Mixed-voice singing group to perform on campus Sunday
Fourth-year music education student Bobby Arcovio has been passionate about a cappella music for several years. When he couldn't find an outlet for the art form at USC, he created his own.
Arcovio founded Cockappella, USC's only mixed-voice a cappella group, in Spring 2009 when he discovered there wasn't one on campus.
"I fell in love with a cappella music in high school and decided that I wanted to be in a group when I got to college," Arcovio said. "But when I got here, they had an all-male and an all-female group, but no mixed group, which was what I was looking for. So during my freshman year, I got some friends [together] and started the group that came to be known as Cockappella."
The group will present its spring concert Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in the Gambrell Hall Auditorium. Arcovio said the performance will include original twists on songs from a variety of genres.
"Our concert will feature our very own arrangements of songs by Ben Folds, Young the Giant, Gloriana, the Beatles and other popular artists," Arcovio said. "We like to cover a wide range of genres from country to Disney and everything in between."
Cockappella is also recording its first album this year. Arcovio said the group was contacted by a Charlotte-based recording company.
"They had seen our YouTube videos and wanted to help us record a CD," he said.
The group began recording in March and plans to release the record during the fall semester.
Third-year mechanical engineering student Jess Lawrence, the group's current president, has been singing with Cockappella for the past three years. Lawrence said recording with Cockappella has been an incredible opportunity.
"Our recording experience [has been] awesome so far," Lawrence said. "Since we're recording a 10-track CD, we have three weekends to record it in, and we've only done one full weekend so far."
Lawrence said being in the recording studio was a great group bonding experience, too.
"Everybody gave 100 percent, and the product is going to be incredible," Lawrence said.
First-year English student Laura Smith is new to the Cockappella family this year. Recording was a new experience for her, and she said being in the studio showed her that every member's voice is vital to create the group's sound.
"Recording each of us individually and hearing how we all blend together really exemplified how important we all are to the music," Smith said.
With Arcovio and other members graduating this May, Cockappella is looking for new members for next semester.
"There will be quite a few openings this coming semester, and we encourage absolutely everybody to try out," Lawrence said. "We're just a group of people from all different majors and backgrounds who love to come together and sing."
Smith echoed Lawrence's sentiments.
"Cockappella really is an amazing group of people," Smith said. "We all work hard to learn our music, but, most importantly, we all simply enjoy singing together."
Although Cockappella is not charging admission for the concert, the group is accepting donations to cover the cost of recording.
Sunday's concert will be Arcovio's final performance with the group he founded.
"This will be my last concert with Cockappella," Arcovio said. "I wish them the best of luck in the future. I'll miss 'em."