In addition to preparation for this spring’s choral contest, Whitman a cappella groups Schwa and the Testostertones have hopes of taking their show on the road.

Schwa, Whitman’s coed a cappella group, consists of 15 members, including four basses, three tenors, four altos and four sopranos. “Voice parts are sort of a general guide line as opposed to a solid rule. Each arrangement requires different things,” said junior Noah Bronstein, a member of Schwa

Sophomore Laura Gibson, who has been performing with Schwa for a year agrees. “Depending on the arrangement of the song, sometimes the song will have six parts, but technically only have four voice parts so you’ll have to divide it into sopranos one or two or tenors one or two,” said Gibson

Schwa’s membership is not limited to music majors. “A good portion of our members hadn’t really sung before, and then tried out, and happened to be good enough to get in. You can still try out and get in. It’s pretty open,” Bronstein said.

“There’s a lot of musical talent not just in the music department,” Gibson said.
Schwa members work to arrange songs for the group to perform. “Lately, Lee Mills has been arranging all of our songs,” Gibson said, “he arranged our medley for choral contest and he arranged ‘Fallen’ for us.”

Arranging performances for the group demands particular attention be paid to the song.

You have to make sure [the song] has enough complexity and works well enough that it will fit a group that sings in at least a four part harmony,” said Gibson. “It helps a lot if there’s a driving bass line. ‘Fallen’ is a really good song for an a cappella group to sing because it’s really thick with harmonies and it’s naturally layered.”

At the end of May, Schwa will be heading into the studio.

“We are recording everything we have. I think it’s going to be between ten and thirteen songs,” said Gibson.

In the near future, Schwa hopes to perform at local wineries during tastings, and they have a tour in the works for next year. They hope to go to the east coast: Boston or Washington, D.C.: or otherwise California.

Currently, Schwa has been preparing for the choral contest, practicing four times a week.

Also preparing for the choral contest is Whitman’s all-male a cappella group, the Testostertones.

According to junior Jeff Wilson, a Testostertone tenor, the group consists of 12 to 14 men, singing bass, baritone, tenor-one and tenor-two harmonies.

“Some of our songs go to as many as six or seven part harmonies and we divide it up,” said Wilson.

The Testostertones have been preparing new arrangements which play on their own individual personalities. They are also hoping to incorporate hip-hop music into their repitoire.

At a recent competition in Eugene, the Testostertones’ efforts to play to their strengths fared well. “Our style was completely different than everyone else competing in that genre. They were all really polished and all had cheesy choreography,” said Wilson. “Dru Johnston went out on stage and did a funny thing, and we sang our song without choreography or anything. It was really well-received.”