SU a cappella groups realize ‘Pitch Perfect dreams’ at ‘Riff Off and Roses’
On Sunday, Syracuse University's University Union partnered with SU's A Cappella Council to host “Riff Off and Roses.” The "Pitch Perfect"-inspired riff-off show marked the first partnership between UU and ACCSU. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
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Goldstein Auditorium transformed into a “Pitch Perfect” fan’s fantasy on Sunday night. Instead of The Barden Bellas and The Treblemakers, all of Syracuse University’s a cappella groups fought their own vocal battles on stage.
“My favorite fun fact to say to everyone is I’m living out my ‘Pitch Perfect’ dreams,” said Sanjana Venkatesh, an SU freshman in Main Squeeze.
This Sunday, University Union partnered with SU’s A Cappella Council to host their very own “Pitch Perfect”-inspired “riff-off,” “Riff Off and Roses.” The event featured all six of SU’s a cappella groups – including Oy Cappella, Otto Tunes, Groovestand, The Mandarins, Main Squeeze and Orange Appeal – with each performing two arrangements during the show.
In the iconic scenes from the “Pitch Perfect” trilogy, the top a cappella groups compete in a high-energy riff-off. Similar to these scenes, each SU a cappella group would take turns singing a tune. Then shortly after, they are interrupted by another group’s singing. To transition, the song must start with a word from the previous group’s last song. Sunday’s riff-off was Valentine’s Day-themed, with the groups singing love songs.
Right after the riff-off concluded, there was a free showing of the first “Pitch Perfect” movie for anyone in attendance.
Members from the ACCSU were excited for the event because of the movie’s popularity, said Bella Thier, SU senior and member of Groovestand. For some groups, the series has become a tradition. Every spring semester, members of Groovestand watch the “Pitch Perfect” series together in an Airbnb on a yearly retreat, Thier said.
Hosted by Syracuse University’s University Union and SU’s A Cappella Council, “Riff Off and Roses” included performances from all six ACCSU groups. The groups included Oy Cappella, Otto Tunes, Groovestand, The Mandarins, Main Squeeze and Orange Appeal. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
Some attendees, like SU sophomore Morgan Hodge, attended the riff-off because of their love for the movie.
“It was definitely a childhood cult classic, I remember getting the DVD for Christmas, and I knew it word for word,” Hodge said.
SU juniors Stephanie Francisco and Mileyna Ziemak said they were influenced to go to more a cappella events in the future, especially ones with themes that allow students to perform together.
Music directors from each a cappella group sent in their repertoires to the ACCSU, who put a set together based on the lyrics. The members from the council met prior to the riff-off to make sure the arrangements fit well together, Venkatesh said.
This was the first event that UU has hosted with ACCSU. UU board members tried to give the groups full creative direction in the way the performance would go, UU’s cinemas director, Jordan Burda said.
It was very trial and error for the groups while prepping for the riff-off since they are mixing keys, time signatures and having to match up the words, said Sanai Fowler, SU junior and member of Main Squeeze.
Even though this riff-off was rehearsed — unlike the “Pitch Perfect” riff-offs, which are improvised — the ACCSU groups played into the competitive movie-like atmosphere. Hodge said it was fun that they all equally participated and acted out the ways they interrupted each other in the movie.
With the attendance of all six groups from ACCSU, this is one of the only events, outside of Cozy Cappella and After Hours, where all student groups perform together on stage, said Micah Greenberg, president of the ACCSU and senior member of Otto Tunes. Typically, the groups also gather to sing the alma mater together on Family Weekend — though this performance didn’t happen this year.
It was important for ACCSU to make sure they had another moment to perform all together, Greenberg said.
“Nothing really brings this organization together like being able to sing together on the same stage,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg said his friends always ask him if the a cappella groups do riff-offs. Until now, he always had to tell them no. Now, he finally can tell them yes.
“We don’t really do riff-offs and I wanted to change that,” Greenberg said. “If there’s one thing that really brings people together, it’s music and it’s a fantastic way to get a cappella and ACCSU in the minds of people on campus.”
