Scott BresslerLast night at Graham Chapel, the second annual Rhythms for Rebuilding featured several firsts for the a cappella community and a new focus based on themes of hunger and poverty.
The only concert featuring all nine groups of the A Cappella Auditions Council (ACAC), Rhythms for Rebuilding debuted last year in Graham Chapel as the most successful benefit concert in Washington University’s history, raising more than $3,084 to aid reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in late August 2005.
This year’s theme, hunger and poverty in the community and internationally, was chosen after the Alliance of Students Against Poverty (ASAP) and the a cappella community decided to join forces for this year’s show.
This year’s concert is also being hailed a success, with more than $2,600 raised at press time.
“I think it was incredibly successful, not only in raising money but raising awareness and getting people out to learn more about the causes that diverse groups from poverty-related groups to a cappella groups support on Wash. U.’s campus,” said senior Liz Kramer, public outreach chair for ASAP.
ASAP will be splitting the proceeds between two charities, Centenary CARES (CC), a soup kitchen in downtown St. Louis, and Meds and Foods for Kids (MFK), a group aimed at helping malnourished children in Haiti.
Senior Chandan Khandai, concert coordinator and member of the Amateurs, said the charities symbolize the domestic and international scope of the show’s focus, with CC reflecting the local aspect and MFK the international aspect.
The theme of Rhythms for Rebuilding will change yearly, but the structure of the show will remain the same.
“[The show] is not as much about the fundraising as it is about raising awareness, and there are so many different causes and issues to be aware of,” said Khandai. “So we felt it best to change the cause each year but to keep the same structure.”
This year’s concert featured the nine ACAC groups that performed last year and a 10th group added this year, the contemporary Christian group known as Deliverance.
According to Khandai, with non-ACAC group Deliverance now part of the show, Rhythms for Rebuilding now features the campus’s entire a cappella community in the same show for the first time ever.
Members of Deliverance, which formed three years ago, were excited about being part of the show. Before this show, most of the group’s performances were outside the scope of the University’s a cappella community.
“We’re excited to be part of the a cappella community, because we’ve wanted to be at that level for a while now,” said junior Tyler Peck, a member of Deliverance. “It’s taken three years or so to build up our style and performance ability.”
According to Peck and senior Joyce Huang, also a member of Deliverance, the group chose songs with themes of hope and community to complement the charitable angle of the show.
Also new this year this year was a song featuring the seniors from all 10 groups, the first time the entire a cappella community has performed a senior song.
The selection, “Candle on the Water” from Disney’s animated film “Pete’s Dragon,” was directed by senior Chris Stephenson and closed out the show.
“We hope that it will be a new tradition embraced by the Wash. U. community, in the same way that senior dance is done at the cultural shows,” said Khandai. “This provides a way for the seniors in Wash. U. a cappella to be honored for their years of dedication and passion for entertaining the Wash. U. community.”
The show once again featured speeches by members of campus community service organizations between sets to raise awareness of different service opportunities on campus.
Students enjoyed the show and applauded its cause.
“I thought it was really great for everybody to be able to hear all of the a cappella groups together, and it’s all for a good cause,” said sophomore Snow Powers.
The show’s cost was fully subsidized by Student Union, the Community Service Office and ASAP.
With Khandai graduating in May, assistant concert coordinator Charlie Franklin will be taking the reins next year.
“I’m very excited to be coordinating Rhythms for Rebuilding in 2008,” said Franklin, a sophomore. “I really believe in the concert’s cause. It raises a lot of money, and it benefits some great organizations in the St. Louis area.”
-With additional reporting by Sam Guzik.