The University of Illinois Rip Chords
The Rip Chords are an exceptional all-female group out of the University of Illinois Rip Chords. Rip Chords Anna Bussing and Beth Golden took the time to answer questions from The A Cappella Blog’s own Mike C.
The A Cappella Blog (ACB): In 2007, The Rip Chords advanced to the Midwest region semifinals of the ICCA, placing third. What has the group learn from competing, and how has competition affected the group?
Anna Bussing (AB): Some groups decide each year whether or not they want to compete. For us, there is no question. Competition gives us the opportunity to really attempt to perfect some of our songs and show the community what we can do. Personally, I think it really brings the group together. Not only do we have a great time at competition, but
with all of the nerves, excitement, long rehearsal hours, etc. we really grow as a group.
Beth Golden (BG): Competition is an experience that we really look forward to every year. It is a good challenge for us and gives us a long term goal and something to strive towards at the beginning of the year. Getting feedback (both musical and performance based) is my personal favorite part of the experience because it really helps us see what we need to work on and gives us a real focus towards improvement. It is also really fun to see other a cappella groups besides those on the U of I campus because you can really learn from their performances and get ideas about what you like to watch/hear and what you don’t like as much.
ACB: What can listeners expect from your most recent CD, Chordially Yours?
AB: Our most recent CD was our big project of the 2006-2007 year. It includes some of our favorite songs from the past two years of Rip Chords. We really tried to include a wide variety of quality selections for the listeners, but more than anything, it was about making for us. While it may not be as "enhanced" as other CDs released today, we really felt like it is still comparable to others while staying true to
our live sound.
BG: I think listeners can expect a solid, energetic, and fun CD of 10 great songs. Chordially Yours contains many different genres from country to pop to R & B, each with its own feel and different energy.
ACB: Last spring, The Rip Chords performed in a tour of local high schools and held its second annual "Suburbs Show." What were these shows like? What motivated the group to get off campus to perform?
AB: Each semester, the Rip Chords tour around to high schools, usually in the Chicago suburb area due to the fact that the majority of members live up in the area. We tour for a few main reasons:
1. Members want to show their own high schools what they are involved with at U of I.
2. We want to spread the name of the group and increase awareness for college a cappella.
3. We want to encourage students to stay involved with music past high school. Since the majority of Rip Chord members are not music majors, this seems to be the key message during tours. While most of us felt that a career in music wasn't what we wanted, we really searched for a way to stay involved and to keep doing what we love.
BG: We annually do a high school tour usually at the end of the year. It is motivation enough for us to spend more time with each other, and adding in getting to sing for literally hundreds of high school students makes the experience one we all look forward to. It can be an exhausting week because you are up and singing/traveling from 8am-3pm every day, but we always spend most of the time smiling and laughing and just enjoying each others’ company. One of my personal favorite parts about Rip Chords was traveling off campus to perform. It is so great to get to see other places and share something you love to do and are so proud of with a wide variety of people.
ACB: As an all-female group, what advantages do you enjoy? What challenges does the nature of the group present?
AB: Being an all female group has both advantages and disadvantages. Some may say that female groups lack a certain fullness in sound. This is something we are ALWAYS trying to contradict, which is very possible since some of our girls can sing very comfortably in the lower ranges. yay basses! Advantages: when you make the group, you immediately gain 13 of your newest best friends. We may spend hours and hours together a week in practice and at shows, but we choose to spend more time together outside of Rip Chords.
BG: I think there is a bond between girls that is incomparable to any other demographic. Being with all girls always feels like you are having a sleepover with your best friends. It also provides a really safe environment where we all feel totally comfortable all the time. I guess the most challenging aspect of having all girls musically at least is range. Being an all girls group obviously limits our range, specifically at the low end. But we compensate and make the best of what we have!
ACB: How do The Rip Chords go about recruiting new members?
AB: We hold auditions at the beginning of every school year. The first week of school is dedicated to recruiting girls to audition. Posting flyers in dorms, putting up information on the website, singing all over campus, telling friends, making announcements at choir classes...it never stops.
BG: Basically at the beginning of each year we do a lot of advertising including hanging posters and singing anywhere and everywhere we can. U of I has a “quad day” where all student organizations can have a booth. That is where we have girls sign up to audition and we also get to perform and hopefully recruit some of our audience members!
ACB: What would you say is the most important element to having a successful collegiate a cappella group?
AB: While dedication and focus during rehearsal are very important, I always say a cohesive group makes us more successful than anything. Getting along is crucial. It may sound silly and girlish, but the performances during which we have had the most success and the best sound are the times when we are just enjoying each other and
singing with the people you care most about. Nothing feels better than to be backed up by your best friends. I think any girl in the group would attest to that.
BG: Hands down the most important element to having a successful collegiate a cappella group is having members who genuinely like each other and enjoy working together. We spend so much time together (9 plus hours a week) that it is imperative we like being together. Besides the fact that it makes the time more enjoyable, it makes the sound better when the members are true friends. There is a quality to the overall sound that only comes with genuine friendship, and you can really hear a difference between groups that get along well and groups that don’t get along so well.
ACB: What is your favorite song to perform with The Rip Chords, and why?
AB: We have a song that we sing every year called "Yesterday." It's an R&B version of the Beatles classic, also recorded by En Vogue. It's my favorite because it really means something to be apart of such an amazing group, and this is our "anthem song."
BG: My favorite song is “Yesterday” (the En Vogue version). This is our “anthem” that we sing every year, and also the piece we use for the blending part of our audition. Girls connect to it right away because it is part of that audition process and the first thing they learn, and carrying it over every year makes you really feel the history of the group every time you perform it.
If you would like to learn more about the Rip Chords, you can visit them online at http://www.uofiripchords.com.