Attention a cappella groupies! Founded in 2003, Saxatones is a co-ed a cappella group at Georgetown with a dual mission involving singing and service. We sat down with Music Director, Jack Moore (SFS’16) and Social Coordinator Charley Biddle (COL’16), who shared their experiences and vision for building the Saxatones presence on the Georgetown campus. Her Campus loves these two campus cuties… oops, we mean celebs (easy to get confused when it comes to Jack and Charley) and here’s why you should too!
Who are the Saxatones and what makes you different from other a cappella groups on campus?
Charley: The Saxatones are Georgetown’s only service-based a cappella group. What that means is that we’re committed to giving back to the DC community through performance opportunities. For example, events like Relay for Life.
Jack: Our main message is twofold – combining music with giving back to people. We’re a community service a cappella group and the only one on campus like that, that does benefit concerts and hands on community service ourselves.
What type of community service are you involved in?
Charley: Last year we hosted Saxapalooza, a new creation of ours, with the goal of supporting this really cool charity called Arts on the Block, which supports underprivileged art programs for kids throughout the DC area. Some other events that we did last year, that aren’t necessarily the same year to year, included singing for the Autumn Festival at a Chinese community church, and the national anthem at the Taste of DC food festival. We also performed at Light up the Holidays with Hope, an event put on the by the American Children’s Cancer Society where we sang for the families of children who are affected by some type of cancer at the National Post Office downtown. What’s important to know is that we do all of the regular Georgetown shows that all the other a cappella groups on campus perform in, but with an added component of community service.
Jack: We’ve also worked with the Best Buddies program on campus. Over the summer, I was a camp counselor for kids with special needs. I would always bring my guitar out and sing for them. They love music, and I think Saxatones are going to increase that partnership with Best Buddies too because we know that kids with special needs really connect with music on a very intense level.
So, you guys are basically like Pitch Perfect?
Jack: When I watched that movie I thought of Georgetown a cappella a lot, but for slightly different reasons. In Pitch Perfect it’s the all-guys and the all-girls group that are at the top and dominate the social scene – that’s where all the drama and tension is. At Georgetown it’s more with the mixed groups because they pull from the same talent pool. It’s cool because we hang out with the other a cappella groups a lot. The main difference is that there’s really not nearly any tension in the Georgetown a cappella scene. We definitely try to be the best we can be, but I definitely don’t feel any competition between the groups.
Charley: Some of my best friends at Georgetown are Phantoms. I also met a lot of Chimes through the show that I did last year, History Boys. Because I’m in theater, there’s a lot of performing arts crossover between a cappella groups. I got to know a lot of other a cappella people through that before I even knew their a cappella affiliations.
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How did you become interested in a cappella and why did you join Saxatones when you got to Georgetown?
Charley: I started singing a cappella in 9th grade. I went to an all-boys boarding school for grades 7-9, and there was an exclusively 9th grade six form a cappella group. I auditioned and joined that. After that I went to another boarding school called St. Paul’s and sang for their all-male group called the Testostertones. I just knew that a cappella was something I really enjoyed on a social level as well as a musical level. When I came to college I knew I wanted to do theater and I was going to pick my favorite music involvements, which for me was a cappella because of the friends that I had made doing it in the past. In my experience you meet a lot of friendly people who are all really personable and outgoing. Now my best friends at Georgetown are Saxatones. I have no idea how that happened. We spend so much time together, so you’d think we’d get sick of each other. We definitely do sometimes, but the fact that I’m living with 2 Saxatones this year is a huge testament to how much I like these guys.
Jack: My public high school had a very reputable choir program that consumed almost all of my time. I did that and a few other extracurriculars, but that was my main thing. I was so consumed with it for 4 years that coming to college I thought I needed a clean break and wanted to try something new. So I was not looking for music and a cappella was not on my radar whatsoever. But then during NSO weekend I was sitting in my room with the door open, and these 2 people came in asking if I was a singer. It was a guy named Danny Sullivan, a current Saxatone, and Ali Smith, the former president. I had a 5-minute conversation with them and was blown away by how awesome and nice they were. It seemed like they loved what they did. Later I was on the Saxatones website, and I was blown away by their music. Then I decided to audition, was really fortunate to get into the group and it has been a blast ever since.
What’s your favorite part about being involved in an a cappella group?
Charley: Definitely my friends and that we get to sing and do community service together. It’s three things that I love. Coming into Georgetown I realized by joining I could kill so many birds in one stone. I can sing and do service work which I something that I loved to do in high school. Then it just so happens that I really like everyone.
Jack: I think that music in particular is special in an a cappella setting. There is something really profound about the idea that you can get 15 people together and create something so beautiful that takes such a long time to make and work with. It’s always so satisfying when we have an awesome concert where we sing a song that sounds absolutely amazing. All the hard work we put in results in a beautiful product that’s ours alone.
Charley: That whole process too is another amazing thing that’s so rewarding. To see it go from an idea on a spreadsheet to a work in progress sheet music to printed out to starting to come together. That first moment when it goes from paper, where no one knows what it sounds like to the final performance when everyone is applauding for you on Gaston Hall – that just feels so good.
What goes into song arrangements? How do you pick and plan what songs to sing?
Jack: We have an active repertoire of 20-25 songs and a historic repertoire of about 50 songs. The group has been around for 10 years so some of the songs from the beginning aren’t really relevant now. I’m the music director of the group, which means that I’m primarily responsible for running rehearsals and directing the group at shows. I have definitely headed an effort to create new music. Interestingly enough, we were founded as an oldie’s group and the group still tries to keep one foot in that door. We still try to bring back an oldies song once in a while, but nowadays we have really diversified our repertoire to any genre from pop to rock to soul to R&B.
How do you hope to grow the presence of Saxatones on campus? What are your goals for this year?
Charley: First off we are really excited about the new members we just accepted. Either way we’re looking at a really strong year, because Saxatones had just come back from losing 13 seniors two years ago. Our vision for the group this year is to improve on musicality, for sure. Focusing on stuff like vowel shapes and blending is infinitely important when you’re trying to sound good.
Jack: We’re also really trying to increase our presence on campus. We’re looking to have some spontaneous concerts in Leavey and Lau – just trying to really get out there and have people know who the Saxatones are. A cappella is pretty well known at Georgetown, but we want to take it to the next level where people see the Saxatones as the group on campus.
Charley: That, and highlight the service component as well. Especially since Georgetown is a Jesuit university, the service aspect is huge. I want everyone to know that that’s a big part of who we are.
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Now for the “fun” questions…
Guilty pleasure song/band?
Charley: Miley Cyrus “We Can’t Stop.” And Lily Allen.
Jack: The live in Los Angeles version of John Mayer’s “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room.” There’s a two-minute guitar solo at the end that is just unbelievable. I’m also a huge Taylor Swift fan. Album after album she produces is amazing and she hasn’t corrupted her image. She is a great role model and understands the business very well.
Charley: I feel like I’m guiltier in this scenario…
Favorite place in Georgetown?
Jack: One of my favorite places to go is the observatory. It’s such a remote place within campus and no one is ever there.
Charley: My new apartment. We love Village B 23. Sounds like a cop out, but right now it’s so true.
Celebrity crush?
Jack: Ellie Goulding
Charley: Mila Kunis and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Favorite song to sing?
Jack: “Battlefield” by Jordin Sparks. Nowadays that’s the song that we’re kind of known for around campus. That and “Bottom of the River” by Delta Ray is my other favorite song.
Charley: “Pompeii” by Bastille. Last time we performed, we collaborated with the GU Step Team to work out a whole performance.
If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?
Jack: Cinnamon ice cream.
Charley: Why cause you’re a ginger?
Jack: Well yeah I can’t deny that. But also cinnamon is sweet but also very spicy. It’s an interesting experience if you have cinnamon ice cream.
Charley: Birthday Cake. Because one I love it. Two –
Jack: He looks good in his birthday suit.
Charley: And three there’s lots of colors in it and it’s interesting to look at. It’s not just ice cream, there’s cake and sprinkles. Every single bite there’s something new.
Dream concert?
Charley: I already went to it, but Coheed and Cambria. I’d also love to see The XX live.
Jack: Maroon 5 is number one on my list.
If you could have dinner with someone dead or alive, who would it be?
Charley: Steve Jobs.
Jack: Machiavelli. I was in the villa this summer in Florence studying abroad and took a class on Machiavelli. We saw his house where he lived, where he worked in Florence, the prison where he spent a few years of his life – he’s like the trashiest philosopher I’ve ever read.
Don’t forget to check out the Saxatones next major performance at Georgetown at DCAF this November. It’s sure to be aca-awesome.