Evergreen Glee Club
エバグリーン グリー・クラブ

A Short History

The beginning

For decades, the Seattle area has been home to large Japanese corporations, many of which established their US headquarters well before the 1960s.

At that time, the northwest was rich in natural resources and opportunities: abundant forestry, robust seafood, and a burgeoning commercial aviation industry. It is for that reason Japanese multinational corporations sent company executives to our region. In addition to their deep commitment to work, many executives yearned to participate in non-work activities. One such executive was Hiroo Iwamura – as the former leader of the University of Tokyo Mens Glee Glub, he wanted to share in the love of singing with others in the PNW. Thus, he proposed starting a chorus group made up of ex-pat Japanese executives who were assigned to Seattle for periods of three to six years after which they often rotated back to their global headquarters in Japan . Through this club, a tightly-knit group formed via informal chorus practices at Mr. Iwamura’s home – which had a piano!

That was the start of the Evergreen Glee Club or EGC – named after the evergreen trees which represented the vital color of the Northwest.

“Taken at the Official Residence of the Consul General of Japan”

EGC hired a conductor and a pianist to accompany their singing, and practice sessions moved to Sunday afternoons. It was a friendly group which principally gathered to sing, but also provided an arena for personal growing friendships and camaraderie. Interestingly, opportunities for personal friendships were rare outside of golf, the preferred “sport” on weekends at that time. They enjoyed singing primarily Japanese songs but also other songs in English as well as Latin. They also enjoyed sharing in enjoying delicious foods.

As EGC matured as a group, they performed at local community events as well as our own annual concerts for friends and family. The membership gradually grew and the performance venues expanded to more public events, such as the Japanese Garden in the Arboretum and community fairs like Japan Week at Bellevue College. As time passed, EGC started performing at even larger venues including: the Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park) where we sang the national anthem before Mariner’s games, and the main stage the Seattle Convention Center for Sakura-Con. Despite our growth in public visibility, we continued to perform at small intimate settings like the Seattle Keiro Nursing Home and Nikkei Manor Assisted Living facility in the International District. We regularly perform at the Japan Fair, Japan Week at Bellevue College, Figgy Pudding Holiday Caroling at Pike Place Market and the Holiday Dinner Gala of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington. We welcome interested individuals to attend one of our practices to observe and consider joining if you are so moved.