Ohio University Singers will perform on stage with The Rolling Stones on May 30.
On a green and white tour bus with Bobcat whiskers, the Ohio University Singers are rolling into Buckeye territory to sing on stage with The Rolling Stones.
The choral group is performing at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on May 30, as part of The Rolling Stones 2015 Tour of North America. The Rolling Stones have been together since 1962, with famous members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and has released more than 20 albums as rock 'n' roll's bad boys.
“They wanted an actual traditional choral sound,” said Daniel Hall, director of choral activities and conductor of University Singers. “They don’t want backup singers. They want it to look like a choir and sound like a choir.”
While standing up on stage in classy black attire, University Singers will sing the first verse of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Hall said. After a year of challenging repertoire, including singing in multiple languages, the piece is not very difficult, he added.
University Singers is a selective mixed ensemble consisting of about 40 members. Between 30 and 32 members will be available to perform, Hall said.
Hall said The Rolling Stones lead singer, Mick Jagger, will recognize the group and conductor.
“The cameras are on us so peoples' faces will be displayed on the big screens and it’s going to be pretty epic,” Hall added.
The announcement of the performance took place in March and left a few members of the groups in tears, said Jeralayne Ruiz, a sophomore studying music therapy.
“As someone who grew up listening to the Stones because of my parents ... playing vinyls in the house and what not, I was extremely excited,” Ruiz said. “I actually started crying, but I think it was out of excitement.”
Another member of the choir, Grant Johnson, said he missed the announcement but found out about it through tweets directed toward the Twitter account of the University Singers and learned the details of the performance later in class.
“It’s a cool way to represent Ohio University too, especially since they’re in Columbus but they chose a group from Athens to come,” Johnson said, a senior studying music business.
Hall said the opportunity evolved from a connection with a former advisor who is his mentor and friend. His mentor knew about his involvement with the choral program at OU and told a worker for The Rolling Stones to contact him for the gig.
“I got the email on the SMO tour and I thought it was a joke at first. I saw (my friend’s) name on there, and I thought, ‘Is he messing around with me or what?’ ” Hall said. “But no, it was for real. I replied and said we were very interested.”
In the contact, Hall said he made it clear the group is part of OU rather than The Ohio State University because many people from out of state confuse Bobcats with Buckeyes.
“No offense to Ohio State fans, but we’re Bobcats, and we need to make sure they know that,” Hall said.
The gig will help the group become more known, which in some ways is better than the experience, Hall said.
“It’s nice for the seniors, too,” Johnson said. “They’re graduating after this, but they get to do one last thing with the group before they go.”
For the freshmen in the group, it’s also a great way to end their first year in the group, Johnson added.
“Coming into the group and experiencing such camaraderie, and then being able to do something with everyone to send off the seniors and get closer to the people in the group is really great,” Ruiz said.
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