By Sophia Scorziello
Ten groups, 20 songs and a crowd full of students hoping to find themselves on the same stage next semester. This was the scene at the University of Connecticut’s Spring A Cappella Rush Concert that took place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday Jan. 30 at Jorgensen Center.
The biannual event allows prospective a cappella members to hear each of UConn’s ten groups sample their talents before spring auditions begin.
“There’s no harm in auditioning. You might be a lot better than you think you are and you won’t know till you find out,” said A Completely Different Note’s Stephen Moores.
The night began with a performance by Husky Hangama, a South-Asian a cappella group whose multicultural performance blended American pop songs with South-Asian ones.
The hour and a half show showcased each group’s individual styles through song selection, attire and overall persona. Some were dressed in casual streetwear while others donned suits and dresses, and some sang Alicia Keys and 3OH!3 while others did renditions to Billy Joel and Whitney Houston.
“It’s helpful for people who want to audition so they know which group to audition for,” said Rubyfruit member Margaux Acorda. The two-song performances allowed students to gauge which a cappella group would best suit them.
After Husky Hungama, UConn’s oldest male a cappella group A Completely Different Note performed, followed by The Rolling Tones, the all-male Conn Men, A Minor, and the all-female groups The Chordials, Rubyfruit, and Drop the Bass.
Moores, who always loved to sing, said a cappella was a great way to embrace what he grew up loving to do: “This is like a great outlet for more casual singing and it’s also a great way to meet friends and have a unique social sphere, I guess, in college,” he said.
“Honestly, a capella, as weird as it sounds, has kind of defined my social life in college so I’m really glad I ended up doing it.”