Alexander traveled from Washington to make the announcement to a Conn Center packed with Lee students, faculty and special guests. The well-kept secret received a reaction of surprise and spontaneous applause from the crowd which cheered the message brought by the veteran Tennessee senator.
“When I was running for governor of Tennessee, I walked across the state for six months,” Alexander said of his campaign to become governor in 1978. “As part of that tour I was hosted for a service at what was then Lee College and I was impressed by the music that was presented. I have never forgotten it.” Alexander went on to win the governor’s race that year and served for two terms until 1986. Following his tenure as governor, the native of Maryville, Tennessee, went on to serve a term as president of the University of Tennessee before accepting a cabinet role as Secretary of Education for the George H.W. Bush administration. Alexander has twice run for president and is currently the senior U.S. senator from Tennessee.
Alexander serves as chairman of the committee for the January 21, 2013 inauguration. As part of his role he was to present a choice for the mass choir to the bi-partisan committee, which includes former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and current Speaker, John Boehner. Alexander’s choice to the committee was Lee University. Lee President Dr. Paul Conn then received a call from Alexander’s office.
“When the senator asked if I needed 24 hours to decide, I said we don’t need 24 hours,” Conn told the chapel service gathering. “We are deeply honored and excited to accept this invitation and are eager to send out our best and brightest to represent Tennessee and Lee University.”
As part of the chapel service a “Festival Choir” performed, which consists of members of all of Lee University’s choirs and chorales. Director of the Festival Choir is Dr. William Green, dean of the School of Music at Lee, who will lead the group to Washington. The choir was unaware of the announcement until Alexander spoke.
Details are yet to be worked out, but the inauguration choir will include 200 voices and will be present when the president is sworn in and gives his inaugural speech on Monday, January 21, 2013 at the noon hour. Members of the group that will travel to Washington will be chosen by directors of the choirs and ensembles at Lee, which include such veteran groups as the Lee Singers, Campus Choir, Ladies of Lee, and Evangelistic Singers, and newer groups such as Voices of Lee, Chorale, and Choral Union.
–Cameron Fisher