Pomona College quietly retired two of most popular songs — “Hail, Pomona, Hail!” in 2008 and “Torchbearers” in 2015 — due to their roots in Blackface minstrelsy and cultural appropriation. While Pomona’s website acknowledges these histories, Zena Ameida-Warwin PO ’28 critiques the College’s choice to remove the songs without engaging the community in any meaningful public dialogue.
Tag: pomona college choir
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony: An Ode to Joy by Pomona College Orchestra and Choir
On Feb. 23 and Feb. 25, the Pomona College orchestra and choir performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at Bridges Hall of Music. The 200th anniversary of its premiere, the concert sold out within 24 hours. The famous final movement of the symphony is commonly known as “Ode to Joy.” Many audible gasps emerged from the audience when the choir rose from their seats in unison and joined the orchestra.