The Mount Holyoke M&Cs
The M&Cs are an all-female group out of Mount Holyoke College. M&Cs Business Manager Katie Logwood took the time to answer questions from The A Cappella Blog.
The A Cappella Blog (ACB): What can listeners expect from The M&Cs most recent CD, Soundbites?
Katie Logwood (KL): We're all very proud of our latest CD, Soundbites, particularly since all of the arrangements are our own. It really does justice to the diversity of our repertoire, with songs ranging from "The House that Jack Built" by Aretha Franklin to Eve 6's "Inside Out" and Don Henley's "Boys of Summer." The CD features strong solos by nearly every member of the group, on top of well-blended, tight backgrounds. It's really just a fun mix of songs with something for everyone.
ACB: The M&Cs have been around for quite some time. Has the group evolved over time? How does the history of the group affect what you do now?
KL: The M&Cs are going into our 20th year! Over the past twenty years, we have evolved from being a pretty traditional group, singing classic a cappella songs, to a more pop-oriented and funky group. We no longer use sheet music, which gives us the flexibility to accept talented singers who may not have had formal training. It also allows us to have much fuller, more diverse arrangements, sometimes with almost everyone on their own part. I think the M&Cs have always been a pretty upbeat and fun group, and we certainly do our best to continue in that vein today.
ACB: Are there any unique traditions or pieces of history attached to your group?
KL: We have a lot of fun traditions and history in the M&Cs beginning, I think, with our name. The group is named after an old and cherished Mount Holyoke tradition, milk and cookies. Every school night, milk and cookies are put out for all the "malnourished" women at MHC. Needless to say, an enthusiasm for all things sweet is a requirement to join the group. When we take new members into the group, we show up at their doors and sing them in with milk and cookies. One of our other traditions is a street performance in Northampton followed by a trip to, you guessed it, our favorite ice cream shop!
ACB: How do The M&Cs go about recruiting new members?
KL: At the beginning of the semester, there is a big a cappella concert featuring each of the five groups on campus. This event is generally well-attended by new students and we ask them to sign up for auditions after the concert.
ACB: What drew you, personally, to collegiate a cappella in the first place?
KL: I have always wanted to sing in an a cappella group because I love the idea that a group of people can re-create any song just using their voices. Not only did I know I wanted to be in an a cappella group when I got to college, but my decision to come to Mount Holyoke was definitely influenced by the M&Cs. I saw the group perform on the prospective students weekend and knew I had to be in it. The group was, and continues to be made up of some of the most fun, intelligent, and interesting people I have ever met. It sounds corny, but this group has become my family. In addition to possessing great musicality, each member of the M&Cs brings unique interests to the group – we have members who are studying astronomy, anthropology, film, and math. Linley rides her horse side-saddle in historical re-enactments, Layton has worked on a farm in Alaska, and Jess spent her summer in China singing with a choir. Most importantly, though, we all just love to sing and to sing together.
If you would like to learn more about The M&Cs, you can visit their official website here.