Lift the Chorus: Voices from Cornell Alumni

Sydney Pho
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Lift the Chorus: Voices from Cornell Alumni is a weekly podcast hosted by Sydney Pho, vice president of the Cornell University Chorus. Hear alumni from all generations share their stories, memories, and the music that connects us all. Tune in to celebrate the legacy and community of the Chorus. Find out more at https://cuchorus.com

  1. 12/26/2025

    Kim Rice

    Kimberly (Rice) Smith ’06, an Anthropology and Archaeology major, reflects on her time as an Alto II in the Chorus. She served as Assistant Concert Manager during the production of the Ave CD, later as Vice President, and as Tour Manager for the “TONE” Tour of New England—where she brought the Chorus back to her hometown church in Connecticut. Now a nurse educator in Manhattan, she shares how Chorus friendships, traditions, and leadership experiences shaped her path long after Cornell.

    21 min

  2. 12/26/2025

    Becky Van Tassel

    Becky Van Tassel ’08, a Plant Biology graduate from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, served as grants coordinator, vice president, president, and tour manager for the 2008 joint international tour to China. Through a PCCW grant, she helped update and expand the Chorus alumni database, strengthening outreach for fundraising and engagement. Now a teacher, she credits Chorus leadership with shaping her collaborative and organizational skills.

    22 min

  3. 10/31/2025

    Meredith Benneth Smith

    Meredith Benneth Smith ’10, an English major in the College of Arts and Sciences, sang in the Chorus and After Eight, serving as publicity manager. She toured with the group to Canada, China, and the U.S. South, performing both masterworks and American spirituals, and took part in school workshops abroad. A journalist and former Cornell Daily Sun staffer, she credits Chorus with shaping her Cornell experience, building lifelong friendships, and teaching lessons in community and collaboration.

    24 min

  4. 10/24/2025

    Sheila Morrell

    Sheila Morrell, a 1983 Human Service Studies graduate from Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, joined Chorus after her sister and sang under Professor Thomas Sokol. She helped design the group’s first standardized concert dress and built lasting friendships through music. Since graduating, Sheila has led church choirs, sung in community ensembles, performed in nursing homes, and volunteered at a children’s jazz camp—continuing to share the power of music across generations.

    17 min

  5. 10/17/2025

    Sophie Arzumanov

    Sophie Arzumanov ’21, an Operations Research and Information Engineering graduate from Cornell’s College of Engineering, served the Chorus as Concert Manager and later General Manager. As GM, she oversaw finances, tours, and Centennial planning during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also represented the Chorus at the Glee Club’s sesquicentennial AB meeting, advocating for financial equity between the sibling groups while working closely with the Chorus Advisory Council to strengthen the organization’s future.

    25 min

  6. 10/10/2025

    Nanette Eichell

    Nanette Eichell, a 1971 History graduate from Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, joined Chorus her first year and sang under Professor Thomas Sokol. She performed with major orchestras, served as librarian, and recalls a time before formal leadership or alumni networks. Now based in Kentucky, Nanette continues to stay musically active and recently began learning piano, keeping music a central part of her life.

    19 min

  7. 10/03/2025

    Caroline Hinrichs

    Caroline Hinrichs ’22 led the Chorus as president during the pandemic, organizing socially distanced outdoor sectionals, managing office moves from Sage Chapel, and guiding the group through multiple director transitions. As a Nutritional Science major, she also sang with the Cornell Chordials, recorded for their album, and collaborated with the Chorus Advisory Council to strengthen alumni connections.

    15 min

  8. 09/26/2025

    Stacie Dressel

    Stacie Dressel, a 2024 Biological Engineering graduate from Cornell’s College of Engineering, joined Chorus in her sophomore year and became publicity manager during the Centennial. She created a 15-minute “Chorus Through the Years” video for the celebration, highlighting a century of history. As After Eight’s musical director, she brought fresh energy to the group. Now in graduate school at Princeton University, she’s brought her leadership skills into student government and continues to sing with the chapel choir, keeping music an essential part of her life.

    13 min
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5
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About

Lift the Chorus: Voices from Cornell Alumni is a weekly podcast hosted by Sydney Pho, vice president of the Cornell University Chorus. Hear alumni from all generations share their stories, memories, and the music that connects us all. Tune in to celebrate the legacy and community of the Chorus. Find out more at https://cuchorus.com

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