List of collegiate a cappella groups in the UK
Encyclopedia
Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue was formed in 2000 by postgraduate Derek Smith, who, having arrived in Oxford after an undergraduate degree at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, noticed the distinct lack of an all-male a cappella group at the university. Since their inception, they have become one of the most successful university groups in the UK, having toured the UK, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the USA, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and acquiring four consecutive Fringe Sell-Out Awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2006 to 2009.
The group have taken part in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
(ICCAs) since 2006, and in 2009 they progressed to the grand final in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, coming second, having won the inaugural Voice Festival UK
The Voice Festival UK
The Voice Festival UK is the only UK-wide festival which celebrates the art of unaccompanied singing.The Festival's central purpose is to increase the awareness and popularity of the a cappella art form in the UK, and to support the development of the existing UK a cappella scene, by recruiting...
competition that year, which had replaced the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs.
In 2011 they took part in Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent (series 5)
The fifth series of Britain's Got Talent began on 16 April 2011 and ended on 4 June 2011. The winner of the show was Jai McDowall, who received £100,000 and a place at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance. The show was hosted by Ant & Dec on ITV, while Stephen Mulhern presented Britain's Got More...
and progressed to the live semifinals. They finished 4th in the 4th semifinal and therefore did not progress to the final.
The Oxford Belles
The Oxford Belles is one of the two all-female a cappella groups from the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. They were formed in 1995 by Helen Whiteley, a year-long visiting student from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
who had previously sung with The Virginia Belles
The Virginia Belles
The Virginia Belles is the University of Virginia's oldest all-female a cappella group based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The group was established in 1977 by Katherine Mitchell as the female counterpart to the Virginia Gentlemen, the university's oldest a cappella group...
.
In 2009, the group reached the London final of the Voice Festival UK and were confirmed as the best female group that year. Following this success, they travelled to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
later that year, and returned to America in 2010, this time to the West Coast and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In 2010 they took a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time since 2000 and received critical acclaim for their performances.
The Oxford Gargoyles
The Oxford Gargoyles is a mixed-voice jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
a cappella group formed in 1998. They have toured the United States several times, appearing at Disneyland in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
.
In 2007, the group won the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs and progressed to the final in New York. They won the Voice Festival UK in 2010.
They have appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year since 2006, and were awarded the status of a sell-out show in 2008.
The Oxford Alternotives
The Oxford Alternotives is a mixed-voice pop a cappella group and the oldest a cappella group from the University of Oxford.They have performed in America several times, including at the 9/11 memorial service for British victims in New York in 2005.
In 2009, the group came second in the Voice Festival UK, winning awards for 'Outstanding Arrangement' and 'Outstanding Soloist'.
In The Pink
In The Pink is one of the two all-female a cappella groups from the University of Oxford. They were formed in 2002.In 2006, the group participated in the ICCAs in Western European semifinal in Oxford. They finished third, with Alexandra Godfree winning the award for 'Outstanding Arrangement' on "Rainy Days and Mondays
Rainy Days and Mondays
"Rainy Days and Mondays" is a 1971 song by The Carpenters that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was also the duo's fourth #1 song on the Adult Contemporary singles chart...
". In 2007 they entered again, and despite not placing in the top three, Rebecca Dale won the award for 'Outstanding Vocal Percussion'. In 2008, the group participated again, this time in the first of two quarterfinals. This time Suzannah Merchant claimed the award for 'Outstanding Vocal Percussion'.
They appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 2005 and are set to do so again in 2011. As a result of their performance in 2010, they appeared on the Richard Bacon show on Radio 4.
The group have recorded five studio albums: Naked (2005), Tickled Pink (2006), All Mouth No Trousers (2007), By Any Other Name (2008) and their latest effort, Pinkredible (2010).
Cadenza
Cadenza is a mixed-voice group formed originally in 1997 as a small jazz choir, complete with conductor and band, which was changed in 2002 to its present setup as a smaller close harmony a cappella group.In March 2011, the group won the Voice Festival UK and travelled to New York to compete in the ICCA final in April 2011. They did not place in the top three.
Fitz Barbershop
Fitz Barbershop is an all-male a cappella group that only takes members from Fitzwilliam CollegeFitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
. At Christmas 2009, they went to Berlin to busk at the Christmas markets, and were featured on the German 24-hour news channel.
In 2009, the group entered the inaugural Voice Festival UK competition in the Cambridge semifinal. They won the award for 'Outstanding Musicality' for Wonderful Tonight
Wonderful Tonight
"Wonderful Tonight" is a song written by Eric Clapton. It was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand and released as a single the following year. Clapton wrote the song about Pattie Boyd, and it is mentioned in her autobiographical book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me...
. In 2010 they entered again, winning the award for 'Outstanding Performance' and the 'Ward Swingle
Ward Swingle
Ward Swingle is an American vocalist and jazz musician.Swingle was born in Mobile, Alabama. He studied music, particularly jazz, from a very young age. He was playing in Mobile-area Big Bands before finishing high school. After high school, Swingle graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Cincinnati...
Award for Originality', gifting them a wild card
Wild card
Wild card may refer to:* Wild card , a playing card that substitutes for any other card in card games* Wild card , a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play...
into the London final. They went on to claim the 'Outstanding Performance' award again in the final.
The Fitz Sirens
The Fitz Sirens is an all-female a cappella group affiliated to Fitzwilliam College. It is the oldest a cappella group in Cambridge, and has performed at many presitigous venues, including 10 Downing Street10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
and The House of Lords.
In 2010, the group reached the final of the Voice Festival UK, where they won the award for 'Outstanding Musicality'.
The Other Guys
The Other Guys was formed in 2004 and are the only all-male a cappella group from the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
. They are perhaps best known for their YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
hit "Royal Romance", a tribute to the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their...
, which gained recognition in the rest of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
within a week, and the video also appeared on "Webtastic" on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
.
The group entered the ICCAs for the first time in 2007, when St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
hosted the Western European quarterfinal, and progressed to the semifinal in London. They repeated this success in the following year. In 2009 they progressed to the London final of the inaugural Voice Festival UK competition.
The Alleycats
The Alleycats is a mixed-voice a cappella group formed in 2001, making them the oldest a cappella group at the University of St Andrews. Having originally been an all-male group, in 2007 girls were allowed to audition for the first time, and now the group consists of roughly half and half.In 2008, the group appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Last Choir Standing
Last Choir Standing
Last Choir Standing was a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. Broadcast on BBC One in July and August 2008, the series saw amateur choirs competing each week to be the 'last choir standing'....
, making it to the final 15. The group also took a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2010 and plan to do so in August 2011.
In 2009 and 2010, the group progressed to the final of the Voice Festival UK in London. In 2009, Lizzy Weintz won the award for 'Outstanding Arrangement' in the final. In 2010, the group received the 'Outstanding Performance' award.
The Accidentals
The Accidentals is an all-female a cappella group.In 2010 they progressed from the St Andrews semifinal of the Voice Festival UK to the London final having won the award for 'Outstanding Performance'. In 2011 they achieved this success again, with Anna McDonald winning the award for 'Outstanding Soloist' for her performance of Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
's Rolling in the Deep
Rolling in the Deep
"Rolling in the Deep" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21. The song was written by Paul Epworth and Adele, who described it as a "dark blues-y gospel disco tune". It was first released on 29 November 2010 as the lead single of the album.The song has...
and Ellie Mason winning the award for 'Outstanding Vocal Percussion' at the semifinal. In the final, the group were highly commended for their arrangement of Price Tag
Price Tag
"Price Tag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, featuring American rapper B.o.B. It was released on 28 January 2011 in the United Kingdom as the second single from Jessie J's debut studio album, Who You Are. "Price Tag" was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B, and it...
, as well as their Vocal Percussion.
The Hummingbirds
The Hummingbirds is an all-female a cappella group. They have competed in the Voice Festival UK since its inception in 2008.Augmented Seven
Augmented Seven is a mixed-voice a cappella group from the University of BirminghamUniversity of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
formed in 2010 by Tom Johnson and Mark Nathan. They were University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
's first a cappella group and only mixed group.
In 2011, the group entered the Voice Festival UK at the inaugural Birmingham semifinal, and progressed to the final after winning the 'Outstanding Performance' award.
The Birmingham Songbirds
The Birmingham Songbirds is an all-female a cappella group. In 2011 they took part in the first Birmingham semifinal of the Voice Festival UK.The Lorelites
The Lorelites is an all-female a cappella group formed in January 2011. In 2011 they took part in the first Birmingham semifinal of the Voice Festival UK.Sons of Pitches
Sons of Pitches is an all-male a cappella group formed in October 2010 by Mark Nathan. In 2011, they took part in the inaugural Birmingham semifinal of the Voice Festival UK.All The King's Men
All The King's Men is the first and only all-male a cappella group from King's College, London. They were formed by freshers in September 2009, and went on to have a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2010.In 2011, they entered the Voice Festival UK and won their regional round, also claiming the award for 'Outstanding Musicality'. In the final, they won the award for 'Outstanding Performance' with their mashup
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights (song)
"Boogie Nights" is a 1976 single by the British-based funk-disco group Heatwave. It was the group's debut single and was written by Rod Temperton. It was included on Heatwave's debut album, Too Hot to Handle...
and I Don't Feel Like Dancing. In the summer of that year, they returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The King's Chix
The King's Chix is an all-female a cappella group from King's College formed in 2007 by Alice Whiteley.In 2009, they released their debut album, Free Range and have continued to put on gigs all over London. After a successful first outing in the Voice Festival 2010, the Chix are working on new arrangements for the next year.The Techtonics
The Techtonics is an all-male a cappella group from Imperial College LondonImperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
formed in the summer of 2008 by Christian Carter and Ed Brightman. The group became an immediate success on campus, coming second on Imperial Idol 2009, and appearing alongside Athlete
Athlete (band)
Athlete are a British rock band formed in Deptford, London, comprising Joel Pott , Carey Willetts , Stephen Roberts and Tim Wanstall...
and Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
at Imperial's Summer Ball that year.
In 2010, they participated in the Cambridge semifinal of the Voice Festival UK, and Carter received the award for 'Outstanding Arrangement' of Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
' "Come Undone". The following year, they competed in the newly-formed London semifinal, and won the award for 'Outstanding Performance'.
The group took a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for a week in the summer of 2010 and sold out on their final performance. They recorded an album in 2010 and regularly busk on Portobello Road on a Saturday morning.
Between 28 August and 4 September 2011, the group embarked upon a tour of Croatia alongside the Imperial College Chamber Choir, and competed in the Vocal Marathon a cappella competition. They were described as "setting the audience on fire" and bringing a "fresh and positive energy" to the competition.
Harmaphrodite
Harmaphrodite is a group formed in 2006 by Jessica Gillingwater. The group have performed at Exhibition Road Music Day in 2006 and 2007.Absolute Harmony
Absolute Harmony is an mixed-voice a cappella group formed in 1997 at Royal Holloway, University of LondonRoyal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
as 'Alternative Harmony' by Regina Yau, who didn't feel there was much opportunity for the average student to sing in an informal, unauditioned choir. After the group disintegrated somewhat due to Yau taking a year abroad, she returned, influenced by several American collegiate a cappella groups and decided to convert the group into an a cappella group, with a smaller group of members meeting more often to form 'Absolute Harmony'. The group was instrumental in the inauguration of the first ever British Inter-collegiate Contemporary Championship of A Cappella (BICCAs).
Eventually the name of the entire group changed to 'Absolute Harmony', with a smaller group, 'Hardcore Harmony', meeting more regularly to work towards competitions.
The University of Bristol Barbershop Singers
The University of Bristol Barbershop Singers (TUBBS) is an unauditioned choir formed in 2004 at the University of BristolUniversity of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
by Patrick Williams, and today sings a range of styles of music, including a cappella.
Choral Stimulation
Choral Stimulation is a mixed-voice a cappella group from Glasgow University formed in 2008. Since 2010, they have competed in the Voice Festival UK at the St Andrews semifinal. In 2011, they won the award for 'Outstanding Performance' for their arrangement entitled "Night at the Movies", which incorporated theme tunes from several Hollywood blockbusters, including The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
, Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Marshall , written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
.
The Forget-Me-Nots
The Forget-Me-Nots is an all-female a cappella quartetQuartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
based at Edinburgh University. Formed in December 2010, they have been previously known as The Crackerjacks, Fourplay and Babestation. Since its inception, the group has performed at several events around Edinburgh, including parties and fundraisers. In the summer of 2011, the group took a free show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The Leeds A Cappella Singers
The Leeds A Cappella Singers is Leeds University's only a cappella group. They have performed at the British Heart Foundation Ball, various University Union events and at the Riley and JCR Awards. In 2012, they will be entering the Voice Festival UK.Hoi Rhapsodoi
Hoi Rhapsodoi is a mixed a cappella octet from Exeter University. Formed in 2008 by Erika Borley and Tom Simpson, they sing a huge mix of secular and sacred music.Madrigals
The Madrigals is a mixed a cappella group from Exeter University formed in 2008 by Ben Pennington. They specialise in singing madrigalsMadrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
.