Initial Topic Post: Collegiate A Cappella at Brown

It all began in 1949 when the first a cappella group at Brown, the Jabberwocks (all-male), was first established. Since that time, the number has ballooned to 16, the most students involved in a cappella per capita of any American University. Because there are so many different groups, there has been a branching out, creating niches. There are jazz, pop, rock, performance, themed, classical, and many others which can be all-male, all-female, or co-ed . The complex interactions both between and within the groups are a critical part of many students' Brown experience. For my ethnography project, I plan to work with Sami Horneff and Chantel Whittle in trying to observe, study, and compare the unique circumstances present in the Brown a cappella scene, from the muscal aspects like arranging and performance to the social aspects like group dynamic. We plan to focus on three different a cappella groups (one all-male, one all-female, and one co-ed).

Some questions we hope to explore are:
-Who joins an a cappella group? As a cappella is a huge commitment, why would these students choose to devote such a large amount of time to a cappella music? Are they doing it to further a musical career? To make social connections in the a cappella community? Purely for fun?
-At what sorts of venues do different groups perform? How do the groups get these gigs?
-What kinds of interactions are there between groups? Is there an inherent competition to be the best group on campus? Does the a cappella community operate as one whole or as many separate groups?
-Who are the fans of a cappella? Do a cappella groups have “groupies” as a band might?
-How do a cappella groups choose which songs to sing? Do they arrange their own music? How do they pick solos and voice parts?
-What is the audition process like? How do they choose who gets into the group?
- What is the repertoire? Which types of songs get the best reception from crowds?
- Are there broader differences in a cappella groups based on gender? What do all-male groups think all-female groups are like (and vice versa)? How do boys and girls interact within a co-ed group?

To research these questions, we plan to observe rehearsal and performance, survey the fan base of the various groups, and conduct questionnaires of the members of the groups themselves. Because all of us are already involved in the scene, objectivity will [hopefully] be preserved by studying groups in which we are not involved (namely the Bear Necessities, Higher Keys, and Ursa Minors). By using a a broader perspective and a comparative approach to looking at the unique culture of a cappella at Brown, we hope to learn more about our own involvement.