Voices of Lee celebrates 20 year reunion
Photo by Brandon Schoeneweis
As voices hushed and the stage was lit, 20 years of history lined up to honor the man and the legacy behind Voices of Lee.
Former and current members of Voices took the time over the weekend of Sept. 19-21 to share memories and to sing collectively to celebrate the past 20 years of Voices history.
'Well my heart is full tonight, after having over 100 of our alumni on stage together singing,' Murray said.
In September 1994, Danny Murray, director of Voices of Lee, created the 17 member a cappella group per the request of President Paul Conn.
'20 years ago when we started, we had no idea what was going to happen,' Murray said. ' A cappella wasn't in vogue then, but now it is and we're thankful for what we've been able to do and the future looks bright, so we're really excited' for what's ahead."
Traveling thousands of miles every year, including weeks on tour and countless performances, Voices has been showcasing and spreading the word about Lee University from the moment they hit the stage.
Phil Nitz, former Voices of Lee member, and group member from the NBC show, the Sing-Off, spoke on how Voices has been able to reach outside the Cleveland area and spread the word about Lee.
'Even now, I work at a Church in Nashville, and probably other places in America, when you say you went to Lee University, people know that name,' Nitz said.
Through the years, Voices has hit many milestones singing all over the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska, as well as performing at sporting events and even the White House.
They have also spent time over seas promoting Lee through their performances in countries such as Israel and most recently, China to perform at the Shanghai International Music Festival in July.
Though spreading the word about Lee was the primary objective of Voices, through the years, Murray has managed to create a 'family' of sorts out of the tight-knit group.
'I had no idea that it would become like such a family to me, but through rehearsing every day and travel on the weekends, [spending so] much time together, it just bonds our hearts together,' Murray said. 'These kids are just really like my own, they really are and we love them very much.'
Morgan Murray Mizer, daughter of Voices director and former member, said she often experienced this feeling of extended family growing up in her somewhat unconventional household.
'Voices has been part of my life, woven into my entire life, since I was young. I remember going on trips with Voices when I was in elementary school, getting back in the wee hours of the morning and getting dropped off at my elementary school in the tour bus,' Murray said. 'And that's something different to have to explain to your peers, but having all of these Voices alums that are like older siblings to me has always been a blessing.'
This feeling of family was echoed over and over again throughout the weekend as new and old members connected through the unique experience that is Voices of Lee.
'We all [understand] each other because we've all been through the same journey, each in our own way. But we've learned so many of the same things and have so many of the same standards, it's just really great,' Nitz said. 'I don't know where I would be without this group and without this school.'
The shared collective of ideals, taught over the course of 20 years to these collegiate level singers, can be attributed to the unique vision and goals established by its charismatic leader.
'Voices of Lee is so special because of Danny Murray. The time and effort he puts into every single member of the group, you know he's always just been that constant,' Nitz said. 'He just has a way of bringing the best out of the singers, and helping you discover things you didn't know you could do; pushing you past your limits sometimes, but always pushing you to be better and to expect better of yourself.'
Through his years of cultivation of young talent, many former Voices members have gone on into successful careers in the music business. One of these success stories belongs to Jermaine Purifory, who says he owes his foundation and start in music to his time as a member of Voices.
'This is where it all began for me ... so Voices of Lee was the foundation for everything I've done professionally, Purifory said. 'All my training [and] experience I got here was the [basis] for me to do what I'm doing now in my career.'
Through all the accomplishments and accolades, Voices has achieved many goals set out for it at its inception.
'I've always taught the kids there are two trajectories: there's no status quo [and] there's no plateau,' Murray said. 'You're either going up or you're going down. These first 20 years have really had a great ascending motion to them, allowing us to be able to do so many different things around the world. We believe the next 20 will be the same.'
