Duke Sapphire
Sapphire is an all-female Christian a cappella group at Duke University. Musical director Jin Yan took to the time to answer questions from A Cappella Blog co-founder Mike Chin.
A Cappella Blog (ACB): As a Christian ensemble, what sets Sapphire apart from other a cappella groups?
Jin Yan (JY): What sets Sapphire apart from other a cappella groups is that we have a goal in mind, which is to glorify God and work as a ministry. The founders of Sapphire thought that a cappella was a popular and great venue through which to have a music ministry. Thus, as a group, we mostly focus on having listeners listen to us more than for strictly entertainment, but to perhaps really listen to lyrics, or give thought to certain aspects of their own lives.
ACB: With a new CD on the way, what listeners expect to hear from the group's upcoming release?
JY: Current songs! Our other CD is a couple of years old and so we don't sing any of the songs on the CD anymore...so this new CD should bring some more current songs out and help to promote the group. It's also just a great compilation of meaningful songs.
ACB: With the large number of active a cappella groups at Duke, how do you all co-exist? Is there any friendly rivalry between the groups? Do you often perform together?
JY: The Duke a cappella community is a fun and friendly environment. However, there are definitely friend rivalry between groups. There is only one other Christian a cappella group, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, on campus but since they are co-ed the rivalry isn't quite as intense as it could be. However, we compete for girls during the audition stages. Borrowed and Blue and Sapphire have a joint Christmas concert every year. The gospel choir at Duke, United and Praise, often invites Sapphire to perform at their concerts as well. And, of course, there are always the two biggest concerts on campus, A Cappella Jam and Acappellooza, where all the groups perform.
ACB: How does your group go about deciding which songs to add to its repertoire?
JY: As musical director, that job usually falls to me. Mostly we like to pick popular songs that are heard on the radio, but with lyrics that might provoke thought. We will definitely choose Christian songs to sing as well, but the point is to choose songs with meaning, not just any song that will sound good for a cappella. We also try to pick a diverse range of songs...country, hip hop, pop, oldies, Christian, alternative, etc. so we can reach a larger audience of people since everyone has such different musical tastes.
ACB: Why is your group called Sapphire? Are you aware of the origins of the name?
JY: The name Sapphire originates from Revelations 21:10 in The Bible where sapphires are part of the foundation for the New Jerusalem, which is Heaven. As explained by our Constitution, "As one of the foundational stones of the city [New Jerusalem] all, Sapphire represents a commitment to purity and a call to evangelism that prepares the world for God's eternal love and judgment."
ACB: What drew you, personally, to collegiate a cappella in the first place?
JY: My high school had a great a cappella group, which first drew my attention to a cappella. Then when I came on campus as a freshman, I attended A Cappella Jam, which is one of the largest concerts of the year and all the groups perform. That was the sealer of the deal, and I knew then that I wanted to join an a cappella group.
ACB: What is your favorite song to perform with Sapphire?
JY: It's so hard to say because all the songs are amazing! I would say my favorite song is "Real Love" because it's a great arrangement and because of all the energy that it brings us. We just have a lot of fun with that song!
ACB: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of The A Cappella Blog?
JY: Check out our website: http://www.duke.edu/web/sapphire and keep listening to a cappella!