Five a cappella ensembles will gather to celebrate the their seniors’ final performance and each other’s music during a concert Saturday night.
Fans of a cappella music will get a chance to see all of Ohio University’s a cappella groups as they perform at the 11th Annual Ohio University A Cappella Invitational.
The invitational, hosted by Singing Men of Ohio, will feature performances by Section 8, Title IX, Leading Tones, Tempo Tantrums and New Chords on the Block.
Section 8 is a group born out of Singing Men of Ohio, while Title IX pulls its members from Women’s Chorale. The others audition members, with Leading Tones being an all-male ensemble, Tempo Tantrums all-female and New Chords on the Block, a male and female group.
Riley Joben, a member of both Leading Tones and New Chords on the Block, said the invitational was a way for the groups to not only put on a show for people in the audience but to see what the others have done throughout the year.
“Everybody knows how hard the other groups have worked, and you just want to see your friends and be like, ‘Oh yeah, my friend has this solo, I’ve never heard that person sing before,’ ” Joben said.
The invitational is also a time for the different groups to introduce new songs into their repertoire, Joben said.
“It’s somewhat secretive sometimes, because they have songs that they don’t want people to know they’re playing until they announce it on the microphone,” Joben said. “Or sometimes they won’t event announce it and they’ll just start singing it, and the crowd will go wild.”
For Joben, Tempo Tantrums member Kylie Kirksey, and Ray Wolfe of Section 8, this is their last time in school to perform with their respective a cappella groups.
“Tempo Tantrums have really made my college experience, and we’re so excited to perform in this invitational,” Kirksey, a senior studying music therapy, said. “It is just a really great experience to sing (in the invitational).”
Wolfe, a senior studying choral music education, said the invitational is a fun experience for organizers, performers and audience members.
“The setting and atmosphere of this concert is unlike any other throughout the year,” Wolfe said. “Everyone who comes to invitational usually leaves with a big smile on their face.”
If You Go:
What: 11th Annual Ohio University A Cappella Invitational
Where: Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
When: Doors Open: 7 p.m., Show Starts: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Admission: Free, Donations accepted
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