That’s what a group of University of Georgia students are doing. They call themselves the Ecotones. They sing a cappella but with a purpose.
“The ‘eco’ part of the Ecotones is really important,”
Kara Joyce, the group’s administrative director: – “I would want for us to do more environmental stuff. Maybe we can start our own nonprofit that works on campus to clean up the green areas.”
As for now, forty percent of the Ecotones’ concert profits are donated to the Upper Oconee Watershed Network, and all members are required to attend water conversation events throughout the year.
Some members plan to volunteer at UOWN’s quarterly monitoring event on November 12 at Sandy Creek Nature Center. There, volunteers will sample river water to be tested for chemicals or aid in counting bug populations.
“Normally, during people’s first time, they get grossed out,” said musical director Jacob Beckham. “I’m excited to see how the ‘baby-tones’ react this year.”
In recent months, the Ecotones have added new original arrangements to their repertoire, including a “punk-goes-pop” cover of Mumford and Sons’ “Little Lion Man,” Gallant, Tablo and Eric Nam’s “Cave Me In” and Adele’s “When We Were Young.”
“I really love it when songs have a funky groovy vibe, which is a lot of the songs we have now,” said junior Sebastien Nazaire. “Because I’m a bass, and I’m the one who brings the funk.”
While the Ecotones have never competed, Beckham plans to get the group involved in small-scale competitions in the near future, in the hopes of one day applying for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.
-Casie Wilson
