Here is what has been going on in Vermont...
For most universities, Homecoming means welcoming the school sports team after a long series of away games. The big event is the home game, where sports heroes are required to crush their competition.
Not at the University of Vermont. We have a big a cappella concert.
On Saturday, October 8th, 1300 people converged on Ira Allen Chapel and were treated to 90 minutes of vocal fun from the Top Cats, Cat's Meow, and Hit Paws. They all performed as if they had been singing together all year, even though they each introduced new members who could not have been in the groups for more than three weeks.
Many kudos go to Megan Estey, Cat's Meow MD, for getting her group in shape with six new members (half of the group!). Also, while all of the vps for all the groups were very good, Anna Rawsen of the Cat's Meow was spectacular. Not only was she spot on and interesting to listen to, she was the ONLY vp to use the mic correctly! As a sophomore transfer student, she'll be sticking around for a few years :)
Other activities this quarter included:
-vocal percussion workshop for the ACDA-VT.
-teaching basic vp to the Honors Choir, 40 3rd-5th graders, at the MENC conference. Good response from their teachers after this :)
-attended a few Green Mountain Chorus (local barbershop chorus) rehearsals and talked about how we can build the vocal community in Vermont.
-moved the Vermont Vocals website to a new server, added blog, calendar, and discussion forum functionality.
-VTMidi vocal program is on hold for this year. The plan is to begin this spring with a workshop before the performances.
-getting situated as the Ambassador Co_Coordinator and a Board member.
-Drafted a document called "Give and Take" which I hope to be able to share with all of you soon.
Possible future projects:
-met a woman at the MENC conference who is interested in writing/arranging a cappella music for elementary school students. She would like to add basic vocal percussion elements to the arrangements.
-acaWiki. Community building project in anticipation of the UVM a cappella groups' anniversaries, we'll be recreating the history of a cappella music in Vermont.
Click on the wrench in the upper left-hand corner to see what else you can do.