Sophomore a cappella star stuns in collegiate, professional shows

Leah Hardgrove | Staff Writer

While he is a part of the Washington University Amateurs, sophomore Ben Vance is an a cappella professional. For most of his life, Vance has been creative and musically-inclined, but a cappella especially has shaped who he is today.

Through playing cello for his middle school’s music department, Vance made several close friends in choir who always encouraged him to audition for the ensemble, but he never really pursued it until sophomore year of high school. Since then, a cappella has been a central part of his life.

“I love the bond that producing music with other people creates. Something about it is so special and unique,” Vance remarked, sharing that he has met some of his closest friends through a cappella. The best part of being in the Amateurs, for Vance, is the people. “When you have to spend upwards of seven hours a week with the same people every week of the semester, you really do become a family. You have love for them, even when you do want to punch them directly in the eyeball.”

This connection he built with his collegiate team has brought so much into Vance’s life. After an Amateurs alumna recommended him to the professional a cappella group Hyannis Sound, Vance submitted an audition tape, attended numerous in-person audition rounds in Boston, and eventually earned a spot amongst nine other group members as tenor and public relations manager. For the first part of last summer, he spent six hours a day rehearsing and bonding with his group members. A few weeks later, Hyannis Sound transitioned into performing weekly concerts and singing at private events. Throughout the rest of the break, Vance continued to perform in Cape Cod, Mass. with his group at private events while simultaneously meeting new people, working on his talents and wearing a lot of Vineyard Vines.

Many of Vance’s favorite memories have been from his a cappella experiences. “Probably the coolest performance I’ve ever been a part of was in my senior year in high school, when my group got to perform at the Beacon Theatre in New York City for the International Championship of Collegiate a Cappella finals.” As a member of one of the top three teams, Vance and his school group performed to a sold-out crowd during the judges’ deliberation. “It was absolutely amazing, and I will never forget it.” Performing for pop star Sara Bareilles and getting featured on her Instagram has also been a major highlight in Vance’s a cappella career.

A cappella isn’t just glamorously performing for North Eastern elites and sold out crowds; the process of picking a song and rehearsing is hard work. Once a group picks a song, somebody, or sometimes a group of people, must arrange the music, meaning they must completely re-conceptualize pre-composed music. This can take anywhere from a day to months, as it can require intense reharmonization and melodic paraphrasing. For a cappella, this can be especially difficult, as it must be fit around voices instead of instruments. Once the song is arranged, members learn it in sections depending on vocal part and voice type, such as alto, soprano, tenor and bass. Eventually, all members come together to sing it as a whole, focusing on musical details and sometimes adding choreography.

“I have seen the results of hard work and determination,” Vance said. Being a part of an a cappella team for so long has helped him learn important skills, such as how to be a more productive and positively contributing member of a group. When people with all different experiences and preferences form a team, it’s important that everyone contribute and offer inspiration. When it comes to inspiration and musical role models, Vance says many artists influence his music, including Amy Winehouse, Antwaun Stanley, Beyonce, Ella Fitzgerald and Nai Palm.

A cappella has impacted Vance’s life greatly. “It has introduced me to my best friends and given me some of my funniest, most challenging and most cherished memories.” While he doesn’t think he’ll continue with a cappella after college, Vance would like to continue doing something musical with his life after he graduates. Even if Vance hadn’t auditioned four years ago for his high school a cappella group, he definitely would still be doing something musical.

Two weeks ago, on Feb. 9, Vance and the Washington University Amateurs competed in the 2019 International Championship of Collegiate a Cappella Midwest Quarterfinal, where they placed second. They’ll continue to compete in semifinals on March 30 at Washington University, alongside eight other teams including the Washington University Stereotypes.

For Vance, a cappella isn’t just an extracurricular activity. It’s a life-altering experience that has shaped who he is today. As he continues to grow and try other creative outlets, a cappella will always be something special for him.

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