Today’s post marks the end of The ACB’s 2009 publication season. We will continue to post news updates throughout the off-season, and will return to our regular posting schedule in January 2010.
In wrapping up this season, we would like to thank all of our 2009 contributors… Callum Au, Alexandra Bancroft, Ben Bram, Genevieve Chawluk, Nancy Cheng, Jill Clark, Chris Diaz, Robert Dietz, Dave Grossman, Bill Hare, Michael Marcus, Amanda Newman, Wayne Scheck, Eric Talley and Hanna Winkler.
We would also like to thank you, the readers, for visiting our site.
—-
The collegiate a cappella world is one of great complexity. Amidst all that there is to take in, The Importance Of… highlights what is truly important, and elements of a cappella that may otherwise be overlooked.
This week, we look at the importance of… a good website
In this day and age, everybody’s got a website. Businesses use them to sell products. Colleges use them to serve their student bodies, as well as recruit students of the future. Individuals have their blogs. And then there are a cappella groups. Just about every group I know of has a website. The quality of these pages and the purposes they serve, however, can vary a great deal.
On selected Thursdays, ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise makes his recommendations on a cappella performance in a DO and DON’T format.
DON’T: Schedule performances with only your group.
DO: Invite other groups to perform with yours.
When fans go to an a cappella event, it’s usually because they either:
a) Like the particular group that’s performing or
b) Have an interest in a cappella and want to see a show
A group can cover all of its bases by inviting local (or visiting) groups to perform with them. By turning a single performance into an joint a cappella event, groups will not only draw a larger crowd and gain recognition, but also satisfy both types of a cappella fans. In addition, bringing in a guest group will give your group the opportunity to see another ensemble perform, which always helps generate new ideas–besides giving the guest group the opportunity to try out their act in front of a different audience. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Whether you’re a newly formed group or veterans to the a cappella scene, collaborate with other groups for your next performance. It will be a hit.
—-
You can support music in our schools through the VH1 Save The Music Foundation by purchasing a wristband from our site. Go to our Donate to Save the Music page for more information!
The best I’ve seen highlights the very best in collegiate a cappella, as seen in the admittedly biased and limited view of the author.
This time, we share the best collegiate a cappella performance venue I’ve seen
Hosmer Hall at the State University of New York college at Potsdam is an exceptional performance space, and specifically so for a collegiate a cappella competition. It’s spacious enough to accommodate a large crowd, and yet small enough to have a bit of a homey feeling to it. The hall includes elevated seating in the back to make sure everyone can see. There’s a sizeable stage enough stage to accommodate plenty of movement, or creative positioning. The sound is quite good, highlighted by acoustic paneling along each wall. Finally, the hall itself is quite aesthetically pleasing, with a sharp, clean look, highlighted by royal blue and pine coloring. It’s the best space I’ve seen for collegiate a cappella performance.
—-
Newsline: In case you missed it, USA Today had an article on the recent growth of a cappella in the mainstream. In addition, The Best Week Ever Blog covered the same topic at the end of last week. Be warned, their outlook on a cappella has not necessarily improved since the last time they addressed the topic.
Each Tuesday, The A Cappella Blog presents a link to a collegiate a cappella performance, or related material, that we recommend to you.
We welcome clip suggestions from anyone who would like to submit them.
This week, we present the winners of our Viva La Vida Contest, The University of Michigan Dicks & Janes, performing (what else?) their rendition of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”
—-
You can support music in our schools through the VH1 Save The Music Foundation by purchasing a wristband from our site. Go to our Donate to Save the Music page for more information!
The M&Cs are an all-female group out of Mount Holyoke College. M&Cs Business Manager Katie Logwood took the time to answer questions from The A Cappella Blog.
The A Cappella Blog (ACB): What can listeners expect from The M&Cs most recent CD, Soundbites?
Katie Logwood (KL): We’re all very proud of our latest CD, Soundbites, particularly since all of the arrangements are our own. It really does justice to the diversity of our repertoire, with songs ranging from “The House that Jack Built” by Aretha Franklin to Eve 6’s “Inside Out” and Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer.” The CD features strong solos by nearly every member of the group, on top of well-blended, tight backgrounds. It’s really just a fun mix of songs with something for everyone.
RSS
