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University Communications

University of Richmond Octaves to Host Annual Festival of A Cappella Singing March 28-29

March 12, 2003

The Octaves, the University of Richmond's award-winning male a cappella singers, will host a cappella groups from eight other colleges for a weekend of performances March 28-29 at the Modlin Center for the Arts.

Joining The Octaves on stage for "Spring Fever 9," their annual festival of a cappella music, will be groups from Duke, Fordham, Georgetown, James Madison, Maryland, Penn, Virginia and William and Mary, as well as a university women's ensemble, The Sirens. Performances will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 per show, available from the Modlin Center box office at (804) 289-8980.

Since forming in 1990, The Octaves have released five albums of pop, rock, classical and spiritual numbers and are mixing a sixth at National Public Radio studios in Washington, D.C. Their current repertoire includes numbers popularized by groups as diverse as The Beatles ("Eleanor Rigby") and Alabama ("I'm in a Hurry"). The group has performed on ABC-TV's "Good Morning, America," for international and state conventions and at numerous campuses along the East Coast.

Friday night's program opens with The Octaves and Sirens, followed by the Georgetown Phantoms (men and women), Duke Lady Blue (women) and William and Mary Double Take (men and women). The Saturday afternoon show features Virginia's Sil'hooettes (women), Fordham Ramblers (men), Maryland Treble Makers (women) and Virginia's Hullabahoos (men) after an opening set by The Octaves. Saturday evening opens with Penn's U-Penn 6-5000 (men), followed by the James Madison Bluestones (female) and a double set by The Octaves.

"The groups appearing with us have been consistently on the yearly 'Best of College a Cappella' albums, as well as finalists in the International Championships of Collegiate a Cappella," said Mark Naylor, an Indianola, Iowa, sophomore and the group's executive officer.

"A cappella singing is big and growing, with groups performing on the morning news shows and even TV series like 'The West Wing,'" Naylor said. The Octaves are entirely student-run, holding open auditions each fall among Richmond's male undergraduates.