University of Akron A Cappella Nuance
A Cappella Nuance is an all-male a cappella group out of the University of Akron. Vice President of Technologies Andrew Klein took the time to answer questions from A Cappella Blog co-founder Mike Chin.
A Cappella Blog (ACB): Describe a typical A Cappella Nuance rehearsal (if there is such a thing!). 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?
Andrew Klein (AK): Nuance has really grown in the past few semesters. From a simple 6 members, we are now a solid 13. While we are comprised mainly of music majors we also have engineering, accounting and finance, theater, education, among others. Our rehearsals are run by the president of the group (Jesse Lange) which is elected each semester by at least 75% of the current group. We rehearse 3 days a week for a total of about 8 hours a week. Our success as a group could be attributed to any number of things. The individual members of the group are all very talented, and each member brings something vital to our survival. Before a gig, we review our rep. and before competition, it is very important to have all members present for every rehearsal to make sure our blend and dynamics are solid.
ACB: What can we expect to see from A Cappella Nuance in the future? Any new songs in the works? Any upcoming gigs of note?
AK: This semester, Nuance is taking a giant leap forward. We now number 13 with 8 returning members and 5 new members, we have a great foundation to build from. Our talent pool is growing, and interest in the group is growing. This semester, we have been immensely lucky to have enlisted Ben Williams, a composition major and graduate assistant of the U of A Music School. Ben has been turning out new material at a rate of about 5 new, original arrangements a week. But what good are the arrangements if the group cannot learn them all? That is what has been so exciting for A Cappella Nuance this semester: we have been tackling these arrangements as fast as we can put them out. A few tunes you can look forward to are: "Army", "29 Ways", and a song called "Milk and Cereal." These are just skimming the surface of what is going to be a great semester for A Cappella Nuance. We put on two big shows every year at the end of each semester. As of right now, those dates and locations are TBA, but you can check out the website for updates.
ACB: What is the audition process like for your group?
AK: The audition process for Nuance is a dynamic thing, but mainly consists of a few specifics. Applicants must sing, a cappella a song of their choice, and tell their favorite joke. We then take them to the piano for vocalizing to test range and voice part. After that the group discusses the applicants strengths and weaknesses, and then a vote is cast. And that's about it.
ACB: How does your group go about deciding which songs to add to its repertoire?
AK: The decisions about the rep. for the group is a process that has just recently changed. The E-Board,
or officers for the group are presented with a song, and then decide whether it is in the groups best interest to perform the song. Those are the basics, but it can get complicated sometimes.
ACB: What would you say is the most important element to having a successful collegiate a cappella group?
AK: A successful collegiate a cappella group depends on two main things: personality and commitment. A group with no personality is not going to attract a fan base, and a group with no commitment is not going to perform well.
ACB: What drew you, personally, to collegiate a cappella in the first place?
AK: I was drawn to Nuance by one of the founding members. He was a friend of mine and had told me about the group and told me I should audition. I did, and the rest, as they say, is history. But I love singing with the group, and hope that it does not die anytime soon.
ACB: What is your favorite song to perform with A Cappella Nuance?
AK: My favorite song to sing with A Cappella Nuance is our Alumni Song "Kiss Him Goodbye" a version of which can be viewed on the website: http://www.uasingers.com.