UMD’s A Cappella Groups

Glee, Pitch Perfect, and The Sing Off are just a sample of the a cappella trend entertaining the masses. Students at the University of Maryland are totally on top of this trend with plenty of a cappella groups to choose from. Here’s the scoop:

The Generics

Fact: The Generics was the first a cappella group founded at the University of Maryland.

Fact: They are an all-male group. Sorry, ladies.

Fact: None of The generics feel comfortable about prime numbers.

“We’re here to have fun and entertain,” said Jake Dinerman, president of The Generics.

When was The generics founded:

The generics were originally founded 300 million years ago. Realizing that they were a bit ahead of the rest of the Paleozoic era (look it up), they froze themselves until 1987 when they returned in a blaze of glory to the UMD campus.

What makes The generics different than other UMD a cappella groups?:

We’re here to have fun and entertain. We never compete because we feel that a cappella should be about helping the audience have a great time, ideally, while we have an even better one. And sometimes we even sing while we’re on stage. Also, it wouldn’t really be fair to other groups if we competed.

Where does the group perform? How often?:

Wherever there is injustice, you’ll find us. Wherever the rights of the downtrodden are infringed upon, you’ll find us. Wherever a male is made to sit through The Notebook, we’ll be there.

But actually, we perform at a huge variety of events from weddings, holiday parties, and (really) bachelorette parties, to the big a cappella festival we host every year (The UMD A Cappella Bash, presented by SEE and The generics on Feb. 22 at 7:30 in Stamp), and our end of year show, SPAMJam.

Any notable experiences?:

Aside from getting The generics a lifetime ban from Wimbledon, we have had many interesting adventures over the years. In general, we pride ourselves on equal parts good old-fashioned fun and pure iniquity. We did get to sing at M&T Bank stadium last year for a Ravens event, so that was cool.

How has The generics changed your college career?:

I have met some of my best friends through The generics, and not the “it’s over after we fall out of touch post-graduation” kind, the “yeah, this guy will probably be my best man kind. Belonging to a group so close-knit where you can just have a blast is extraordinarily special, and something that many undergraduate students don’t get to experience.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?:

Absolutely do it. Go to tryouts (held every semester) and put yourself out there.

Treblemakers

Fact: The Treblemakers were founded in the Fall semester of 1989.

Fact: They are an all-female a cappella group.

Fact: The girls arrange all of the music they preform.

“Being a Treb has given me something to be passionate about while at the University of Maryland and I’m so grateful to be able to sing with such an amazing, talented group of ladies!” said Megan Buonomo, president of Treblemakers. 

What makes Treblemakers different than other UMD a cappella groups?

Trebs is all-girls so we have a different sound than coed and all-boys groups. We also have “lady beatboxers” which is hard to come by!

Where does the group perform? How often?

We perform all over the place! We usually do road trips and other gigs during the semester which can be on or off campus. We typically have two big shows during the semester in the Memorial Chapel alongside our brother group, the UMD Generics.

Any notable experiences?

Last Spring, we competed in the ICCAs (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) for our first time ever and placed fourth in our region.  Also, we competed in the M&T Bank Central PA Glee Competition in Carlisle, PA last spring and won!

How has Treblemakers changed your college career?

Being in Trebs has been an absolutely wonderful experience for me. I tried out on a whim at the beginning of my second semester of freshman year and have been completely immersed in the group since. Trebs has allowed me to meet wonderful people, both inside and outside of the group, and introduced me to some of my best friends.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?

Do it! If you love music and performing, don’t hesitate to try out. There’s nothing better than sharing a love for music with other people. It is an absolutely amazing experience that you simply can’t find anywhere else.

DaCadence

Fact: DaCadence was founded in October 2010.

Fact: They are the youngest a cappella group on campus.

Fact: The group is competing at the ICCA’s this week (think Pitch Perfect, everybody).

“If there was ever an ideal time to join the a cappella scene, it would be now.,” saidMaura Cassidy,  president of DaCadence.

What makes DaCadence different than other UMD a cappella groups?

We are a very close family, but we are all really big goofballs. While we compete and want to do well, we always try to remember why we joined the group in the first place- for the music.

Where does the group perform? How often?

 We host one show a semester at the end of the year, typically in the Memorial Chapel. However, we will perform multiple times throughout the semester with other groups from other schools, and for on campus events. Next saturday we’ll be at JHU for ICCA’s, then in March we are going to UMBC to sing with the Mama’s Boys, and mid-April we will be performing with other UMD groups at a Cancer Benefit concert in the Chapel.

Any notable experiences?

 We’ve started attending SoJam, an a cappella competition and conference. We spend a weekend in North Carolina and watch school and professional groups perform.

Last spring we also sang the National Anthem for the Orioles. This year we hope to do the same with the Wizards or Nationals.

How has Dacadence changed your college career?

DaCadence has shaped my entire college experience. I joined when I was a sophomore and DaCadence had just formed. The following semester, I became president. I put so much time into the group, and I absolutely love having my group members in my life. They have become a family to me, and even though some have left, many have also entered our family, and the tight knit bond we continue to grow is extremely rewarding.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?

 Definitely join if you love to sing. A cappella is a fantastic way to make our huge campus smaller, and it gives you a whole set of friends, who are generally pretty diverse. It’s a great musical outlet and we have so much fun preparing for shows and traveling to different places to sing with other groups. The whole community is awesome, and it’s really starting to grow!

PandemoniUM

Fact: PandemoniUM was founded in the Spring semester of 1993.

Fact: The group members call themselves pandas.

Fact: They are preparing for their upcoming show at Stamp on March 3 at 5 p.m.

“If you enjoy singing, it will be a decision that you will not regret,” said James Reeves, president of PandemoniUM.

What makes PandemoniUM different than other UMD a cappella groups?

We’re more focused on making beautiful music and creating meaningful relationships as opposed to competition. We compete occasionally, but what keeps us together is the strong bond between our members, almost like a family.

Where does the group perform? How often?

Memorial Chapel, D.C.,  and other college campuses.

Any notable experiences?

We travelled to JMU the first weekend of school to sing for a philanthropy event and had the time of our lives. We also placed first at the ICCA Quarterfinals in 2010.

How has PandemoniUM changed your college career?

It was the first thing I had done when I came to college, and they have been my best friends ever since. I currently live with two (soon to be three) members, and I can’t imagine college without them. It has also deepened my appreciation for music.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?

 Auditions are nerve-wracking, but we try to make them as stress free as possible! We hold auditions at the beginning of every semester, and we are always looking for new singers and beat boxers.

Faux Paz

Fact: Faux Paz was founded in the Spring semester of 1993.

Fact: The group is celebrating their 20th year anniversary at their Big Show at the end of the semester.

Fact: There are two stories circulating as to the origin of the group name, but no one knows which one is true.

“One of the best things about a cappella, is you can take a song that everyone knows and loves and change it up, add your own creativity, and embellish into your own new masterpiece.,” said Tanya Dastyar, president and business manager of Faux Paz.

What makes Faux Paz different than other UMD a cappella groups?

We usually end up selecting songs that aren’t the typical Top-40 songs that most a cappella groups are built on. Glee brought a cappella into the limelight, and it struck audiences because it was amazing to hear your favorite songs with no instruments, and just voices. It’s an amazing experience to hear “jin-jin-johhhh”s weave into a brand new song on the radio. In that sense, Faux Paz branches out a bit by choosing songs that we think we can add to, and really connect with.   We tend to select songs primarily based on our connection with the song, and what ideas we have, and I think that Faux Paz stray from the pack.

Where does the group perform? How often?

We rotate classrooms around campus, so we don’t have a specific home base. We typically practice twice a week, but around competitions we can have anywhere around 4 or more rehearsals of varying length.

Any notable experiences?

 The best moment was winning the quarterfinal round in the ICCAs. I can’t say that all my experiences with Faux have been happy. My first two years in the group were hard ones: the group was shattered by older members leaving, the current members were dropping out like flies, and we had no purpose. The group changed and evolved through the years, and it wasn’t easy. The remaining members worked hard to bring the pieces back together and not let Faux Paz break apart.

We have always been the underdogs, and we have always had harsh critiques, but last year we worked incredibly hard to do our best in our ICCA quarterfinals. We got placed in the Duke quarterfinal with all southern schools with huge reputations, and it didn’t seem like we had a chance. The impartial crowd gave us no support, but we represented Maryland and didn’t let it phase us. We did our best, and then were announced three special awards and won first place. I can’t even describe how amazing it felt, especially with the whole group crying out of joy singing our encore song. That moment reinforced that hard work pays off. Even with a struggling group, hard work and dedication got us to exactly where we wanted to be. We moved onto semifinals in Nashville, and place third there. I still can’t believe it.

How has Faux Paz changed your college career?

No where else would I have been given the opportunity to sing for President Loh, sing at private events for people who are changing the world, and simply make someone’s day with our voices.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?

I’d have to say that joining an a cappella group in an amazing experience. It is a huge dedication, and I see it as being a second major. It is a lot of work and effort, but in the end it completely pays off.

Kol Sasson

Fact: Kol Sasson was founded in 1997.

Fact: The group was the first Jewish a cappella on campus.

Fact: They performed at the White House for the past two presidents during the annual chanuka reception.

“Get ready for joining the craziest, funnest group of people you’ll ever get to be with on campus,” said Hannah Kaiser, president of Kol Sasson.

What makes Kol Sasson different than other UMD a cappella groups?

We get to take part in peoples bar mitzvahs, in Holocaust remembrance ceremonies, hundred of birthdays, and synogogue events. We participate in so many events, not just in the UMD community, but also in the local and national community.

Where does the group perform? How often?

On campus, we perform at Hillel a few times a year as well as at all of the University-run a cappella shows. Off campus, we perform at synogogue events, day schools, and the National Jewish Collegiate a Cappella Competition. We also go on tour to a different region in the country every spring break.

Any notable experiences?

We just recorded our sixth CD at the end of last semester. The whole process was really cool to experience and see what goes into making us sound the best we can possibly be. We’re about to release the CD in March; it can be purchased in physical CD form or on iTunes. We’re super excited!

How has Kol Sasson changed your college career?

It has given me a family on campus. I first joined the group to be a part of a professional group where I could enjoy singing with people who also have the same interests as I do. I’ve come to realize that I’ve gotten so much more out of it. Now, I have thirteen people on campus I know I can call at any time. We all have our crazy weird quirks but we all love each other despite it. We have the best time together and I am so thankful for them.

Advice for others interested in joining an a cappella group on campus?

Don’t give up in trying to find your niche within the a cappella community. Just don’t come in it with any expectations because this experience is crazy and different than anything you’ve really ever known, but everything you’ll get out of it is so worth it. 

• acapella