Dartmouth students who thought they would have to endure the summer without the sound of a cappella will be happy to hear the Dartmouth Summerphonics singing throughout the term.
The Summerphonics is the only student a cappella group at Dartmouth that performs in the summer, said Matt Wrobel '99, business manager of the Summerphonics.
Laura Gibson '99, musical director for the Summerphonics, said the group was formed in 1988 by the Dodecaphonics to keep people singing for the summer.
The Summerphonics are comprised of the Dodecaphonics and new members who audition to be part of the group just for the Summer term.
The 14 members of the Summerphonics include seven new members.
Open auditions, held last Thursday, concluded with two new members formerly from the Rockappellas, one from the Aires and one from the Decibelles.
The Dodecs is the only a capella group on campus that decided to continue performing during the summer, said Peter Land '99, a member of the Aires.
Land said he joined the Summerphonics to continue singing year round.
"The people that make up the core of the group are all Dodecs, but the Summerphonics are a different group. I don't think anyone thinks of us in terms of Dodecs or Rocks," said Rachel Derkits '99, a member of the Rocks.
Derkits said she liked the idea of the Summerphonics' tradition, and she felt that singing was more relaxed and less intense in the summer.
The focus is more on learning the music and having fun rather than perfecting a certain number of pieces, Gibson said.
"Our priority is to sing well," Wrobel said, "but the group is mostly about having fun."
The lighter atmosphere doesn't mean that the Summerphonics will be any less busy. In addition to their normal rehearsals, an anticipated 10 to 15 shows and a summer road trip to Cape Cod in the works, the singers have a packed routine.
"We have some new songs and a selection of older Dodec songs, but it gets a little rough trying to learn all the new songs in such a short time," Wrobel said.
The Summerphonics group sings together only during the Summer term, but its newer members are invited to audition for the Dodecs in the fall, Wrobel said.
