In which Underground Sound unites one final time after a semester of delightful struggle.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When the movie Pitch Perfect<\/i> was introduced to me, well after it had left theaters, my initial reaction was that of confusion, dismay and irritation.\u00a0 The cinematic adventures of an all-female a capella group in the face of comical sexism was not, as I had thought I\u2019d learned from my one semester of being in an a capella group, accurate.\u00a0 Underground Sound, the school\u2019s only mixed a capella group, was not capable for a riff-off, did no choreographed dancing, and had almost never been attacked with projectiles of Mexican fast food.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yet going through this fall semester with the group has been an adventure that made me reconsider my previous judgment.\u00a0 There was, after all, chaos, competition, stress, poorly executed dancing, friendship, and, at the end of the day, Mexican Food (which was not thrown, thankfully, by anyone), and I had to admit that, although the movie was a remarkably poor depiction of the technicalities of operating a musical ensemble and vocal pedagogy, it was very correct in showing hardship and triumph bringing a group together.\u00a0 Two of my favorite memories from this semester have been due to Underground Sound, the first being when we sang for the Board of Trustees and the second being when we had lunch together after a rather ineffective flash mob.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s that you ask? \u00a0The Board of Trustees?\u00a0 Why yes, we did sing for them \u2013 at their fancy-shmancy retreat, I may add.\u00a0 One early autumn afternoon, after a confusing car ride through the suburbs and overgrown himalayan blackberries of Western Washington, we arrived at the winery at which the Board of Trustees was having dinner during their annual retreat and sang for them WHAT?!?!?\u00a0 We were given a tour of the winery, a very free and very delicious dinner, and a gracious hug from our school\u2019s president Ron Thomas.<\/p>\n
And then when I sang my solo of Jason Mraz\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m Yours\u201d, I kind of got a standing ovation.\u00a0 From our Board of Trustees.\u00a0 It\u2019s no big deal.\u00a0 STOP BRINGING IT UP!<\/p>\n
In contrast, Underground Sound\u2019s final performance was a flashmob in the piano lounge of the Student Union Building, which, due to how soon it occurred after we had all woken up and how very tired we were from schoolwork, was rather on the tired and lazy side.\u00a0 But did we care?\u00a0 NO!\u00a0 We had fun!\u00a0 I cuddled with the handsome Eric Sculac during one of the songs!\u00a0 And afterwards, we all bought lunch from the cafeteria and spent a good hour singing our songs as we ate, but changing the lyrics to \u201ccats n\u2019 poop\u201d.<\/p>\n
Classy?\u00a0 You know it.<\/p>\n
Our final adventure came almost as a shock to me, caught so unawares was I that the fall semester was truly ending.\u00a0 After driving to, and subsequently leaving, an overfilled Red Robin, we ate at a Mexican restaurant (as I mentioned earlier) and shakily ventured onto an ice rink, where we collectively fell only once \u2013 a victory, I do believe.\u00a0 But there was a delightfully self-indulgent, Kodak-camera moment when we all were skating at different speeds and, as if in clumsy coordination, held hands to form a chain of Usound \u2013 a momentary collection that would never again be together in exactly the same way with the same people.\u00a0 It was only for a moment, of course, for then one of the basses slipped and the chain was broken.\u00a0 Stupid basses.\u00a0 But still, it was a beautiful moment.<\/p>\n
So who are these wonderful people I\u2019ve struggled so valiantly with, you ask?\u00a0 Here is the briefest description of each:<\/p>\n
Lisa Hawkins:<\/p>\n
-Current Co-director<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Silent Killer<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Alto<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Mulan<\/p>\n
Sarah Brauner:<\/p>\n
-Current Co-director, stepping down for next semester<\/p>\n
-Nickname: E. Nigma<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Soprano<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Belle<\/p>\n
Kyle Erickson:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Lief<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Tenor<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Lumiere<\/p>\n
Bryan Soto:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Prince Abubu<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Bass<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Doug from Up<\/i><\/p>\n
Chynna Spencer:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Japan<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Alto<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Copper from The Fox and The Hound<\/i><\/p>\n
Kaylene Barber:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Curly Temple<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Soprano<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Rapunzel from Tangled<\/i><\/p>\n
Daniel Wolfert:<\/p>\n
-Co-director beginning next semester, Nickname: 34DD<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Tenor<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Mulan<\/p>\n
Eric Sculac:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: White Cheddar<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Bass<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Wall-E<\/p>\n
Sophia El-Wakil:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: BP440<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Alto<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: Peter Pan<\/p>\n
Austin Michael-Harrison:<\/p>\n
-Nickname: Philosoraptor<\/p>\n
-Voice Part: Beatboxer<\/p>\n
-Spirit Disney Character: I don\u2019t know, but something weird.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, despite the lengthy and often exhausting rehearsals, the frustration of editing arrangements and the confusion of scheduling performances, Pitch Perfect <\/i>was right in saying that getting involved in something like this can make you inclined to stay when so many other things make you inclined to leave.\u00a0 Some days I just want to burn my homework and curl up into a ball beneath my sheets, but at least I\u2019ll always have the joy of singing Taylor Swift with Chynna Spencer and the rest of the group, as you can listen to in the attached mp3:\u00a0Lisa Hawkin’s Arrangement of Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”<\/a><\/p>\n So you\u2019re looking for a great musical performance?\u00a0 Looking for a fun and rewarding experience?\u00a0 Looking for the sexiest group on campus?\u00a0 And, most importantly of all, IF YOU ARE A MALE SINGER HOPING TO JOIN AN A CAPELLA GROUP THIS COMING SPRING SEMESTER, come hit us up!\u00a0 That, after all, is what aca-mmunity is all about.<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s what the movie told me anyway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In which Underground Sound unites one final time after a semester of delightful struggle. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When the movie Pitch Perfect was introduced to me, well after it had left theaters, my initial reaction was that of confusion, dismay and irritation.\u00a0 … Continue reading