Evening star., 1947-02-23
Service Chorus
To Sing Here
AS Civilians
By Alice Eyersmun

fine talent temporarily buried In
the services was to be appreciated
in the many recitals presented by
the young servicemen here. What
music meant to those doing their
fearsome duty in far-off places has
been told time and again. Next
Sunday choral group that had
its inception in the Pacific war
theater will be heard as a civilian
organization in Constitution Hall.
It is called now the American Male
Chorus.
When it was formed in Decem-
ber, 1945. it bore the name Of the
International Male Chorus, for 1t
consisted of officers and enlisted
men of the American Army, Navy
and Marines, the Philippine Army.
Australian Army and Spanish,
Chinese and Philippine civilians.
1t numbered "a men and was di-
rected by the present conductor,
Lewis Bullock, when the first con-
cert was given in Manila.
The chorus was reduced to 80
members when a tour of the Pacific
was planned under sponsorship of
1t. Gen. w. D. Styer. The chorus
not only sang for Gen. Eisenhower,
but was directed by him when it
appeared following a dinner given
by Gen. Styer for Gen. Eisenhower.
The latter said that he had always
wanted to lead a chorus, so he was
handed the baton to direct the sing
ing OF Deep in the Heart of Texas"
Sang in Malinta Tunnel.
The group took part in preSen-
tation of Handel's The Messiah"
in the Rizal Coliseum with the
Manila Symphony Orchestra and
on Easter Sunday travelled by boat
to- Corregidor to sing for the Texas
Aggies annual Muster" There.
standing in the mouth OF Malinta
Tunnel they sang the Texas Ag-
gies' with powerful appeal On
July 4, 1916, they flew nonstop from
Korea to Manila to take part in
the celebration of the independ-
ence of the Philippine Republic.
At President RoXas' inaugural ball,
attended by Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur, the chorus sang the Amer
ican and Philippine national an
thems, concluding the festivities
with Ballad for Americans
The tour consisted of 125 con-
certs given for more than 250,000
servicemen in the Philippines, Oki-
naWa, Japan and Korea. Eight full
concerts were given in Tokyo in
four days and, in the making OF
a Japanese documentary newsreel
in the Ernie Pyle Theater in Tokyo,
the chorus sang the cowboy song,
"Whoopie Ii vi Yo-Git Along Little
Dogie."
Wherever the group happened to
be, it took part in church services
on Sundays. At Batangas, LuZon,
they sang first in the Catholic
Church and then attended a Pro-
testant service the same morn
ing. An entire Protestant service
was taken over by the chorus in
Tacloban, Leyte, q second tenor Of
the group serving as chaplain.
Hospitals Tour Interrupted.
The Special Services Division OF
the War Department urged the
chorus to return to this country
last August and tour the Army hos
pitals. After the first concert in
San Francisco, the director was
notified that War Department spon-
sorship would stop for want OF
funds and that the men should re-
port to separation centers for dis
charge. A few members left, but
rs remained to carry out the orig
lnal plan and defray expenses by
civilian concerts.
Mr.. Bullock was director Of the
North Carolina Symphonic Choral
Association before entering the
Army During his training as en-
listed man and as officer candidate
for combat platoon leader, he Or
ganized glee clubs and music prof.
ects Sent overseas and assigned
to the 86th Division in Manila, he
was released from duty to put into
operation his planned choral prof.
ect. He Is a graduate Of West
| min ctar Tboir r0Ilape