UMass Boston has its own a cappella groups, and they are just getting started for the fall semester. They held auditions Sept. 16 and 17, and now they are excited to share what their plans are for the next few months.
Singing is a popular form of musical expression, and many singers would leap at the chance to share their talents and collaborate with other artists. However, for those who aren’t interested in choral or classical pieces, finding a group to work with might be difficult. Most choral groups are focused on older or more formal genres of music,, which can be a deterrent for students who would rather perform modern, recognizable music.
Joining an a cappella group could be a good way to remedy this. These groups are made up of singers with a variety of vocal parts and abilities, and they perform without any instrumental tracks. This means every noise that would normally be provided by background musicians — drums, special effects, or backing chords — must be created by the singers alone using beatboxing and harmonious backing vocals.
Newcomers and participants in the UMBeats group don’t need much background knowledge. The rehearsals are used not only as a chance to rehearse for performances, but also as a place to learn about music and group performances. It also serves as a chance for non-music majors to enjoy their musical hobbies.
Secretary Kristina Gavelis describes the club as “a space where people from all different majors and music experience backgrounds can come together and share their love for music and singing. Even though we mostly sing as a group, we find times to showcase everyone individually as well.”
The group’s most recent accomplishment was their spring showcase last year. According to president Layla Giordano, “it was a variety show that ranged from a cappella to guitar duets. I think what we are most proud of is whenever we successfully sing a song.”
“Every member works very hard and to see it pay off is all we can ask for,” Giordano added.
The spring showcase won’t be the only time to see the group perform, however. Giordano states that the group plans “to put our name out there. You can expect to see more posts on social media. We plan to show off what goes on at rehearsal, how talented all of our members are, and whatever else we can come up with.”
The group enjoys the camaraderie and self-expression that comes with creating together.
According to vice president Basil Murray, “The passion is at the heart of what we do, and I feel like it drives us to have fun and make good music.”
This sentiment is shared by treasurer Spencer Perez-Dormitzer, who says, “I just get to be me more.”
The UMBeats a cappella group can be found on social media @umbeats.acapella, where they will be posting frequent updates about rehearsals and upcoming performances.
