Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: The Loyola College Belles Although they were novices in the competing world, the Belles still managed to leave the competition in third place, along with some solo award nominations recognizing individual Belles Kathryn Tracey and Nicola McQuiston.

Campus celebrities themselves, the Loyola College a capella groups, the Belles and the Chimes, are famous for flawlessly performing a variety of songs, both new and old, using only their voices as instruments. Twice a year, their fellow students line up outside of McManus Theater for an intense hour or two, giving threatening looks to each other, all for the sake of being able to possess one of the coveted few tickets to the bi-annual Chordbusters event, which features both groups.

You only need to ask any Loyola student who has been to Chordbusters to know the quality of the voices of the groups. They are no doubt a talented group of individuals.

Aside from being the centerpieces of these highly anticipated events, the groups also practice and have recently begun performing in a variety of competitions, both local and statewide. Recently, the female a capella group, the Belles, competed in an a capella championship at Elon University in North Carolina.

"We came in 3rd place (2nd runner-up) in the ICCA(International Championship of A Cappella) Competition," says Taryn O'Leary, a senior member of the Belles. "It was our first competition ever so that was pretty incredible."

If receiving third place as a whole in their first competition was not enough, a few individual Belles also won more awards for the team. "In addition to placing in the competition, we were nominated with the best soloist award and best vocal percussion. Kathryn Tracey was awarded best soloist and Nicola McQuiston was voted best vocal percussion. These awards were both from the song, "Hands Clean" by Alanis Morisette."

The ICCA is not only a national competition, but it is also the only international competition of its kind, which focuses solely on a capella singing. In addition to the college division, there is a high school section. The event takes place all across the world in 7 regions: West, Midwest, South, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, New England, and Western Europe and occurs from January through April.

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