By: Max Bruns ~Staff Writer~
Xavier’s all-male acapella group Harmon-X will be kicking off its season during the Week of Welcome at 5:30 p.m, Aug. 29 at the Arrupe Overlook in Gallagher. President Bobby Crawford will be leading the group in a repertoire consisting of a mixture of popular songs and old-time classics.
“Harmon-X is just a bunch of guys that love music and love making it together. That’s what makes our group special. We’re all best friends, but we can all make good music too,” senior Harmon-X member Johnny Byrne said. Right now, the makeup of the group consists of other veterans of the Xavier music school, such as Eric Minion and Nick McGill.
“We’re looking for a couple guys to round out the group this year, so we’re excited for auditions,” McGill, a senior music major said.
Their performance at the newly unvelied Gallagher Center space during Week of Welcome will kick off the new year, and with a brand new concert series, the group will be looking for new members.
“We’ve got auditions on September 1 and 2. You can sign up at the concert itself to secure a time slot on those days, but we’ll also have a table on club day where anyone can sign up,” said Byrne.
Members of the Xavier community who are interested in singing acapella are encouraged to sign up for auditions. There are more details on the Harmon-X Org Sync page about what the group looks for in auditions.
“Because we are a small group, we hold auditions at the beginning of the year to replace leaving members. Auditions are held by the officers of the organization and will be based on music ability, voice part and attitude.” McGill said. Both Harmon-X and Acabellas, Xavier’s female group, are looking to fill roles, and are open to any student who wishes to audition.
The group is oriented around singing, but has also build another component over the years that gives the group wide exposure to the community surrounding Xavier.
“We’re very active in the community. We have built a relationship amongst our own members and people outside of our group,” Byrne said.
The group also performs concerts off-campus for organizations that are not Xavier affiliated. “This year, like others, our group will perform for schools surrounding Xavier, as well as nursing homes and other venues,” said McGill.
Within the Xavier community, Harmon-X will make many appearances at local campus events, including the Boys’ Night Out concert hosted by the Xavier Music Department. Interested parties should visit the group on the Xavier yard during club day. You can also reach out to harmon- x@xavier.edu or visit them on facebook at the Harmon-X page.
