To begin I would just like say that I’m glad I was able to enjoy the warm weather while it lasted! Unfortunately, Mother Nature has seemingly decided that the winter season was just not long enough here in Scranton. I’m still hangin’ in there though, hopefully in a week or so the sun will shine once again and I’ll be able to walk across campus on beautiful 60 degree days.
However, despite the chilliness on campus this weekend, at least my heart was warmed by the beautiful sounds of a cappella. And as corny, cheesy, etc. as that may sound it couldn’t be more true. Last Friday Men and Women for Octaves welcomed the Ursinus College Bearitones, the school’s male a cappella ensemble. To no surprise, I was blown away! These young men were not only incredibly talented, but fun, friendly, passionate about their music, and all around engaging performers who really knew how to impress an audience. This was our first “real performance” of the semester and I was so pleased with the outcome. Between having a great turnout, hearing some of my favorite songs sung by a great group of people and of course sharing the stage with Octaves and Royal Harmony, I’d definitely rank the night 10 out of 10.
Men and Women for Octaves joined by the Ursinus College Bearitones in the Brennan Theater
Speaking of a cappella, I am pleased to announce that next year I will be taking over Men and Women for Octaves with my new role as president!
Although I’m absolutely nervous about some of the responsibilities, I could not be more excited. I love my group and Royal Harmony with all my heart and could never imagine my college experience thus far without singing and the amazing individuals I have met. Ever since high school I had always wanted to be in an a cappella group and no matter what I always aimed to sing at the collegiate level. To not only have accomplished that, but two leadership positions within the group as well, is truly something I’m proud of.
But I am not merely proud of this new role; I am honored and eager. To lead and organize a group of such talented young men and women, to give back to a club that has given me so much in just the last two years, means the world to me. Despite the hard work that will come along with this role, I’m positively anxious to see how my efforts can make the groups better than they already are. 🙂 MW48 pride!
And while I’m on this a cappella roll, I should also mention that this Friday Royal Harmony and Octaves will be taking a drive to the PNC Field in Moosic for the Railder’s game! We’ll be singing the national anthem and watching the game as well. This is my second time going to Railrider’s stadium with the group (last year we sang at opening day…at 4am!) , but this time we’ll be able to sing, relax and enjoy some baseball. This is just another one of the many events we’ll be performing at this semester! I must admit, we’re pretty booked for the next few weeks until our concert.
Well that’s all for now everyone 🙂 I hope this music-esque post of mine inspired you to listen to some a cappella music. Stay warm and enjoy the rest of the week!
Catherine E. Bombard
Hi! My name's Catherine, but you can call me Catie and I'm a sophomore from Wayne, NJ here at the University of Scranton. I'm an English major, Communication minor hoping to have a career in publishing one day. I'm a member and the publicist of Octaves, an a cappella group on campus, along with being a writer and editor for The Aquinas, the student newspaper. Thanks for checking out the student blogs and I hope you enjoy hearing about my "Scranton Experience"! :)
