College and performs for most campus events. Now celebrating its 99th season, the historic Spelman College Glee Club has maintained a reputation for choral excellence since 1924, and is currently under the direction of Dr. Kevin Johnson. Open by audition to all students of the college community, Glee Club performs a repertoire that includes selections from world cultures, sacred and secular choral literature, Negro spirituals, and music by African American composers, with a particular focus on harmonies that complement women’s voices.
Glee is a vibrant organization coming from humble beginnings, with the first concert on April 3rd, 1925, in Howe Memorial Chapel. Today, the Spelman College Glee Club is on the “Road to 100” in anticipation of the centennial season. Having sung in over 30 states and 5 countries abroad, the Glee Club is soaring on higher heights with no end in sight. Past performance venues include the White House, the National Museum of American History, and Avery Fisher Hall in New York. Internationally, the Glee Club has traveled to Canada, Brazil, Portugal, and most recently, Rome, Italy. As the premiere performance organization for the college, the Glee Club sings for most campus events. Since 1927, the annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert with the Morehouse College Glee Club has been the perennial highlight of the Christmas season in Atlanta. This concert is featured on National Public Radio and Georgia Public Broadcasting during the holiday season. Other major performances include the annual Spring Concert and Spring Tour, which take place during the college’s observation of spring break.
The Spelman College Glee Club holds fast to their motto, “To Amaze and Inspire,” in every way possible. Glee Club is the embodiment of the college’s tagline, “A Choice to Change the World,” by moving hearts with every note sung. We are the cornerstone of Spelman College, providing light, love, and encouragement at convocations, Christmas Carol, Founder’s Day, graduation, and more year after year. The Spelman College Glee Club has remained true for 99 years, and we know we will continue to Amaze and Inspire forevermore.
Dr. Kevin Johnson
Dr. Kevin Johnson, DMA, Associate Professor of Music at Spelman College, is a renowned musician, composer, and active clinician. He has been the director of Glee since 1999, celebrating 25 amazing and inspiring years in the coming 2024-2025 season. In addition to being the Director of the Spelman College Glee Club, he is also the Director of Music at the Lyke House Catholic Center in the Altanta University Center.
Dr. Johnson has maintained the excellence and legacy of the Glee Club through his commitment to propelling black choral excellence. He has written award-winning compositions such as “A Choice to Change the World,” “We Are Christmas,” along with Sarah Stephens C’2007, and “Children Go Where I Send Thee.”
In addition, Dr. Johnson has traveled across the United States and Europe, providing choral workshops, master classes, seminars, and retreats for music educators and churches. His dedication to music has positively impacted students and music appreciators worldwide.
Spelman College
Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, we became Spelman College in 1924. Now a global leader in the education of women of African descent, Spelman is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and we are proud members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium.
Today our student body comprises more than 2,100 students from 43 states and 10 foreign countries. Spelman empowers women to engage the many cultures of the world and inspires a commitment to positive social change through service. We are dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and our students’ intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development.
Spelman College Mission Statement
Spelman College, a historically Black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent, is dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its students. Through diverse learning modalities, Spelman empowers the whole person to engage the many cultures of the world and inspires a commitment to positive social change.
More on Accreditation
Spelman College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Spelman College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website.
"Glee Culture" Docu-Series
This docu-series uncovers the inner workings of the Spelman College Glee Club and gives viewers a behind-the-scenes perspective of the preparations, personalities, and processes that make the Spelman College Glee Club great!
New Episode
Step into the 7th episode of ‘Glee Culture,’ a heartwarming journey on our ‘Road to 100’ with the Spelman College Glee Club. In this special installment, we had the honor of hosting some of our cherished alumnae at our rehearsal. They shared their invaluable insights, offered expert critiques, and guided us through vocal techniques that have shaped our Glee Club’s legacy.
Join us as we take you behind the scenes, providing a glimpse into the heartwarming reunion of past and present voices. And, in the spirit of the season, we’ll be rehearsing our festive Christmas carol music, harmonizing for a holiday that’s just around the corner. This episode marks the ‘calm before the storm,’ as we fine-tune our voices and reconnect with our musical roots. So again, join us for a memorable chapter in our story, where past and present voices unite in the pursuit of musical excellence. #GleeCulture
#AlumnaeReunion #HolidayHarmony #RoadTo100
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Recent Episodes
Glee Culture
