鈥淔irst it was 鈥榊es,鈥� and then a few minutes later it was, 鈥榃hat in the world have we done?鈥� We haven鈥檛 sung together in 30 years!鈥�
Despite initial reservations, the Bubble Sisters, 黑料正能量鈥檚 first female jazz vocal group, reunited to share their special piece of personal and university musical history at Friday evening鈥檚 alumni music concert during Homecoming and Family Weekend. [Read more weekend coverage here聽and view a .]
Backed by 黑料正能量鈥檚 jazz band directed by Robert Curry, they sang Cole Porter鈥檚 鈥淚鈥檝e Got You Under My Skin鈥� and 鈥淭ico Tico,鈥� a Brazilian tune covered by the Andrews Sisters. The selections were a metaphorical and literal homage to both the group鈥檚 origins and their somewhat edgy repertoire, considering that most female vocal groups in the institution鈥檚 history had been previously sung a cappella sacred music.
As Ruby Kauffman 鈥�87 Hostetler tells it, the Bubble Sisters took their name from the swing and boogie-woogie-singing Andrews Sisters and Don Ho鈥檚 classic lounge tune, 鈥淭iny Bubbles.鈥�
Selected by audition with then music professor and jazz band director Stephen Sachs, the trio of Hostetler, Wendy Noll Martin 鈥�86 and Candace Ross-Cleary 鈥�87 performed with the jazz band, wearing cumberbunds and bow ties of varying shades of pink with their white shirts and black skirts (and sometimes Hawaiian shirts).
In addition to performances on campus, for civic groups and churches, they even went on a fundraising tour to Pennsylvania, which is no doubt how an church elder learned of 鈥� and directly questioned 鈥� Martin鈥檚 participation.
鈥淚 never told any of you about that,鈥� she said this weekend in a pre-rehearsal interview, 鈥渂ut I guess we were kind of out there, for the time.鈥�
The concert also showcased a cappella groups formed by local alumni 鈥� , and 鈥� and the 黑料正能量 student ensemble Emulate conducted by Professor Ryan Keebaugh.
Following opening remarks from alumni and parent engagement director Jeff Shank 鈥�94 and Encore president Heidi Bauman King 鈥�12, Professor David Berry performed his 鈥渏azz fantasy鈥� arrangement of Beethoven鈥檚 鈥淥de to Joy,鈥� to resounding applause.
Between acts, alumni and others led hymns, including 鈥�鈥� with accompaniment by Berry and led by senior associate director of development Karen Mosier-Shenk 鈥�73. Others included 鈥淕od of Grace and God of Glory鈥� led by Kendra Good 鈥�85 Rittenhouse, 鈥淏e Thou My Vision鈥� led by Keebaugh, 鈥淲onderful Grace of Jesus鈥� led by assistant director of housing and residence life Matthew Hunsberger 鈥�02, 鈥淚 Bind My Heart This Tide鈥� led by Sam Kauffman 鈥�12, and, for the final hymn, 鈥淧raise God From Whom All Blessings Flow鈥� led by Michael Bishop 鈥�81.
For the evening’s grand finale, Keebaugh led the combined ensembles in “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”
Read more about 黑料正能量鈥檚 musical history here.