A Capella Spotlight
Exeter has many different a capella groups: all-female groups, like Sans Hommes, In Essence and Fermatas, all-male groups like the Exeteras and all-gender groups, such as the PEADs. The groups sing a range of music, from classical to pop, and perform for the Exeter community.
A cappella auditions are held at the start of every year, and all are welcome to try out. Co-head of Sans Hommes and upper Alexis Gorfine explained that she and other coheads try to encourage students to audition, even if they lack experience. “It allows a couple people who have never sung in public before, and just [sung] in the shower to come out and try out for a cappella,” she said, “and it’s been really interesting for them to have that experience that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
Gorfine explained that students with no prior musical training could still participate in a capella on campus because the prerequisite was not the same as that of the choral groups on campus. “It’s a different type of singing. So that gives people the opportunity to sing and have that performance experience, no matter what level they are.”
Senior Peter Chinberg, co-head of PEADs and Exeteras, echoed Gorfine’s sentiment, explaining that a cappella clubs draw in Exonians because they are student run and not managed by a teacher. “It’s more enjoyable I think, and students seem to think so too. I think it’s a different kind of community,” he said.
Many a capella groups from close communities that share traditions passed down from member to member. Lower Kate Denny, a member of PEADs and the Fermatas, explained that in PEADs, “We have this tradition before we perform where we quack as a group and progressively get louder.” For her, this warm-up makes PEADs feel like a close community.
According to Senior Audrey Hahn, co-head of Fermatas, traditions are also a big part of her a capella club’s meetings. At each meeting, members of the Fermatas will discuss the most exciting parts of their days.
The all-male Exeteras traditionally sing in a circle, which co-head and senior Marichi Gupta said leads to a feeling of connection within his group. “We’ll gather in a circle and sing our song in a circle. We're really close to each other's sound, and you kind of get chills from being in the circle.”
Not only do the a cappella groups enjoy practices, but they also love to perform. Sarah Brown, co-head of In Essence, said that one of her favorite memories is performing in the Christmas Evening Prayer with her fellow singers. She enjoyed putting the show together, stating, “We come together, we have an hour to practice beforehand and everyone is super goofy.”
Lower Hanna Pak, member of Sans Hommes, also finds performing for her fellow students fulfilling. One experience that she found memorable was when Sans Hommes serenaded different dorms for Valentine’s Day. “I loved bouncing around to the different dorms and performing for all kinds of audiences,” she said.
There are many reasons that make a cappella groups such tight-knit communities. Prep Sam Chang, member of PEADs and Exeteras, stated that it’s a “different community” that he feels he can always go to, expanding his friend group. Brown explained why she believes the a cappella scene on campus is so close, saying that a capella is “definitely about coming together to work towards a common goal, and it just becomes this community where people enjoy coming every day.” Alexis Gorfine, cohead of Sans Hommes, echoed Brown’s sentiment. She says her group has “bonded through singing, and trying to make our voices click.”
For the singers, there is a true bond within the group itself. Brown feels this connection, saying that in her all-female group, “everyone feels what all the other people feel. I think it creates a really strong community where it’s all women. It’s all people who are building each other up.”