Title:Chimes community carries on traditions

Founded in 1946 by Francis (Frank) E. Jones (G’48, G’52), the Georgetown Chimes have grown from a barbershop quartet to an a cappella group with more than 286 members.

“I think what drew me most to the Chimes is their outstanding tradition of alumni connections,” says Christian Kim (C’25, G’26), current music director. “The Chimes have a unique repertoire of more than 150 songs. You can have four Chimes from different eras performing together, and they will know the same songs. I really enjoy the fact that I’ll be a Chime forever, not just during my undergrad years.”

This past February, the Chimes’ annual Cherry Tree Massacre event celebrated the group’s 50th anniversary with a performance featuring all living Chimes members from the first show in 1974.

The Cherry Tree Massacre is the group’s biggest alumni gathering event, according to Kim. The intriguing name, originally selected to increase attendees for the first show, still continues to draw crowds. This year’s event had a large alumni turnout and raised enough funds to send Chimes members to Dublin for a John Carroll Weekend performance.

“We try to go to John Carroll Weekend every year, but it depends on funds. We rely on the generosity of the alumni,” says Kim.

Kim couldn’t attend this year’s JCW event, but other alumni were ready to fill in, knowing the extensive song list by heart.

“I think that one of the magical things about the Chimes is that there are a lot of relationships that have the ability to pass the barriers of time,” says Kim. “It doesn’t really matter what age you are or what you do. We are all connected through this group and the songs we’ve sung.”

In addition to bonding over music, the Chimes maintain a strong sense of community with a proud tradition of giving back to Georgetown, especially in their support for the Joseph Mark Lauinger Memorial Library. The library’s namesake, Joseph Lauinger (C’67), was a Chimes alumnus who died in the Vietnam War in 1970.

To honor his legacy, Dave Walsh (C’58) led efforts to establish the library’s largest fund, the Georgetown Chimes Endowment, in 1990. In 2000, the Chimes established another library fund, the Gerald F. Yates Chimes Endowment. Whether through songs or support, the Chimes continue to give back to Georgetown the only way they know how: in unison.