This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Miami (OH) chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Open Fifth, an a cappella group on Miami’s campus, formerly known as The Cheezies, is making waves with a new name, new members, and new CD to be released soon.
Open Fifth is no longer part of the Men’s Glee Club, meaning vocalists are not required to be a member of the choral ensemble in order to audition. Auditions are open to the entire campus and they are now an independent student organization. The group usually consists of 14-16 talented men, who are selected following auditions held at the beginning of each semester on an as-needed basis. This semester five new members were chosen, including freshman Aidan Leahy, sophomores Seth Wagner, TJ Butler, and Andrew Lombardi, and junior Tim Ovia.
Along with this change, the group has adopted a new name and are re-branding themselves as Open Fifth.
The crew practices a total of six hours a week (two hour rehearsals, three times a week) to perfect songs from several different genres including R&B, Country, and even Oldies. They also often learn new songs that a specific audience has requested for that performance.
Her Campus caught up with Open Fifth’s president, Jacob Menker and asked him a few questions about the group’s new image. Here is what he had to say about the a cappella group:
HC: Where did you come up with the new name?
JM: One of our members came up with it last year. We had a long list of options but chose Open Fifth for several reasons. A) There were 5 original members that started our former group. B) We are now “OPEN” to the entire campus and all other ventures. C) An Open Fifth is a type of musical chord which we implement into many of our songs. D) We think it portrays a classier and more professional image over our previous name.
HC: What sets Open Fifth apart from other a cappella groups on campus?
JM: Open Fifth is not like any other collegiate a cappella group. We have a very close bond within our members and spend a lot of time together outside of rehearsals. Without a doubt these are my best friends on campus and anybody in the group will tell you that this is not just an activity for them, but their favorite part of the college experience. Our talent, leadership, and drive to succeed is stronger than ever with our new identity. Our group regularly tours each summer, going to Canada last year and planning for Orlando this year. We participate in many national competitions including ICCA and also audition for the Sing Off. Our vision is for this group to be the best in the Midwest and gain national recognition over the next few years. What sets us apart is our sheer dedication and love for making music together as ambassadors for the university.
HC: Is there a CD coming out in the near future?
JM: Yes. We have plans to record our first EP album (5-6 song release) this spring. It will be Open Fifth’s premier record release and should be available for purchase in both hard copies and on iTunes and Spotify by May 2014.
HC: Does the group have any goals this year that you/they are looking to achieve?
JM: Absolutely. Our goals are to participate in ICCA again this year as well as record our first album on time. We hope to build and market our brand name as much as possible and do some off-campus performances like we have in the past. Continuing our tradition of being Miami University’s premiere a cappella group and reaching our full potential is what we aim for.
HC: Any shows or performances coming up?
JM: The Acapocalypse: A Capella All Stars- Wednesday, October 16th
Charity Benefit Concert- Saturday, November 2nd
Winter/Christmas Concert (Title TBD)- Saturday, December 7th
Performances will take place at Hall Auditorium, but there will also be many “pop-up concerts” around campus throughout the year at places such as Uptown Park, the Western Amphitheater, Shriver, and the almost finished Armstrong Student Center. Pop-up performances will be announced on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Open Fifth is also open for hire for banquets, dinners, big/little serenades, pledge class serenades, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and more! You can also check out past performances on their YouTube channel. Their Justin Timberlake Medley is one of our faves!
Her Campus Miami (OH) looks forward to attending some of Open Fifth’s future gigs and wishes them a great year under the new name!