I’ve known Kyle for many years now. His magnetic enthusiasm, big heart, and goofy sense of humor make him a wonderful friend and a guy anybody would be lucky to know. Check out what we chatted about over lunch below.
Name: Kyle Avenarius
Age: 20
Year in school: Junior
Hometown: Pace, FL
Major: Psychology
Her Campus (HC): Hey, Kyle. This is a big week for you. Want to tell us a little bit about it?
Kyle Avenarius (KA): Sure! I’m a member of All-Night Yahtzee, an a cappella group here at FSU. This weekend we’re going to Athens, GA along with Reverb, another a cappella group, to compete in the first round of the ICCA’s. That’s the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. I’m really excited.
(HC): How do you guys prepare for such a big performance?
(KA): Lots and lots of rehearsal. We have to arrange 9-12 minutes of music, plus choreography. Our set list is great. We’re really excited to share it with people. Through the songs we’ve selected, we’re singing about the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. It’s very emotional. Our set is all about the evolution of a relationship that wasn’t meant to be.
(HC): Do all a cappella sets have such a strong overall theme or message?
(KA): A good effective set will have a message. If we do it right, we’ll hopefully really be able to make a connection with our audience.
(HC): Well, best of luck to you and the rest of FSU a cappella this weekend!
(KA): Thank you!
(HC): What do you hope to do with your psychology degree beyond FSU?
(KA): Well, I’m also planning on auditioning for FSU’s School of Music in the near future. If I get in, that’ll be huge. I’d love to combine my passion for music with my love of psychology and pursue a career in music therapy one day.
(HC): I know you’ve been singing for quite a while. When did you realize that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
(KA): When I auditioned for All-Night Yahtzee and got in. It was a very intense audition process. When I was offered the part, I realized that I was good enough. In my hometown, I definitely felt like a big fish in a small pond. Coming here to FSU, I quickly became a very small fish in a much larger pond. Having talented musicians who know their stuff tell you, “Hey, we want you on our team” really gave me the confidence I needed to seriously consider music as a career.
(HC): What would you say is the most rewarding part of being in All-Night Yahtzee?
(KA): Having the capability to move people through music. We all work hard to bring out the emotion of every song we sing. It’s a really powerful bonding experience for us, actually. We enjoy telling stories. It’s cool to have that relationship with our audience.
(HC): I think a cappella does a great job of bringing out the raw emotion of a song because it is so stripped down and almost vulnerable in a way.
(KA): Definitely. I love a cappella. It’s great that it’s getting a lot more exposure now because of movies like Pitch Perfect. It’s pretty big in L.A. I saw a lot of that firsthand when I was there for the FSU v. Auburn game.
(HC): I have to ask, what was it like being in Pasadena for the BCS Championship?
(KA): Incredible. I love L.A. and would go back tomorrow if I could. The weather was perfect. I had a great time with friends. It was really cool being there in the stands next to the Marching Chiefs and seeing President Barron doing the chop!
For more information about All-Night Yahtzee’s stunning group of singers, visit www.anyahtzeefsu.com