American University Treble in Paradise
Treble in Paradise is an all-female group out of American University. Tonight, they will join other a cappella groups at American for an event called Acapalooza. Organized by the American's Class of 2009, APO service fraternity, and other student groups, the event will benefit Washington DC public schools and La Casa Del Nino Orphanage in Bolivia.
Treble In Paradise musical director Lauren Jacobs took the time to answer questions from A Cappella Blog co-founder Mike Chin.
A Cappella Blog (ACB): Your group's slogan is "A Cappella with a Splash of Pink." Why the pink? How does your group incorporate pink in your group?
Lauren Jacobs (LJ):The splash of pink refers to our incorporation pink into our wardrobes. But, it also sets the tone for our group. We're an all-female group and there's no denying the fun atmosphere we have on stage, and what color could better express that than pink?!
ACB: Your group found its origins in another group called Philomela. What was the transition from Philomela to the current group. With its relatively short history, how has Treble gone about establishing its own identity?
LJ: Philomela dissolved with only a sprinkling of members still interested in a cappella. Meredith Gray took charge of setting the group Treble in Paradise into motion with the help of a few other members who graduated shortly after. The transition involved a lot of publicity: spreading the word that there was an all-female group on campus, advertising for concerts and increasing turnout at auditions. With the help of our public communications major members, we've tried to brand ourselves as a professional and equally fun a cappella group that performs a variety of popular music on and off-campus. Pairing the quality of our musicianship with our level of entertainment on stage has both helped to form our identity and increase our on-campus presence.
ACB: Your group offers personal serenades. How did the idea for this unique service come about? Is it popular?
LJ: Personal serenades are something we've seen other a cappella groups do to raise money and work in partnership with other student groups. We've formed great working relationships with Greek life and organizations like Alpha Phi Omega, the community service fraternity, especially during their Big/Little weeks. Personal serenades are popular because of their uniqueness and affordability. We love to see the smiles on the faces of the people we sing to. Fourteen singers cramming into a dorm room to serenade someone on their birthday or as a present from their friend creates quite the lasting memory!
ACB: Describe a typical Treble rehearsal. How often do you guys practice and what do you do to achieve such success by the time you hit the stage? Do rehearsals change before a big show?
LJ: We rehearse six hours a week. With that amount of togetherness, we've become great friends... but of course, fourteen girls in one room can sometimes feel like a slumber party. We stick to a routine: we start on time, the president tells us about new gigs and other business, the musical director runs through the night's schedule, we warm up, then we sing. We run through a song, then go around the group with comments. As we approach concert time, we become pickier about our blend, cutoffs, and dynamics. Our dedication leads to our success.
ACB: What can we expect to see from Treble in the future? Any new songs in the works? Any upcoming gigs of note?
LJ: YES! A lot! We're going into the recording studio this month to record our first CD! We're super excited about this and we'll let you know when it is ready on our website, www.autrebleinparadise.com. A lot is happening outside of the studio, too. We're adding to our repertoire at lighting speed thanks to the unprecedented number of arrangers in our group this semester.
ACB: How does Treble go about recruiting new members?
LJ: To maximize audition turnout, Treble in Paradise coordinates with the two other a cappella groups on campus. This way auditionees can coordinate their auditions between Treble in Paradise, the all-male and co-ed groups. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester.
ACB: How does your group go about deciding which songs to add to its repertoire?
LJ: Our repertoire is largely influenced by the songs individual arrangers choose to arrange. We consider the range, genre and feasibility of a possible song, and more often than not, we choose to perform it. Our group's musical tastes are diverse so we end up with a fantastic repertoire of new, classic, popular and off-the-beaten-path selections.