Chris Glenn isn’t your run-of-the-mill FSU student—he’s actually the director of one of FSU’s co-ed a cappella groups called “Coda.” If you’re not too music savvy, “a cappella” merely refers to choral music, where the piece is performed only with the voice, and not accompanied by any instruments. That means that the beat, rhythm, and vocals are produced entirely by a person’s mouth!
Glenn first got into music when he was only eleven years old, and it was because his parents threw him into piano lessons back in his hometown of Melbourne, Florida. From there, he decided to join band throughout his middle and high school years. He ventured into the wonderful world of choral music in high school. Talk about one musical platter!
After arriving at Florida State, Glenn became interested in collegiate a cappella. He first joined the “Acaphiliacs” group his freshman year and the rest is history. Right away, I asked Glenn what everyone really wants to know: what is it like being the director of an a cappella group? “There are so many ways to describe the experience. On one hand you are a teacher where you cultivate the talent of others and push them to make the best music they can,” he says. “At the same time, you are a student and a member of the group so you want to goof off and have fun with your friends. It’s a balancing act between work and play.”
Glenn goes on to explain how Coda is Florida State’s newest a cappella group, which formed last August. “We really want to make the most out of our time together,” he admits. “I want Coda to be known for being a group that makes incredible music that members enjoy performing and that fans enjoy. I want the members to have fun during the entire process and to still make great music.” There is no doubt that Glenn has the dedication and patience necessary to make his hopes for Coda come true. His leadership skills are certainly going to take him far in life.
Although we are only halfway through the fall semester, I was dying to know how Glenn prepares his peers for the ultimate musical performance. He simply states, “I spend a lot of time just listening to music and finding songs that fit Coda. I also watch tons of videos of collegiate a cappella on the Internet. One of the best ways to constantly improve is by watching others!” Ain’t that the truth. Coda performs mostly in the pop, rock, and R&B genres. Glenn says [they’ve] performed other styles as well! [They’ve] sang music by Amy Winehouse, Regina Spektor, A Day To Remember and Bruno Mars among others!”
That got me thinking—are our campus’s a cappella groups any similar to those displayed in “Pitch Perfect” or “Glee?” Glenn gladly confirms, “Yes! We don’t have riff-offs or any weird initiation rituals. But the creativity is similar.” He goes on to say, “Every FSU a cappella group has their way of making popular songs their own, just like in the movie. We perform a few times a year on and around campus. Our next performance will be on November 1st at the Wesley Foundation entitled Random Acts of A Cappella. This is a benefit concert put on by All Night Yahtzee, another FSU a cappella group. The Acabelles, Acaphiliacs and Reverb will also be performing that night at 7:30. Be there!”
To wrap up our chat, I asked Glenn one final question based on what he has obtained out of being director thus far. “Being a part of an a cappella group requires a lot of hard work individually and especially as a music director,” he says. “The director is in charge of arranging the majority of the music, which can take up a lot of time. I’ve learned that I really enjoy the entire of process of arranging music. Coming up with ideas, putting those ideas onto paper and then having them come to life is an incredible experience,” he finishes.
You’d probably never guess that Glenn is actually an Information Technology major. Outside of Coda, he has a whole other world to juggle. Between watching movies, spending time with his girlfriend, relaxing at Lake Ella listening to music, coding and reading, I wonder how he gets any of his schoolwork done in such a timely manner. Not to mention that he is currently involved with FSU Dream Defenders and is a former marching chief.
If you’re interested in any of our renowned a cappella groups, you can audition in the beginning of the fall semester each year. And, if you’re lucky enough to make it into Coda, you’ll surely have a rewarding experience with Glenn as your director.