The night of April 19, the all-female a cappella group Hearsay performed their annual spring concert, and in doing so, gave the audience a sample of the breathtaking vocal talent here at Cornell. Their close-knit community, genuine attitude and dedication to the craft all shone through, making for a truly memorable experience and a reminder of this school’s a cappella prowess.
This performance was the culmination of an entire semester of thrice-weekly rehearsals followed by the period that all a cappella groups across campus dread, “hell weeks,” during which rehearsal durations and frequency increase leading up to the day of the concert. Hearsay’s hell weeks began immediately after the return from spring break. Yet in the midst of the a cappella grind, many find their place here at Cornell. In the words of Abigail “AJ” Hecht ’28, a member of Hearsay and the group’s choreographer, “A cappella gives us a chance to spend six hours a week reflecting on our passions and stepping away from the craziness of academic clubs, classes and internship applications. There are also amazing opportunities to hang out with other groups, getting to know them through joint arch sings, mixers and supporting one another when it’s time for our concerts.”
The opening song of the set was an arrangement of “Oscar Winning Tears” by RAYE, featuring soloist Brianna Ramnath ’26 — and what an opening it was. Ramnath’s powerful, compelling vocals glided atop a sea of perfectly blended harmonies to really give the audience a sense of what we were in for. Ramnath’s performance in this song transitioned seamlessly from quiet moments of suspense to radiant displays of vocal range and overall talent. Shout out to the sound balancing, which was impeccable from this song all the way throughout the concert — volumes between vocal parts were perfectly blended, the bassline was always audible and the vocal percussion always stood out just enough.
The second song was an arrangement of “Creep” by Radiohead, featuring soloist Aubrey Klippenstein ’29. In order for a group to pull off a ballad like this one, they need to have a masterful blend and a strong ability on the soloist’s part to transition seamlessly between emotional peaks and valleys — moments of quiet reservation and moments of unrestricted passion. Thankfully, both Klippenstein’s and the rest of the group’s performance checked these boxes and left nothing to be desired.
The next song was an arrangement of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” featuring soloist Paige Cobrin ’27 whose animated, charismatic pop vocals coupled with dynamic harmonies and a very catchy bassline cemented this number in my memory. Yet another all-around complete performance.
The fourth song of the set was an arrangement of “Turning Tables” by Adele, with soloist Nitya Shamdasani ’26. Her silky smooth vocals carried the banner for this piece. There were also noticeably precise and satisfying rhythms in this song that demonstrated the strong chemistry and focus of the group.
The first act went out with a bang — an arrangement of “Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani, soloed by Kamara Williams ’29. This performance was characterized by Williams’ confident, commanding stage presence and some very creative and well-executed choreography. These factors working in tandem made this one of the most memorable songs of the set.
Prior to the beginning of the second act, the group sang “Blackbird” by the Beatles as an interlude. Without a soloist, this piece showcased the overall cohesion of the group and made for a really nice touch. Kicking off the second act was an arrangement of ABBA’s “Super Trouper,” soloed by Meriem Farah ’29. The liveliness radiating from this performance was truly infectious, and Farah’s graceful vocality genuinely made me feel like I was watching a performance of Mamma Mia!
The following piece was an arrangement of “California King Bed” by Rihanna, featuring soloist Sabrina Kogan ’26. This song contained some truly ethereal moments, with Kogan’s emotionally compelling vocal performance being underscored by some standout harmonical moments.
The next song was an arrangement of “She Used to Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles, featuring soloist Hannah Quigley ’26. Undertaking a banger like this one requires a demonstration of the soloist’s ability to seize the moment with Broadway-esque vocals, and Quigley’s captivating performance accomplished just that. This song also has a very satisfying chord progression that was accentuated by the whole group’s precise intonation.
The penultimate piece was an arrangement of “Every Summertime” by NIKI, soloed by Su Jin Kang ’26, whose charismatic and youthful vocality spearheaded the upbeat vibe of this song that contrasted with the more solemn natures of the previous two pieces. The backing vocals also featured some lively and uptempo motifs that further contributed to this atmosphere.
The final song of the set was an arrangement of “Say You Love Me” by Fleetwood Mac, featuring soloists AJ Hecht and Tess Furno ’28. This song continued the lighthearted vibe brought about by the previous, with Hecht’s rich and flowery vocals contrasting beautifully with Furno’s brighter tone. This piece also featured some very well-executed cascades from the backing vocalists along with an impressive display of vocal percussion that had me dancing in my seat.
Following the set’s conclusion, the group invited all of the alumni in the audience to join them onstage for their alumni song, “Carry On My Wayward Son.” Given the context of this year’s seniors moving on to the next chapter of their lives following this final demonstration of their contributions to the group, this performance was genuinely beautiful to watch.
As a member of Cornell’s a cappella community myself, it delights me to go and watch fellow groups perform. Walking away from this performance in particular, I’ll remember Hearsay’s evident group chemistry and genuine love for what they do, along with the immense talent that they bring to campus. To anyone who is yet to experience Cornell a cappella, you really don’t know what you’ve been missing — go show out to some performances before this semester closes out!
Jordan White is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a columnist for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at jiw39@cornell.edu.
