Our History
Dolce, the Lehigh University Treble Ensemble, is a group of dedicated students passionate about exploring the wealth of choral music written for treble voices. Our members, drawn from the University Choir, represent majors across the university—ranging from the arts to engineering—and bring diverse perspectives that enrich our music-making.
While Dolce’s roots trace back to Lehigh’s first treble ensembles in the 1970s, the group has since grown into a distinctive ensemble with its own mission and voice. Today, Dolce is not only a musical ensemble but also a community where singers come together to explore what it means to be female-identifying in the modern world. Our performances go beyond the notes on the page: we seek to engage audiences with challenging and meaningful themes of identity, resilience, independence, and belonging.
Under the direction of Dr. Liz Olson, Dolce has performed powerful works such as Refugee, Desert Song, and Flight, music that invites both singers and audiences to reflect on shared human experiences. Through these performances, Dolce fosters conversations about identity and community while also cultivating lifelong friendships within the ensemble.
At its core, Dolce is about connection—through song, through shared purpose, and through the bonds that form when voices come together.
As part of promoting women’s artistry at Lehigh, Dolce partners with campus organizations to host the annual Raise Your Voice concert. Now in its eighth year, Raise Your Voice celebrates the talents and stories of women in the Lehigh community by featuring performances from students, faculty, and staff across a wide range of artistic disciplines. The event highlights the power of storytelling, music, and creative expression while supporting organizations that uplift women and families in the Lehigh Valley.
Along with performances on campus, Dolce has performed at a number of venues off campus, including Kirkland Village, St. Anne’s Church, Fritz Memorial United Methodist Church, Carnegie Hall, and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Dolce has also appeared in community events such as the Historic Bethlehem Downtown Advent Calendar, local holiday broadcasts, and performances throughout the Lehigh Valley.
If you would like to keep up with the fun and exciting things Dolce does in the future, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @lehighdolce.
How to Join
Joining Dolce is as easy as joining the University Choir. The only requirement to be in the ensemble is through audition and being in a faculty led ensemble. For example, wind ensemble, orchestra, university choir, or choral union. Dolce is worth one credit and meets Monday afternoons for one hour in the fall and two hours in the spring.
Contact Dolce
If you would like to inquire about incorporating a Dolce performance into your event, please contact:
Dr. Liz Olson, Director
leo224@lehigh.edu
Hannah Gonzales, Manager
hkg227@lehigh.edu