A cappella has exploded as an iconic collegiate symbol over the past several years, and Tufts is no exception. With a cappella's long history on the Hill, there is much to celebrate on campus. The Tufts Beelzebubs marked their 50th Anniversary on Nov. 2 at the New England Conservatory Jordan Hall for the Intercollegiate Sing, in which the Bubs and six other collegiate a cappella groups gathered to celebrate the relationships they have formed over the years.
"The concert showcased some of the best collegiate a cappella groups and ended our 50th reunion on a perfect note," Beelzebub Business Manager VinnyAmaru, a junior, said.
Performing at the event were the Jackson Jills, Tufts oldest all-female a cappella group, along with groups from other schools, such as the Virginia Sil'hooettes, the Dartmouth Aires, the Yale Whiffenpoofs and the Boston University Dear Abbeys, according to Amaru.
The Jackson Jills also celebrated their 50th anniversary this past spring and were excited to be part of the Bubs' event, according to Jills President Emma Wise.
"It's really nice of the [Bubs] to think to have an event to thank other groups who have been along for the ride with them," Wise, a junior, said. "It's bringing together a bunch of groups from all over the country."
"The relationships are such a big part of what we do here, and it's awesome that they commemorate that," Jills Internal Business Manager Susie Church, a sophomore, added.
The event showcased different performance styles, vocal techniques and musical selections by bringing together so many groups.
"I think [it's] fun to incorporate the Tufts a cappella scene and what we've been doing here for 50 years with groups that have been around just as long, if not longer, from other schools," Amaru said. "I think we'll take something away from each group and even incorporate it into our own performance."
The Bubs have covered a lot of ground in the past 50 years - most recently providing the vocals for the all-male Warblers in FOX's "Glee" (2009-present) in 2010 - but Amaru explained that reflecting on the Bubs' history is important to understanding why the group is so tight-knit.
In the fall of 1962, a collection of Tufts students who would become the Bubs gathered to sing in the basement of West Hall, naming themselves Jumbo's Disciples: The Beelzebubs.
"Knowing how you got from 1962 performing in West Hall to 2011 performing on Glee ... is really important and one of the things I'm most proud of," Amaru said.
The Bubs have pushed the boundaries and brought attention to collegiate a cappella during their 50 years as a group. In the early '90s, the Bubs were one of the first groups to use vocal percussion, according to Amaru. He also cited the Bubs' ability to consistently deliver fun and unique performances.
"Yeah, we sing and we're all relatively good singers, but it's the performance," he said. "It's the Bubs encapsulating having so much fun on the stage, giving it your all, having that energy bouncing around ... I think that is a big part of the Bubs' success."
Amaru pointed out that the Bubs have even broken ground in the recording world, like when former Bubs member Ed Boyer (LA '04) produced their album "Code Red" in 2003.
"It was really something different because it was really produced, more so than a cappella had ever been before," Amaru said. "That really changed how groups record, how much production goes into each recording, what you can push the limit to."
Despite these ventures, however, maintaining tradition is important to both the Bubs and the Jills. Members of both groups mentioned initiations and rituals that have been passed down, as well as an active alumni network.
"It might not seem like age would have that much of an impact on the way a group operates or sings, but I think it really makes a difference," Wise said. "We have so many traditions and so much experience. Things have been taught to us and given to us, and we are lucky to have inherited this wisdom."
With nine groups, Tufts is host to a more robust a cappella scene than most other schools, according to Wise. Despite the large number of groups, however, Church noted that there is little competition within the a cappella scene at Tufts.
"We build really nice relationships with the other groups on campus," she said. "We have a lot of things in place to make sure we're not competing with them. We don't sing the same songs, we go to all of their concerts. We're all different, and we all do our own thing really well."
Church said she sees a high level of camaraderie within the a cappella community on campus.
"I think the support here is so unbelievable and really special," she said. "I've never been at a college gig where there's as much support and excitement on campus for a cappella in general."
Another unique feature of Tufts a cappella culture is a unanimous agreement to no longer compete in collegiate-wide a cappella competitions.
"None of the Tufts groups actually compete, so at Tufts it's just more fun," Amaru said. "Competing for some groups is really important, and I think it's definitely important for the a cappella scene, but I'm really happy that Tufts has strayed away from it."
Amaru explained that too much focus on competition can limit a group's ability to develop a large repertoire, since it must dedicate all its time to practicing and choreographing three or four main numbers.
"Our motto is 'fun through song,' and we felt that if we were competing and trying to win and get awards, it takes away that aspect," he said.
Wise also believes that the a cappella scene at Tufts has a supportive atmosphere.
"[Competitions] are against what we stand for," he said. "We are very aware of other groups, but we appreciate the art and are supportive of other groups both on campus and at other schools."
Although some of Tufts' a cappella history dates back to half a century ago, newer groups have joined the community. S-Factor is one such group, founded six years ago as an all-male group dedicated to the music of the African Diaspora. S-Factor Business Manager and junior Paul Perrone said that despite the group's shorter time on campus, history still plays a large role in their identity.
"The history of the groups is a huge part, especially because of the type of music we sing," Perrone said.
The founding members of S-Factor saw a gap in the music scene on campus that matched up with the type of music they wanted to sing, according to Perrone. They then took the initiative to start an all-male group, similar to the all-female group Essence, to add more of that dynamic to Tufts' a cappella scene, he said.
Within the past month, freshman Prastama Perkasa founded a new a cappella group called Enchanted to specialize in Disney music.
"I saw this video once of a UMass Amherst group," Perkasa said. "They didn't focus on Disney a cappella, but they sang this one Disney medley, and it was amazing. Thinking back to my childhood, I know most people can connect with Disney, so that's how I started with the idea."
About a month ago, Perkasa secured Tufts Community Union recognition for Enchanted. She looks forward to starting the group off with its own set of traditions.
"I want to be like the founder of the Beelzebubs and come back here at [age] 70 after 50 years," Perkasa said.
Although the group's composition is young, with 10 freshmen and one sophomore, according to Perkasa, Enchanted hopes to establish itself as a part of the a cappella community.
Wise believes that Enchanted will have little trouble making a name for itself on campus.
"It's always tough for a new group to start out ... but all it really takes is a cycle of four years, and people don't even know how old groups are," she said. "They will just get absorbed by the a cappella community."
Church expressed support for the newest addition to Tufts' a cappella scene.
"They are bringing their own thing to the table with the Disney theme," she said. "If that's what they are going to have fun doing and want to put the dedication into, then I'd say go for it."
