Calling all students interested in vocal music! The sun is rising on a new club at UMD–a completely student-run A capella group. The Bark got in touch with the club’s founder and president, freshman music-education student Quinn Major, and its vice-president, Harper Worrell Hatzung.

“I wanted to create a space where singers who weren’t interested in or couldn’t be in the bigger UMD choirs could come and create music,” Major said, referring to UMD’s official auditioned and non-auditioned ensembles such as University Singers and Concert Chorale, which each typically involve up to eighty students.

“We’re gonna encourage people who aren’t in UMD choirs to audition, so that they can, you know, still have that choir experience. I like having freedom to create what the group wants to create, and be able to collaborate with a bunch of different people on something that we’re all very passionate about.” Worrell Hatzung added, “Like any music program, we want to build a strong inner community and spread joy through music. Having this group be a student organization opens up endless opportunities to have equal input from everyone in the group on song selection, arrangements, choreography, and the image of the group.”

Not interested in singing? The club is also in need of students for things like vocal percussion, music arrangement, and even club management. “We are looking for someone to help manage the logistics of it, like finding music, reserving venues, organizing fundraisers, that kind of stuff,” Major explained. “The manager doesn’t have to be a part of the singing choir; they just have to be good at managing.”

However, for the students who are interested in singing, this choir is open to any year and area of study. “We’re looking for passionate people. Students who are called to music,” said Worrell Hatzung. When asked about how students can get involved, Major said, “There will be a poster going up around campus with a link to a Google Form to fill out. You’ll fill that out with your experience and what kind of music you’re interested in singing. And once you do that, the email collected from it will receive an email with audition information and a link to sign up for an audition date.” Auditions are going to be November twenty-first and twenty-second.

Major has experience as a choir section leader and director, and Worrell Hatzung has experience with past a capella groups. The two have a lot of ambition and passion for the new club as it gets started. Major explained, “I’m hoping that within the next couple of years, we’ll be able to go caroling around different parts of Duluth, perform at local venues, and even in Weber Music Hall.”

For any inquiries, contact Quinn Major at major146@d.umn.edu, and keep an eye out for the club’s posters around campus within the next couple of weeks. And, most importantly, get excited for a new, innovative vocal music opportunity at UMD.

The Latest Addition to UMD’s Vocal Music Scene