When most people think of a cappella groups, they think of either barbershop quartets singing “Camptown Races” or doo-wop groups dressed in matching suits and hand motions. Our campus now has two a cappella groups; they fit neither of these descriptions.
The all-male singing group Bare Naked Statues has been performing to audiences of all ages for the past two years. It consists of 11 members, though in the past it has been as big as 13 and as low as 10. Music director Robert Turner said they have a wide variety of styles that they sing, ranging from archaic church songs to contemporary pop ballads.
“What we sing really depends on our audience,” Turner said. “If we are playing to older people, we will play older songs like ‘Brown-Eyed Girl,’ where if our audience is mostly girls, we sing love songs.”
Member Mike McGrath said the auditions for the group are usually in the beginning of September of each year. The hopeful singer then performs in front of the remaining members, who then decide who gets into the group.
“The nice thing is that once you’re in the group, you’re in for as long as you like,” McGrath said.
New to the group will be the Bare Naked Statues Street Team. This group consists of co-ed members of the community who are excited to help the group. Turner said the Street Team helps with public relations, production, lighting and props for BNS’s performances.
“It is a great way to get everyone excited about the group,” Turner said.
Members of the BNS have also been instrumental in the new all-female a cappella group, Beyond All Reason.
Co-founder Monica Reicks said she and fellow co-founder Becky Phillips had the idea to get the group started last semester. They held their first auditions at the end of September.
New member Ellen Steichen said hopefuls had to perform a short 30-second song in front of Reichs and Phillips, along with a few members of BNS.
“After we made the group, Becky and Monica made sure we knew that we were as much a part of it as they were,” Steichen said.
The name of the group, Reicks said, was a group effort.
“We got together as a group and played around with words, and out it came,” she said. “It was important that we did it as a group.”
Reicks sees this group as a long-term, rotating part of the campus music scene.
“We plan on sticking to contemporary pop songs as our style,” she said.
Reicks said that the debut of the group will probably not be until next semester, opening up for the Bare Naked Statues.
