This Friday, Jan. 30, the Cherry Tree Massacre will bring together the voices of various Hoyas for the 42nd year. (romantichoneymoonisland.com)
Presented by the Georgetown Chimes, Cherry Tree is known for being the largest collegiate a cappella festival on the eastern seaboard and features three fun-filled weekends of a cappella celebration for students and alumni to enjoy. Members of The Chimes, both past and present, spend months planning and rehearsing for this time-honored tradition. This year, they began preparations as early as December.
The performances will take place in Gaston Hall with appearances by a cappella groups from near and far, including Georgetown’s very own Capitol G’s, Chamber Singers, GraceNotes, Phantoms, R.E.L., Saxatones, and Superfood. They will perform alongside the George Washington Sirens, George Washington Troubadours, Boston College Heightsmen, University of North Carolina Loreleis, James Madison University BluesTones, and University of Delaware Deltones.
Georgetown a capella groups are excited for the opportunity to participate in Cherry Tree. Maggie Bolas (MSB ’18) of Georgetown Superfood said, “There is no background music to guide the groups along, so it’s an amazing experience to see the songs develop out of just our voices. I hope the audience enjoys all the different styles that the different a cappella groups from Georgetown and other universities bring to the stage.”
On the last night of the festival, Chimes from years past return for the alumni show, reminiscing about their experiences and keeping up with the current Chimes. Chimes business manager Ben Manzione (SFS ‘15) said, “Each year, the majority of alumni come to see Cherry Tree for the alumni show, and various meet-ups and celebrations among Chimes and Chime families of all ages occur throughout the weekend.”
As the popularity of a cappella on and off campus has grown throughout the years, the Cherry Tree Massacre continues to evolve. “Music tastes, fashion trends, the popularity of a cappella in the collegiate environment—all of these things have fluctuated so much in the past 42 years, and I think the success of the Cherry Tree Massacre and the kinds of music we have performed in the past reflect that,” said president of The Chimes, Charlie Plissner (COL ’15).
Cherry Tree Massacre
Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 7, 21, 7:30 p.m.
Gaston Hall, $12
