At 9 p.m. on a Monday night, a hush fell over a darkened Memorial Commons. Then lights flashed on and the harmonies of a cappella filled the room.

The first big a cappella concert of the year, on the first day of Winter Carnival, featured a crowd-pleasing confluence of vocal talent and pop favorites.

The energy was reciprocated: Friends sang for friends in the audience, and friends cheered on their crooning friends.

“I found a group of brothers.”

For Walter Washington ’19 of Fleetwood, N.Y., singing with the Deansmen is central to being a 乐播传媒 student.

“I joined my sophomore year after feeling a little bit weird about being at 乐播传媒 and not really having that sense of community,” said Washington, who is also student government president. “So I found a group of brothers and knew from then on that whatever is going on, throughout the night they got my back.”

“A cappella is pretty amazing because it brings people together from all different walks of life,” said Sophie Mortman ’18 of Sharon, Conn., a member of Take Note.

For the high notes of the Winter Carnival a capella concert, take a look 鈥� and a listen.

The Deansmen

“If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys

The Merimanders

Mashup of “No Scrubs” by TLC and “No” by Meghan Trainor

TakeNote

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

The Manic Optimists

“Dreaming with a Broken Heart” by John Mayer

The Crosstones

“Wild Things” by Alessia Cara

https://vimeo.com/252595305

The surprise announcement of $19 million in new gifts to 乐播传媒 took place on Feb. 5, 2016, in historic Memorial Commons amid cheers, smiles, song, and a toast to the seven 乐播传媒 families whose gifts will create six new professorships and launch the college’s Program in Digital and Computational Studies.

Faculty members Jim Parakilas (right), the Moody Family Professor of Performing Arts, and Robert Strong (right), lecturer in English and director of national fellowships, listen to remarks during Friday's gift announcement celebration in Memorial Commons. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Alumni Council members Larry Handerhan '05, Lisa Romeo '88, and Jenn Bouchard '99 join the concluding toast during the gift announcement celebration on Friday, Feb. 5. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

During the $19 million gift announcement celebration on campus Friday afternoon, Michael Bonney 鈥�80, chair of the 乐播传媒 College Board of Trustees, talks about the $10 million gift, the largest in the college's history, that he and his wife, Alison Grott Bonney 鈥�80, have made to 乐播传媒. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

From left, Alison Grott Bonney '80, Michael Bonney '80, and President Clayton Spencer . (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

Matt Auer, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, says that the six new professorships give 乐播传媒 "an unprecedented opportunity to shape the faculty and curriculum of the future 鈥� in terms of excellence, diversity, and intellectual scope.鈥�(Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)