Full Name: Alexander Beresford
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Year: Junior
Major: Finance
Minors: Entrepreneurship and Psychology
Relationship Status: Single
Favorite Song to Sing: “Piano Man” by Billy Joel
Favorite Artist: Blink 182
In light of Plead the Fifth’s final concert of the year, Her Campus wanted to get the inside scoop on what it’s like being part of one of Wake’s favorite singing groups. This week’s Campus Cutie is not only musically talented but also a positive team player. Meet Alex Beresford!
HC (Her Campus): So I understand you’re in Plead the Fifth. Could you tell me a little more about your experience being involved in that?
AB (Alex Beresford): We have a lot of fun together. We represent all different types of groups, but when we come together it’s just one whole unit, and we’re just trying to have fun. One of our mantras is “happiness is infectious.” So if you’re laughing, if you’re smiling, if you’re having a good time – that’s what our group is all about. Yeah it’s important that you sing well – we always strive for that – but we’re trying to promote an experience.
HC: What got you into a capella and singing?
AB: Actually, I had never been part of an a capella group before Wake. I was a boy chorister. I sang with the National Cathedral for five years. After that I sang in madrigals. What got me into a capella was that I was actually singing with Plead the Fifth’s old musical director – Max Jacobs – at church. We’d sing off campus together and he said, “Hey, why don’t you try out? Maybe you’ll enjoy it.” I actually thought a capella was silly, and I didn’t even think it was a real thing. But I tried out and it’s been a blast ever since.
HC: So I hear Plead the Fifth has a concert coming up. What are the details?
AB: It’s going to be Wednesday, April 23 at 7:00 pm in Wait Chapel. We’ve invested a lot in the sound system and lighting display – it’s going to be a really fun time.
HC: Well I’ll definitely be there! Can you tell us some of the songs you guys will be performing?
AB: Yeah – so we’re going to do a couple classic ones like “With or Without You.” We’re going to bring back “Walking in Memphis,” which a lot of people used to love from a couple years back. There’s going to be country, alternative, and rock. We’re trying to add a whole lot of different stuff to it.
HC: What’s your favorite part about being a member of one of Wake’s favorite singing groups?
AB: So say we’re in a performance – we’re just having a good time, we’re enjoying singing with each other – it’s not really the applause at the end that’s the most fun, but it’s seeing the look on people’s faces when you’re doing a song they really like. There’s a moment when someone’s face just lights up, and I think that’s the best part.
HC: How do you guys decide who gets to sing what parts in each song?
AB: That’s an interesting question. In general, I’m a base – that’s my part – and every song has its general voice part depending on people’s ranges, aside from solos. For solos, we’ll have a song and then try out. Anyone who wants to try out can try out, and we go through a system where everyone sings about a third of the song. We hear everybody’s part, we vote on the top two or three, depending on how many people are trying out, and then we pick. That’s it.
HC: I know in a capella there are instrument-like parts that people sing. Can you tell me a little bit more about that?
AB: Yeah, so we have a beat boxer – it’s actually a really intricate part because he has to keep the rhythm. We have two now. They kind of make up the beat on the fly during rehearsal, and then they practice it. It’s all of those little drumming beats – I can’t do it, but it’s fascinating. Asides from that, we’ll have the tenors doing bells. You can coordinate all the different tenors and baritones so that it sounds like we have different bells at different times.
HC: If you could perform on any occasion and in front of any audience, what would it be, who would it be, and why?
AB: I would say Valentine’s Day, with me as the lead singer, performing for a girl that I was asking out. It would be a quartet plus a soloist – it would be a very small, intimate type of thing. We actually tried to do something like that for a Valentine’s Day fundraiser this year, but it was snowed in.
HC: How romantic! Did you ever dream of making it big in the music business?
AB: Making it big…no. I usually take more of a support role. I like chiming in to different things. For me, it’s being part of the group. But maybe I’ll try out for American Idol as a mid-life crisis type of thing (laughs).
HC: (Laughing) We’ll be sure to watch. So what else are you involved with on campus?
AB: I am part of the rowing team and the business fraternity.
HC: What got you into rowing?
AB: I’ve been rowing for seven years. Basically, that’s the thing that kind of changed my life. I started rowing freshman year of high school, and I got in with a great group of guys. The greatest thing about rowing is the team aspect of it – you rely on every single person, and you’re one cohesive unit. It’s the best team sport.
HC: What’s it like being on the water?
AB: I personally hate the land workouts, and I think everyone does. On the water, especially if you’re rowing well together, you’re just drifting. It’s almost like flying – the boat is steady and you’re going fast and the wind is going through your hair.
HC: So what do imagine you’ll be doing 10 years from now?
AB: Right now my post-college plan is investment banking, and I’ll be doing that for probably 10 years. After that I hope to get a PhD in teaching.
HC: What would you say is your inspiration?
AB: It depends on what I’m doing. For singing and rowing, it’s more the team aspect. We’re all doing something together and creating the best possible product or unit or experience because it’s just fun – because that’s what life is. As far as career goes, [my inspiration] would be just having a great family.
HC: Describe yourself in three words.
AB: Loyal, passionate, and empathetic.
HC: Describe your perfect girl in three words.
AB: Trustworthy, inquisitive, and fun.
HC: What do you think about girls who take the initiative when they are into a guy?
AB: I’m a traditionalist – I’m more old school like that. But we’re in the 21st century. If you like someone, you can definitely give them a good hint. It’s fun to have the guy initiate and everything – that’s just the “traditional” way – but if the girl likes a guy and asks him to grab lunch, it’s not a big commitment or anything. It gets him to realize what she’s looking for.
HC: Do you have any big plans for summer yet?
AB: My internship. I’m doing an internship at Bank of America in their securitization division. It’s a form of investment banking.
HC: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
AB: Paris is my favorite city. But if I could travel anywhere, it would probably be New Zealand because you can go from mountains to snow to beaches in a couple minutes.
HC: And if you could control one element (earth, air, fire, etc.), which one would it be and why?
AB: Probably air. If I could control air, hypothetically, I could fly, right?
HC: What’s your spirit animal?
AB: Probably a bear. Mama bears are very defensive of their kids. They’re not overly aggressive – that’s a misconception – but they will get defensive if you’re attacking their family. And I kind of like that aspect.
HC: And your top five random things in life are?
AB: Spinach-sausage pie – my mom makes it. Rowing. Piano. Singing. And if I could be anything … my ideal job would be in child psychology.