SAN ANGELO, TX — The Singing Cadets of Texas A&M University in College Station performed for an appreciative crowd of 200 at the Southland Baptist Church Friday evening.
The two-hour concert covered religious and patriotic themes for the first half. The Hymn, Rise Up, O Men of God opened the show and set the tone. The choir broke for intermission with a patriotic medley ending with a rendition of Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA.
For the second half, the young men returned to the stage and dove deep into the Phantom of the Opera before breaking loose in a medley of the greatest hits of the Temptations. Followed was a barbershop quartet named The Aggienizors.
Watch a medley of tunes from The Temptations:
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The show closed with a tribute to Texas A&M and its history. Nothing Like a Dame was a crowd favorite. The song, from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific was popular among cadets in the 1940s and 50s.
Watch "I'd Rather Be a Texas Aggie," one of the traditional numbers the Cadets perform every year:
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The show closed with an a cappella version of the Aggie War Hymn.
The choir director David Lee Kipp performed double duty as the emcee for the night, telling the backstory and significance of each piece. He also sang one number.
He joined cadet Chad Leiper of Baytown in a duet Bring Him Home from Les Misérables. The character “Jean Valjean,” the father played by Kipp, was looking over the future battlefield at his daughter’s love interest, Leiper, preparing for battle. The song is a prayer of the father for his daughter’s love interest’s safety. The Singing Cadets version captured the sentimental moment perfectly.
About a third of The Singing Cadets’ performance is comprised of pieces that are traditionally performed every year. The rest of the performance is selected specially for each annual season.
The Cadets are touring Texas right now. This summer, the Cadets will tour New England.
The Singing Cadets were formed in 1893 at the A&M College of Texas. The all-male choir is one of the oldest in the nation.
This is the first time in four years the Singing Cadets have performed in San Angelo. The San Angelo Aggie Moms sponsored the performance. The Moms are celebrating their 90th anniversary this year.
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