Presenter Information

Megan Hassey, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Diamond 344

Start Date

1-5-2014 9:00 AM

End Date

1-5-2014 12:00 PM

Project Type

Presentation

Description

Colby Colleges a cappella community has yet to be studied for its cultural significance within the a cappella community or in the campus as a whole. Therefore, my research focuses on the a cappella group Mayflower Chill, the newest a cappella ensemble at Colby. Mayflower Chill was formed in 2013 as a means for offering styles not typically heard in a cappella concerts. My analysis focuses on how individuals created a space for hip-hop/R&B music within the a cappella community and what this creation means for this specific community and broader Colby College community today and in the future. To conduct my research, I used both observation and interview. Observations allowed me to take in the group dynamics at play within the ensemble and then formulate appropriate questions for interviews. These observations were complemented well by interviews because they could reveal more personal thoughts on various aspects of the group. Through this research, I have found that, first, the a cappella groups on campus do understand themselves as part of an a cappella community, and second, that this community is enriching its musical diversity through Mayflower Chill and their exploration of hip-hop/R&B a cappella performances. Through this project, I hope to convey the significance of the diversity that Mayflower Chill brings to the a cappella community and Colby College community as a whole, and what this means for the future of a cappella music at Colby.

Faculty Sponsor

Natasha Zelensky

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Music Dept.

CLAS Field of Study

Humanities

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

597

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May 1st, 9:00 AM May 1st, 12:00 PM

MU262: Enriching A Cappella on Mayflower Hill

Diamond 344

Colby Colleges a cappella community has yet to be studied for its cultural significance within the a cappella community or in the campus as a whole. Therefore, my research focuses on the a cappella group Mayflower Chill, the newest a cappella ensemble at Colby. Mayflower Chill was formed in 2013 as a means for offering styles not typically heard in a cappella concerts. My analysis focuses on how individuals created a space for hip-hop/R&B music within the a cappella community and what this creation means for this specific community and broader Colby College community today and in the future. To conduct my research, I used both observation and interview. Observations allowed me to take in the group dynamics at play within the ensemble and then formulate appropriate questions for interviews. These observations were complemented well by interviews because they could reveal more personal thoughts on various aspects of the group. Through this research, I have found that, first, the a cappella groups on campus do understand themselves as part of an a cappella community, and second, that this community is enriching its musical diversity through Mayflower Chill and their exploration of hip-hop/R&B a cappella performances. Through this project, I hope to convey the significance of the diversity that Mayflower Chill brings to the a cappella community and Colby College community as a whole, and what this means for the future of a cappella music at Colby.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/289