Video: Holy Cross Magazine Features All Five A Cappella Groups

Mount St. James is home to not one, not two, but five student a cappella groups. And in the Summer 2012 issue of Holy Cross Magazine, you can get to know more about these talented, fun-loving singers in a feature called “In Perfect Harmony.”

The groups featured are Fools on the Hill (performing excerpts of "Valerie," originally by Amy Winehouse, and "Colder Weather," originally by Zac Brown Band, above), Sons of Pitches, The Delilahs, Sound of Saint James and Off the Record. “We interviewed the students, and learned that each group has a special niche, some amazing soloists and terrific senses of humor,” says magazine editor Suzanne Morrissey.

The a cappella groups range in size from 10 to 15 members, and enjoy harmonizing with each other when they can. Members of The Delilahs, an all-female a cappella group that formed soon after the first women arrived on campus in the late 1970s, noted that one of their favorite moments last year was collaborating with the other groups’ singers on “Carol of the Bells” at Christmastime.

Fools on the Hill leader Dan Clavin ’14 explained that the Holy Cross a cappella groups perform a range of tunes, giving their special vocal spin to hits from stars including Britney Spears, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, Queen and Adele.

Along with the print piece in the magazine, readers can see and hear the groups in action online. Five videos showcase each group performing two songs. Visitors to the site will get a good taste of the groups’ vocal skills — and even some dance moves.

The videos are linked to the magazine’s online version.

“A lot of readers may not be aware that we have some great content that can only be experienced online,” Morrissey explains. “Our web exclusives for the summer issue include interviews with the senior studio art majors, a touching essay about Crusader track star Andrew Kelly from the Class of 1917 and recipes from a new cookbook by Lynne Curry ’87.”