Rock-Apella

The stage was set, the anticipation palpable. On April 24, the Haldane Auditorium was not just a performance space; it was a launchpad for a brand-new sound. That night, the Haldane Blue Notes and the Blues Devils unleashed their combined vocal power in a concert dubbed “Rock-Appella.”

The typical winter concert features performances from many classes and clubs. Chorus Teacher Samuel Sauer shared that students in these groups, who only met once a week, often felt burned out when it came time for a concert in early December. Furthermore, Blues Devils adviser Christian Hoolan noted that the amount of groups performing meant the night would stretch on too long. With this new format, the Blues Devils went from performing only three to four songs to six.

An additional reason for the establishment of Rock-Appella was the difference in the styles of each club. The winter concert is a more formal event, and both club advisors felt the need for a space with a new vibe where the members of Blue Notes and Blues Devils could come together and perform more authentically. They wanted a space where people could get up and dance to the music during the performances.

As guests entered the auditorium, they were greeted by members from both clubs. Conversations between groups buzzed through the air as the anticipation of the event built up. The chairs were set up in small groups of five rows. When the rows of chairs ended, the floor was left open as a space for people to dance. It resembled a pit that would typically be seen at a concert. As the night began, some felt a little shy about showing their dance moves, yet by the end of the night, much of the crowd was up and dancing, thanks to the example set by Haldane community members Ernie Rideout and Lisa Sabin.

The Blue Notes set up a raffle station. When entered into the raffle, one lucky guest had the chance of being serenaded. The winner of the serenade was William Denehy, father of Blue Notes member Louise Denehy. He was brought up onto the stage and got to sit at the center of attention.

Both clubs honored their senior members, as it was their last time performing. One highlight of the evening Sauer noted was the performance of “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber, soloed by freshman James Llewellyn. “…I arranged it, and it was really cool to see something come to life… but then also, it was so simple, and so the students learned really quickly, and then we were able to just have fun with it,” stated Sauer.

Hoolan shared his favorite moment of the evening: “Seeing the smile on [sophomore] Aaden Wik’s face when he was in the middle of the ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ guitar solo; he just had the most contagious smile on his face I’ve ever seen in my life.”