The Response to Tragedy
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #3: The Response to Tragedy
Tragedy--whether it’s a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina or the Tsunami, or a man-made horror like the shootings at Virginia Tech--is an unavoidable part of life. As much as fate’s most unpleasant twists may hurt us and scar us, what is often most important about these incidents is the way in which a community rebounds from them.
For years, a cappella groups have stood up as selfless, powerful and purposeful in helping with recovery efforts. There was the Today, We Are all Hokies a cappella compilation by groups from nearby schools, which raised $10,000 to support a scholarship fund for those most affected by the Virginia Tech shootings. There are groups like Tulane University THEM who made the effort to perform in their local community, torn apart by Katrina, providing not only entertainment but inspiration, to point the way to a brighter future. Such efforts underscore that, be it in the college community or well beyond, a cappella groups are up for lending a hand where they are needed, and finding ways use their talents for a greater good.
I love it!