Kerckhoff concert to feature a cappella groups

On most nights, UCLA’s various a cappella groups can be heard rehearsing in the classrooms of Schoenberg Hall or even in parking structures. Monday night, these groups will be performing as coffee simmers behind the counter of Kerckhoff Coffee House.

Six of UCLA’s premier a cappella groups are set to fill the coffee house with multi-layered vocals as the latest artists to take part in the Cultural Affairs Commission’s Kerckhoff Coffee House Concert Series. The evening will sample 15-minute sets in which each group will take the stage for a condensed performance of their respective latest works.

President and third-year psychobiology student Anya Platt of Cadenza a cappella, one of the university’s all-female a cappella groups, said this is the first time in recent history that several a cappella groups will all perform at the Kerckhoff Coffee House on one night.

“In the past it has just been soloists or bands and this is kind of a new thing that (CAC is) trying out so I am really excited,” Platt said. “It probably seems like (Kerckhoff) should be an a cappella venue. … So I think that it’s good that this is finally happening.”

Platt said groups will showcase their own style, sound and presence on stage, while uniting together in a mutual appreciation for a cappella.

“I think that people are getting more and more experimental with their sound in terms of what their voices can do,” Platt said. “We’re not just making harmonies. We’re making crazy strange noises and when you put that all together, it really works.”

One dynamic element of a cappella is the creation of percussion through vocals. Third-year Design | Media Arts student and beatboxer of all-female group Random Voices, Julia Ramos, does just that, said second-year physiological science student and music director Megan Gaumond.

“We are very lucky to have (Ramos),” Gaumond said. “She (was a finalist) in the (American Beatboxing Championships) when she was younger which is a pretty big deal. She can do random noises with her voice and some very unique and interesting effects.”

Random Voices tries to create a full sound that is sometimes difficult to achieve in a female group, Gaumond said.

“Some of the girls in our groups naturally have lower ranges than others and some of them throughout the years have been able to expand their range to be able to sing lower or higher and can do it in both directions,” Gaumond said.

The evening will also feature co-ed a cappella groups ScatterTones, YOUTHphonics A Cappella, Resonance A Cappella, and MEDleys. Third-year human biology and society student and co-manager of MEDleys Sam Wang said the group performs contemporary material such as indie rock band Local Natives along with older material such as folk singer Joni Mitchell.

“At MEDleys what we go for is music with a message. I think that’s what it’s all about,” Wang said. “We basically can sing anything, but it doesn’t really matter to us unless the lyrics and the music actually mean something and that is what we strive for.”

Wang said friendship and appreciation of music creation keeps the members of MEDleys determined and allows them to succeed in its live performances.

“It’s great because we are all very close. We enjoy each other’s company, and we also get to sing with each other,” Wang said. “Imagine having, in our case, 13 best friends that you can sing with all the time.”

Monday night will be an opportunity for the voices of UCLA a cappella to come together under one performance and interact with the school community, Wang said.

“One of the things that I personally love the most about a cappella is that you are forming a direct connection with your audience,” Wang said. “You’re not performing with any instruments, you are just singing, so it really gives you a chance to connect with the people you are singing with.”