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Dhamakapella is an award-winning coed South Asian fusion a cappella group based in Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Dhamakapella was formed in 2005 by student Mayank Prasad at Case Western Reserve University. With help from students, Raksha Soora and Manoj Nair, Mayank organized and established the first university-recognized coed a cappella group, which would feature genres from both Western and Eastern cultures. Within three years, Dhamakapella grew into an sixteen-member group, with singers of various and diverse styles. Due to the untraditional arrangements and unusual compositions, the group instantly stood out on University campus and downtown Cleveland. In 2011, Dhamakapella released its debut album Pehli Nazar: First Look, following the group’s growing popularity across the city and the University. The group derives its influences from Indian classical, contemporary Bollywood, pop, and electronic genres.

Learn more about Dhamakapella here: https://www.facebook.com/dhamakapella.

What better time to highlight educators in the a cappella community than right now? In Episode 37, we sit down with Amanda Roeder, the choir director at Chelmsford High School who works with The Crescendos and The Thursdays as well as many a cappella events in the Boston area.

To learn more about the Chelmsford A Cappella , visit: https://chelmsfordacappella.org/

Hum A Cappella was founded in 2001 and is the South Asian a cappella group at the University of Texas at Austin. Hum blends cultures and puts a unique spin on both Hindi and English songs. From its six-member inception, Hum has evolved into a group of highly dynamic vocalists who arrange all of their songs by themselves. They have competed at a variety of local and national competitions including ICCA, Jhalak, Taal, Nasha, Texas Revue, Gathe Raho in Iowa, and Anahat in California. The team comes from a variety of musical backgrounds, and their collaboration and appreciation for a cappella music keeps them constantly moving forward.

Learn more about Hum A Cappella here: https://www.utxhum.com.

In Hindi, ‘Dhunki’ means ‘spellbound.’ The name also contains the Hindi word ‘Dhun,’ which means ‘tune’ or ‘melody.’ This Hindi name symbolizes this group’s focus on the areas of South Asian music and culture. The group’s goal is to spread their culture throughout the community by the means of a unique style of music in which Eastern and Western themes collide in intricately arranged mashups.

Learn more about Dhunki here: https://dhunkimusic.weebly.com.

One of the many purposes of art is to challenge yourself and your audience and sometimes that spurs a little controversy. Brittany Russell and Gestalt are making waves and that’s one of the topics of discussion in Episode 36 .

Learn more about Gesalt: https://www.gestaltacappella.com/
Learn more about The A Cappella Group:

SoundWave is SDSU’s first and only co-ed a cappella group. SoundWave’s goal is to splash the audience with a powerful wave of sound, leaving them wet and wanting more. Their musical repertoire consists of the best guilty pleasures of the past and present, with diverse musical genres. Get ready for a wild ride full of amazing music and exciting choreography.

We sat down with the group after their ICCA competition was canceled due to the coronavirus and we spoke with the group at length about their set and its meaning. We are including that set in its entirety for your listening pleasure! And if you want to view it, you can do so here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4A-84s9rZg.

Learn more about SoundWave here: https://www.facebook.com/SoundWaveSDSU.

This week on Episode 35, we went a little unconventional. Leslie Kekuewa and Pitches Be Crazy don’t fit the mold of typical a cappella and they embrace it in a way we hope more singers will. Tune in for an interview that talks diving in, real commitment, and putting on a show.

To learn more about Pitches Be Crazy, visit: https://www.wemakedopenoise.com/

The Smiffenpoofs originated in 1936 after a group of Smithies attended a Yale picnic where the Whiffenpoofs performed. The Smithies were so impressed by the Whiffs’ camaraderie and musicality that they decided to form the first women’s collegiate a cappella group in the nation, modeling it after the Whiffs and adopting a similar name in their honor. As the story goes, it was on November 23, 1936, that Smith College President William Allan Neilson gave his official approval of the group, gifting them with a leather-bound journal in which to record their history.

We were honored to sit down with the Poofs at the end of February to see what this amazing group of women are up to these days.

If you want to learn more about the group, you can do so here: http://www.thesmiffenpoofs.com.