BJU is hosting the a cappella singing group Voctave who will perform familiar Broadway and Disney pieces for the Artist Series on Monday, Nov. 9.
Dr. Darren Lawson, the dean of the School of Fine Arts and Communication, is proud that BJU has the opportunity to present Voctave with their a cappella singing, skillful harmonies and lively atmosphere.
“[Voctave] formed this a cappella group in 2015 and skyrocketed to fame,” Lawson said.
Formed by producer and arranger Jamey Ray, Voctave is based in Central Florida and has 11 members: Kate Lott, Tiffany Coburn, Ashley Espinoza, Sarah Whittemore, Chrystal Johnson, E.J. Cardona, Drew Ochoa, Jamey Ray, Kurt von Schmittou, Aaron Stratton and Karl Hudson. These artists come from a variety of musical backgrounds including classical music, musical theater, pop, contemporary Christian music, barbershop and choral music.
Lawson discovered the group in New York City when attending the annual Association of Performing Arts Professionals conference where he sees what professional groups will be performing throughout the U.S. that year. “Several years ago, I stumbled across a relatively new group called Voctave,” he said. During the conference, Lawson was able to hear the group perform and connect with their agent.
A couple of years later, Lawson attended a Christmas concert performed by Voctave in Orlando, Fla. Lawson said, “I got tickets to hear them, and after that, I knew we had to get this group to BJU.” Lawson said he loved the a cappella group because it was an amazing concert with high energy and wonderful voices. Following the concert, he began talking with Voctave’s agent again, and they worked out a time for Voctave to perform at BJU.
Lawson said he thinks this is going to be one of the favorite Artist Series this year because of the talent of the singers and the popularity of the music. Lawson said, “Having the student body hear these eleven voices and what they can do with just their voices will be truly amazing.”
Among the pieces Voctave is planning to perform are “Over the Rainbow” and a Disney princess melody. Their album, The Corner of Broadway & Mainstreet Vol. 1 and 2, features many of the songs they will be performing at BJU. Lawson said, “If the students enjoy the concert, they will have a way to take it home with them.”
“It is amazing to hear the harmonies and everything they do,” Lawson said. “You can just sit back and enjoy the craft.” Aside from the beauty of their craft, one reason the group is so popular is that they are interactive during performances. Lawson said, “They loved talking and introducing the songs.”
For this Artist Series, Lawson plans to have all the students in FMA for a 75-minute program with no intermission. Attendance is required and students can now get their free tickets at bju.universitytickets.com. If students have any difficulty, they can email the Box Office at [email protected] or call 864-770-1372 from 12-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.