CASA - The Contemporary A Capella Society

Those of you that are involved in college a cappella are sitting at home, work, or on vacation right now, missing it. You swore all spring that the summer would give you a break from all of these people, and that you did indeed need a break from this genre that you so completely delve into for nine months at a time. You looked forward to spending those three nights a week doing something besides practicing the same songs over….and over… and over. Now that you have that summer break, you find yourself looking at your watch at 8pm on a Wednesday, realizing that a month ago, you were singing with your friends. Just like that, you miss it. Here is the bad news. It’s only June! You don’t get back into the swing of things for a few more months. How are you supposed to satisfy this hunger you have for a cappella? Well, there are a few ways to deal with your obsession: 1) Professional groups do plenty of touring during the summer. Head up north and catch a few Hyannis Sound shows, and prepare to be amazed. Check CASA regularly and you will find that there are shows going on all of the time. Add seminars to that list, as they will teach you things that you never imagined. 2) Still around campus? You probably aren’t the only one. Get together regularly, if for some strange reason you aren’t already, and just hang out. Some “arranged-on-the-fly” singing will start out with whatever is on the playlist at the time. It always does…in my experience. 3) Schedule a weekend retreat. It not only keeps you all connected during those three months apart, but gives everybody the chance to share their expectations for the upcoming year, arranging ideas, and simply a way to keep in touch so those first few practices aren’t crammed with so much catching up. 4) ARRANGE! There are so many new albums coming out this summer, and many of these songs are pleading with you to arrange them. Don’t pretend that you haven’t heard them calling to you from the speakers….arrange me. Listen to their cries. Nothing will keep the a cappella bug alive like coming up with some new ideas for the upcoming year. Not a music director? Who cares! Arrange anyway, if for no other reason than to understand what the MD goes through on a regular basis. It will give you a clearer perspective of how songs are taught, and will help you learn parts faster. Maybe you will discover a hidden talent in arranging! 5) Invest in the plethora of a cappella music that was released at the end of the spring semester. The best way to learn groundbreaking ideas is to keep up to date about what ground has been broken so far. 6) Dave and Chris are keeping us up to date with news and reviews on Mouth Off, their new podcast. Worth the listen; trust me. What I am getting at here is that, yes, summer is a difficult time away from the actual singing, but is also an excellent opportunity to prepare for the new year. Take this time to do some, or all, of the above and when you get back, you will be reenergized and ready to improve on last year.