SING OUT: Old NasSoul is one of the eight a cappella groups from Princeton University that will take the McCarter Theatre stage on Thursday, February 24.

By Anne Levin

One night in 2010, Timothy M. Andrews and friends were walking back to their cars following a gala at the Princeton University Art Museum. Passing by Blair Arch on the campus, they heard a sound that gave them pause.

“It was a couple of student groups singing, and it was just beautiful,” said Andrews, a former, longtime trustee of McCarter Theatre and former board member of the Arts Council of Princeton. “It was about 11:30 at night, but we stood there for more than an hour. I enjoyed every second of it. That was my introduction to a cappella at Princeton. I had never heard anything like it.”

Andrews has been a fan ever since. Over the years, he has had the University’s a cappella groups, who sing unaccompanied, perform at his home and at work functions. “I guess I’m a groupie,” he said, with a laugh.

But he has yet to see them appear together on a major stage. Thinking about how to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday, Andrews got the idea to sponsor a show at McCarter Theatre featuring top groups from the University. The idea has come together as “The Princeton Sing-Off,” taking place Thursday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m. in McCarter’s Matthews Theater. Eight ensembles will perform, followed by panel discussion on the history, variety, and future of a cappella.

McCarter has collaborated with the University’s Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students (ODUS) to present the evening. Old NasSoul, the Footnotes, the Nassoons, the Tigerlilies, the Tigertones, the Wildcats, and the Tigressions are on the program — a celebration rather than a competition. 

“We had actually been talking about how to collaborate more with ODUS,” said Debbie Bisno, McCarter’s resident producer. “I am very excited for McCarter to produce this really joyous event at a time when we need that. It shines a spotlight on this traditional musical genre through a contemporary lens.”

Princeton’s history of a cappella dates from 1941, when the Nassoons was formed. An article on the University website reads, “Princeton a cappella originated when eight students broke away from the Glee Club and started the Nassoons. Just as many groups do now, the Nassoons’ gigs quickly extended beyond campus, with concerts scheduled around the country, even catching the attention of legendary jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald during a 1942 event at the Plaza Hotel in New York, according to Nassoons’ history.”

The eight groups on the McCarter program represent a diverse array of styles and circumstances. “We have all-male, all-female, coed mixed, and also groups dedicated to certain types of music,” said Pat Rounds, who is ODUS’ arts program coordinator. “But we are moving away from identifying by gender.”

A 2015 graduate of Princeton, Rounds was familiar with a cappella groups on campus, who often sing at night under the University’s archways for anyone walking by. “These groups are really talented, but a lot of what they do is only open to current students or anyone passing by,” he said. “A big goal of this show is to show off these talents at a community event, making it more accessible for folks who maybe aren’t able to see the groups, or aren’t in the loop of where they are singing.”

It is the purity of the a cappella sound that makes it so appealing to fans. “The fact that it is completely unadulterated voice, not scientifically altered, not accompanied by instruments — using your body as a musical instrument, was all just incredible to me,” said Andrews. “I also love the selections they choose, and what they mean to the groups. They come from all walks of life. It’s a collection of unique people who come together for a common love of a cappella.”

Singing in an a cappella group is a highlight of campus life. “A lot of my classmates were in these groups, and it became a defining thing in their experience,” said Rounds. “It’s not just the musicality and the fact that they perform at such a high level. They spend so much time together. These folks end up being friends for life.”

Tickets are $12 for the public, and free for University students. Visit Mccarter.org for more information.