Baldwinite bringing college glee club home

Joseph Marchese-Schmitt grew up in Baldwin, joined the Cub Scouts as a second grader and became an Eagle Scout not long before he graduated from Baldwin High School in 2012. He’s currently a junior at the University of Virginia, and he’ll soon be coming back for a visit to his hometown.

But Marchese-Schmitt will do more than just visit. And he’ll be bringing more than just himself. In fact, he and the rest of the Virginia Glee Club will be performing on Monday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Grand Avenue at 8 p.m.

When Marchese-Schmitt, who is double majoring in sociology and economics and was recently accepted into an accelerated masters program in public policy, found out the glee club would be traveling north this March, he immediately pitched the idea of performing in Baldwin. After a few logistical hiccups, he got in touch with the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and a performance date was set. The glee club will also perform in northern Virginia and Philadelphia.

He calls joining the glee club a happy accident. As a freshman looking for the university’s music library, Marchese-Schmitt entered the wrong building and found a group of well-dressed singers. Five minutes later, he was auditioning for the glee club. “It was one of the happiest accidents I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful experience being in the glee club.”

He sung a little as a child, but in high school Marchese-Schmitt played the euphonium in the band. He was also a part of Troop 182 and for his Eagle Scout project he built Birds Of Prey shelters and landscaped and beautified the outside exhibit at Tackapausha Nature Preserve in Seaford. Also included in the project were painting fences and building two wooden benches.

In addition to his Eagle Socut work, Marchese-Schmitt was class president for his four years at BHS.

Now, he’s looking forward to paying his hometown a visit. The Virigina Glee Club will perform a melody of songs, including music by Biebl, Handl, Mendelssohn and Billy Joel.

Admission to the concert is free.