Students create harmony as a cappella grows on campus

Four years ago, students formed Momo and the Coop, the only a cappella group at Lewis & Clark. Today, five diverse groups are active on campus, performing, collaborating, and recording. To keep up with the growth, this fall students organized the Acabrella, a union representing all the groups.

Members from four out of the five campus groups participated in a roundtable discussion about a cappella at Lewis & Clark. Learn more in this podcast:

Students raised awareness of Lewis & Clark’s a cappella scene last year with “Barackapella,” a campus concert performed by members of two groups in support of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. To date, videos of the performance have accumulated nearly 500,000 views online.

All five groups will perform an end-of-the-semester concert on December 9 at 8 p.m. The concert, held in Agnes Flanagan Chapel, is free with a suggested donation to Can Tho Orphanage.

Learn more about each group:

Momo and the Coop

Listen to Momo and the Coop perform “Billie Jean” (orig. Michael Jackson, mp3)

Momo and the Coop, formed in 2005, is the oldest a cappella group on campus. This fall, the group released its second album, “Joh Eh Ba Dop.” The album is available for free online at momoandthecoop.com.

Watch Momo and the Coop perform “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us” (originally by Sufjan Stevens)

Section Line Drive

Listen to Section Line Drive perform “Winter Song” (by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles)

Section Line Drive, formed in 2006, is Lewis & Clark’s second-oldest a cappella group. They are also a mixed-voices group and are currently working on their first album.

Watch Section Line Drive perform “Fallin” (originally by Alicia Keys)

The Merryweathers

Listen to The Merryweathers perform “Landed” (by Ben Folds)

The Merryweathers, formed in 2008, are Lewis & Clark’s third-oldest a cappella group, as well as its first all-female group.

Watch The Merryweathers perform “Because” (by The Beatles)

Two additional a cappella groups formed on campus this fall, one all-male group and another mixed-gender group.

*Ethan Allred ’12 and Emily Stevens ’10 produced the podcast interview above; Mac Cooper ‘09 created the image that accompanies this story.