The Hyannis Sound

Soarthroats is drawing closer to its first concert, and a capella has been on my mind a lot lately. Whenever I look for inspiration among a capella groups, I always end up back at The Hyannis Sound. They are hands-down the best singing group I have ever heard. The Hyannis sound is made up of about 20 college males from all across the country who spend their summer living in a huge house on outer Cape Cod, learning a vast repertoire of music.

The most impressive aspect of the Hyannis Sound is the quality of the singers. Every year they pull together a crew of singers that could easily be professional, and some of them are. The combinations of all these amazing voices is striking to say the least; their blending and accuracy in unparalleled. You may have heard Marc Whittington when he was at Hanover High -- he didn't even make the group on his first audition. The better you know him, the more shocking this will be to you. It took him a second try to make it. This alone speaks to the high standards they maintain as a group.

Another reason Hyannis Sound is at the top of my list is their arrangements. I speak from experience when I say that taking a song and reducing it into a small number of voice parts is not easy. However, you wouldn't know it listening to them -- they seamlessly blend complex sections into an overall sound that stays true to the original song while making it their own.

While listening to the Hyannis Sound, it is easy to forget that you're not hearing any instruments. I highly recommend giving them a listen -- and at the least, come see them when they visit Lyme in April.