Songs like a '50s-era "Java Jive" established the melodic debut of the TrebleMakers, the first all-female a cappella group on campus.
"I love coffee, I love tea, I love the Java Jive and it loves me," sang the TrebleMakers beneath the New Library Auditorium lights Sunday night.
Their act began with a harmonious and dynamic rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," and traversed several genres, touching upon modern and traditional pop as well as rock, disco, jazz and Japanese folk music. Lauren Pannucci, sophomore Spanish/education major, evoked lonesome school boys in her gorgeous solo performance of The Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)," as the group provided background instrumentals with their vocals.
Christie Fassold, sophomore graphic design major, was impressive singing sultry lead vocals in "It's Raining Men," over whispers of "the humidity's rising," and "raining men, raining men." The group also performed two types of improvisation. The first type started with one singer providing a bass line, beat or melody that was built on by the other singers. The second type is formed using a theme. The theme chosen from a host of audience suggestions was "cheese."
Sarah Dukeshire, sophomore Spanish major and founder and president of the TrebleMakers, said she started the group because one like it didn't exist and she wanted to bring together a group of people with a passion for music. She said she chose a wide variety of songs because she felt it was important for the singers to grow in their abilities. Dukeshire arranged two of the songs herself, including "The Weather Girls" rendition. She cited it as her favorite piece because it was one of her first arrangements and she felt the group had the most fun doing it.
"Some of the songs I had done before and thought they would be good for the group," she said.
The group held auditions at the beginning of the semester and practiced four hours a week.
"Some songs were more difficult than others so they might have taken two or three rehearsals to learn," Dukeshire said. Their slow, emotive performance of the Billy Joel song, "And So It Goes," displayed the group's talent for blending their separate voices.
"I came to college knowing that I would definitely want to join an a capella group," Deanna Wolf, sophomore psychology major, said. "All of a sudden all of these a capella groups came out. This one was the best fit for me. I liked the fact that it was all-female."
