The Apollo Club of Boston,
the second oldest continuously active men’s singing club in the
Luminary members of the club
have included : Thomas Bell, sculptor of the equestrian statue of George
Washington which stands in the Public Garden; James Ratigan, the Irish portrait
painter who would later become director of music at the Cathedral of the Holy
Cross; and Colonel Arnold A. Rand of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry
in the Civil War, a former vice president and director of the John Hancock
Insurance Company. Arthur Fiedler also directed several performances of the
club in the 1940’s.
Throughout its history, the
Apollo club has most often sung in small venues; gatherings for the display of
civic pride, such as the dedication of a monument or building, or where singing
could provide solace, such as at a memorial service, or cheer, such as at a
retirement community celebration, or seasonal programs open to the public at
historic locations in the Boston area. In 1874, at the funeral services of
Charles Sumner, the illustrious
In its 130 plus years of
existence, the Apollo Club has evolved from a large chorus with a classical music
orientation to a glee club whose repertoire is composed of show tunes, folk and
love songs, sea chanteys, and other classical and semi-classical compositions.
The club performs for a variety of civic, charitable, religious, social,
business and professional organizations throughout the Greater Boston area. In
addition, it has two seasonal public concerts each year, a Christmas concert
(with sing-along) at the historic Old South Meeting House in
