Sunday nights at U of T aren’t generally known for being a fun and exciting time. Last weekend, however, the fifth annual Acapellooza—a concert performed by U of T’s various a cappella groups—provided an evening of music that was both unique and enjoyable.
Up first was Tunes Beats Awesome (also known as TBA), who opened the show with “Battlefield” and a solo performance by Piya Banerjee. Showcasing the choir’s amazing harmonizing skills, this particular performance set a high standard for the rest of the show. As the show went on, volume control presented a problem, and the group definitely could have been louder. Still, when second soloist Cailleah Scott-Grimes sang “In the Waiting Line,” her engaging voice and stage presence overcame this challenge. Scott-Grimes also shone on “Pretty Young Thing,” donning an MJ glove and hitting high notes that would have made the King of Pop proud. TBA gained strength as their performance went on, finishing with definite crowd-pleaser Don’t Stop Believing, which was met with claps and cheers.
The Varsity Jews sang mostly in Hebrew, but connected well with a unique rendition of “Black or White” hilariously re-written by Jordan Silverman into a tune called “Mandelbrodt.” With their high-energy performance and fabulous soprano section, the Varsity Jews were a treat to watch. The choir was expertly synchronized in terms of pitch and timing, and it showed plainly on each member’s face just how much they love singing together. During the concert’s second half, the Varsity Jews brought a little bit of soul to their performance with “Mi Chamocha,” featuring a stunning solo that brought their performance to a fantastic finish.
The New College Resonance choir, led by the very talented John-Michael Erlendson, started off their set with a rendition of “Yesterday” sung gracefully by Navid Nourian. Unfortunately, though most group members looked like they were trying for solemnity during the performance, they simply looked bored. Most of their energy came from Erlendson, who tried very hard to keep the audience enthralled. After the intermission, the New College Resonance came back stronger with “Kiss the Girl,” which included a strong tenor section and some puppets. Overall, however, their performance lacked resonance.
Finishing off the first act and opening the second was Onoscatopoeia, Hart House’s jazz choir. Although it took them a few minutes to hit their stride, this choir really showcased what a cappella music is all about, from beautiful harmonies to remarkable timing and a pitch-perfect conductor. They performed a mash-up titled “7 Day Fool ft. Splish Splash” complete with bath cap and a rubber ducky (which got thrown at the audience), during which soloist Qwyn Charter exuded confidence and joy. On each of their songs, though, the choir worked incredibly well together—no one section overpowered another as they produced admirable renditions of already great songs.
I spoke during the intermission with Erlendson, who divides his time between singing with various choirs and pursuing his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He finds that many students pursue a cappella as a side interest distinct from their studies.
“Most of the students here aren’t from musical backgrounds,” he says. “Singing is their release from Engineering. Plus, this is definitely the best community I’ve ever been a part of!”
If only they’d perform on Sunday nights more often—it would give us a real reason to look forward to the end of the weekend.
