News Releases
Entertaining Hoosiers for a decade
April 14, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A weekend of a cappella including Ladies First and Straight No Chaser, IU’s women’s and men’s a cappella groups, will mark the 10-year anniversary of the formation of Straight No Chaser.
The weekend festivities will feature the spring concert of Ladies First at the IU Auditorium on Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Following the concert the IU Alumni Association, which sponsors both groups, will host an open reception for alumni and friends at the Irish Lion (212 W. Kirkwood Ave.).
Straight No Chaser will hold its spring concert at the IU Auditorium on Saturday, April 29, at 8 p.m. Alumni will join current members on stage to perform some Straight No Chaser originals. Alumni and friends are invited to the post-concert celebration hosted by the IUAA at Malibu Grill (106 N. Walnut St.).
Concert tickets for both shows can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the IU Auditorium Box Office (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.). For more information, call (812) 855-1103.
Straight No Chaser began when Dan Ponce, a member of the Singing Hoosiers, had the idea to assemble a men’s a cappella group. He recruited some friends from the Singing Hoosiers, and the founding members of Straight No Chaser began their quest. The group put on their first performance in October 1996 at the Indiana University Dance Marathon. Straight No Chaser has gone on to perform at universities and auditoriums across the nation, impressing audiences with their incredible blend of talent and exciting stage presence. They advanced to the finals of the 2005 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella and performed last April at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The IUAA has sponsored the group throughout its existence, and the partnership has included live performances at alumni events around the country.
The IUAA also sponsors Ladies First, which began in 1999 with the simple question: “Why doesn’t IU have a women’s a cappella group?” Natalie Perkins, Ladies First co-founder and director, first approached Walter Shilanskas, then director of Straight No Chaser, with that question. Shilanskas referred Perkins to Sarah Gibson, another IU student who had been e-mailing him the same question for several months. The three worked together to form a talented group that made its first performance as the opening act for Straight No Chaser in April 1999. Since then, Ladies First has delighted members of the IU family across the country with its soulful renditions and dynamic stage presence.
Ladies First was the only all-female a cappella group to advance in the Midwest regionals of the 2005 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. The group was recently honored with two 2006 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. Their CD Down for the Ride was selected as the Best Female Collegiate Album of the year, and senior member Sarah Schmidt won Best Female Collegiate Solo for her rendition of “Hero” on Down for the Ride.
As one of the nation's largest alumni organizations, serving more than 481,000 graduates worldwide, the IUAA is also a connection between alumni and the university. The association is a dues membership organization but provides many programs and services to the general university community. For information, visit www.alumni.indiana.edu or call (800) 824-3044.