Monday, December 7, 1998
Carolers to fill Village with sounds of season
MUSIC: Student singers connect with audiences, businesses in
Westwood
By Sandy Yang
Daily Bruin Staff
The sight of palm trees in Christmas tree attire, snowflake
banners and the starry lights strung over Wilshire Boulevard makes
the holiday season a visual treat as one ventures into Westwood
Village. For two more weekends, the Christmas atmosphere is not
just limited to the sights of the holidays, but the music of the
season as well — when the UCLA group Awaken A Capella performs
Christmas carols through the streets of Westwood.
The student-run Awaken A Capella will be the first group to
carol in what Westwood Village Community Alliance organizer Steve
Sann hopes will become a Westwood Village tradition. The Alliance,
responsible for the traditional holiday decorations festooning the
streets, is also the sponsor and initiator of this Christmas
program with a UCLA twist.
Although the 13-member, co ed a capella group may start a
tradition, their vocal stylings are certainly not traditional.
Revamping familiar songs such as "Up on the Housetop" and
"Silent Night,"Awaken mixes in new harmonies and genres. For
example, one song may include 13 separate parts, while another
traditional song might incorporate techno elements.
"It’s not what a lot of people are going to expect, because
people expect there to be four or five people dressed up like
someone out of Charles Dickens and your traditional Christmas
carols," says Will Pellegrini, a fourth-year theater student and
Awaken president. "But instead, they got a group of 13 college
students who are just as enthusiastic and talented."
Sann, also a UCLA alumnus, couldn’t agree more with the decision
to hire the group.
Having worked with the group before, Sann felt the group not
only possessed enough talent to rival any professional agency, but
also thought it would spark a connection between the students and
the business owners in the Village.
"It would have been a lot easier to call the talent agency and
book a quartet and bring them in … that is a no-brainer," Sann
says.
"But what we’ve done in Westwood is something much more special
and meaningful and lasting by connecting the campus with the
Village community."
Westwood businesses are also taking an active part in the
caroling.
Although the merchants won’t be out singing with Awaken,
businesses can host the carolers by providing them with either a
complimentary lunch or dinner. Those which aren’t restaurant
businesses, like Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers and Aahs, will pay
Schlotzsky’s Deli to provide the meals. In return, Awaken will sing
in front of their host business for 15 minutes before moving down
Westwood’s streets.
As Awaken has already performed at the deli twice before,
Schlotzsky’s Deli owner Cheri Schekman feels the caroling is an
ideal opportunity to connect with the campus.
"We’re so close to each other, and I feel that UCLA and the
Village should work together to make this a really great area for
everyone," Schekman says. "Anything we do in which we can work
together like this is wonderful."
Coming into the new year, Sann and the merchants hope the music
doesn’t end with the season. With such a rich reservoir of talent
within the school, Sarah Leonard Fine Jeweler’s vice president Jeff
Abell thinks Westwood would provide an ideal venue for performances
around the year.
"There are a lot of wonderful musicians in school who are
looking for the opportunity to perform and we think we can give
them that opportunity … while they provide us the opportunity to
promote Westwood Village," Abell says.
"The hope is we can tap into the talents of UCLA and bring that
to the Village," says Sann. "I hope there will be a legacy started
with this caroling program that won’t end in December, but it is
really the beginning (of the tradition)."
For Awaken, singing is already a year-round activity not
determined by the holiday seasons. The group has participated in
the annual Spring Sing every year since the group’s formation in
1992. Last year, they won Best A Capella Group for their rendition
of Prince’s "Seven," as well as the big prize, Best Overall
Performance.
What started as a group of students who discovered each other’s
love for singing in a Sproul laundry room is now the producer of
winter and spring concerts. They churned out one CD and toured the
East Coast a few years ago. Pellegrini has big plans for the group,
including another East Coast college and university tour, as well
as a second CD, which will feature their original arrangements of a
many cover songs.
Meanwhile, the group is perfecting its performance with each
concert. This Wednesday, Awaken will present its annual winter
concert in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom. The ensemble will sing a
few Christmas carols as well as songs from Queen, "The Lion King"
and The Barenaked Ladies.
"We are so on adrenaline," Pellegrini says. "We were so excited
last year when we won the Spring Sing. We had an awesome spring
concert at the end of the year, so we were so excited this year. We
couldn’t wait to get back because there was so much camaraderie
with the group. We just had the same ideas with what the group has
the potential of doing."
Musical director and third-year world arts and culture student
Camilla Ghedini agrees.
"I’m really enthusiastic about the group this year," Ghedini
says. "We’re really stoked."
With ambition, of course, the group isn’t afraid to delve into
the unknown. For Westwood as well as for Awaken, Christmas caroling
is something new for both. The group rehearsed all quarter for this
walking concert and its winter concert. Awaken will also experience
something that is foreign to most performers – the chance to be so
close to their audience.
"Down in Westwood, it will be completely different because our
audience is two feet away from us, just standing there watching us.
It’s a neat contrast (from the winter concert)," Pellegrini
says.
Inviting the holidays in with their songs, Awaken is also open
to the exposure that comes with being seen by so many people. The
group is optimistic about the potential of this wide exposure, but
most of all, wants to have a good time.
"I hope we’re something fun to watch while you’re Christmas
shopping or eating," Ghedini says. "It’s nice to stroll down the
street and hear singing, live singing. I know we’re just trying to
have fun."
PERFORMANCE: Awaken A Capella will carol for the next two
weekends in Westwood, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The group’s
Winter Concert will be in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom this
Wednesday at 8 p.m. Admission is free.Photos by LEAH SWALLEY
Anthony Vulin, Will Heermance, Megan Bailan and Camilla Ghedini,
members of Awaken A Capella, sing Christmas carols at BJ’s in
Westwood.
A group of carolers from Awaken A Capella sings in front of the
Fox theater. The group will be caroling in Westwood for the next
two weekends.
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