Nicole Boysen | Contributing Writer & Stephanie Steiner | Arts & Life Editor

Three years ago marked the release of the film Pitch Perfect, starting an a cappella craze that has struck college campuses across the nation. Even now, the trend is still going strong with the sequel’s release happening in less than a month. In celebration of such an active time for a cappella music, it is time to talk about our very own a cappella groups on Buena Vista University’s (BVU) campus.

What was once the Vista Singers has now become Bella Voce and the Arpeggibros under the careful guidance of Music Director Dr. Merrin Guice. Very similar to the Barden Bellas and The Treblemakers in Pitch Perfect, Bella Voce are all women while the Arpeggibros are all men, each group consisting of thirteen members. Bella Voce and the Arpeggibros debuted their talent last semester by opening for Six Appeal, with the ladies singing an arrangement of “Bottom of the River” by Delta Rae and the boys singing “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” by Fall Out Boy. Recently, both groups have had flash performances around campus, recorded and uploaded to Facebook for your viewing pleasure.

Junior Arpeggibros member Austin Delp describes the opportunities these groups are opening a door to.

“Whether it’s in your car, with a group of friends, or even in the shower, everyone sings and listens to music. This is that opportunity to spend time with a group of people that enjoy singing and making music just as much as I do. A cappella isn’t limited either, as we sing all of sorts of genres, and hopefully we experiment in the future with other genres that we haven’t done yet,” Delp said.

Why a cappella? For her second year of teaching at BVU, Dr. Guice wanted a music group that contrasted the style of music the choir performed, as well as something recognizable that would gain attention on campus. Once the groups get a more solid footing, she hopes to have them lead themselves. She sees this as an opportunity for members to become student leaders, not just in choir, but on campus as well.

“The first exciting opportunity to sing in front of a live audience we had was opening for Six Appeal, which was the professional a cappella group that sang on campus last semester. Also, we started to talk about the flash mob idea a few months ago and decided it would be a fun way to spread some awareness of our group,” Delp said. “Next year, I know we plan to have a table set up at The Plunge to find people interested in doing auditions, which will be available to anyone on campus, not just people in choir.”

The a cappella groups will be holding auditions next fall. To get a feel for Bella Voce and the Arpeggibros, a performance by both groups will take place on May 6 at 7 p.m. in the Underground.

“We hope in the next few years that these groups can be something that many people want to be a part of or listen to,” Delp said.

Graphic by Justice Gage