Union students can get their own dose of “Glee” as the College’s a capella groups will take on singers from other schools in the first “Thruway A Capella: A Sing Off.”
The concert will be held on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the GE Theatre at Proctors, and is a benefit for the Community Land Trust of Schenectady.
The Dutch Pipers, Garnet Minstrelles and Eliphalets will compete against a capella groups from Marist College, SUNY New Paltz and Lafayette College. The three groups represent about 35 students. Held in previous years as their winter concert, this is the first time the groups have done a competition-style show.
Janet Grigsby, a senior lecturer in the Sociology department, reached out to the singing groups to organize a benefit for the land trust group, where she is a board member. “They responded gloriously,” Grigsby said of the students. “They’ve done this concert forever, and got really excited about making it a bigger deal.”
Patrick O’Hern ‘11, president of the Dutch Pipers, said Union’s groups will be showcasing songs they’ve never performed before in hopes of being crowned the “Champions of the Thruway.” The groups will perform hits by Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, All American Rejects, Blink 182, Sum 41 and more. Groups will be judged on musical ability, presentation and overall performance.
All proceeds from the concert go to the local land trust organization, which provides housing assistance to low income families. “It’s really nice because it’s a benefit for the community within the community,” O’Hern said.
Tickets can be purchased at the Reamer Campus Center or by calling Proctors at (518) 382-3884. The cost is $15 for general admission and $10 for Union students with ID.