The New Blue of Yale
Encyclopedia
The New Blue of Yale University is the oldest undergraduate female a cappella group in the Ivy League
. Founded in 1969 as Yale's first women's organization of any kind, The New Blue has almost four decades of professional entertainment and inspiring musicality. Notable for its uniquely rich, deep sound and eclectic repertoire, The New Blue looks forward to celebrating its 43rd anniversary this year and another four decades of sharing its elegant and spirited performances with venues around the world.
The New Blue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.
, then director of the Yale Glee Club, Amee Wood, a member of a women's a cappella group at Skidmore, and Jim Weber of The Whiffenpoofs
. The eleven dynamic women selected from these auditions were informed of their success, and then immediately left on their own to either sink or swim.
Dubbing themselves "The New Blue" to represent a new breed of Yalies reforming the mold of Yale's "Old Blue," the original group struggled to create a place for itself within the well-established male music scene. At first, it was difficult for New Blue to be taken seriously. Without any start-up money or a model to go by, the group had to find a distinctive sound, create a new repertoire for the female voice, and compete with the other Yale groups for gigs. Yet The New Blue did not give up.
When they were barred from performing at the famous New Haven restaurant "Mory's
," where male groups performed weekly, The New Blue rewrote the Mory's song and performed it instead at Naples Pizza nearby. After hearing the omnipresent quip "the new who?" for a year, the group responded with its first album entitled "Since You Asked..." in 1970. Finding venues wherever they could, New Blue opened for the Yale Glee Club
on its tours, sang joint concerts at other universities, and gained entry to "Mory's" in 1975. The level of ability and musicianship continued to evolve until the group was able to afford its first tours to Cornell University, Chicago, and Florida. Soon, the group was making a name for itself, and gaining the momentum they needed to become one of the most respected groups on campus.
Today, The New Blue's repertoire remains almost exclusively arranged by members and ranges from traditional arrangements to jazz, pop, rock, folk, and even a little country. Not a group to shy away from a challenge, The New Blue includes complex trios, scatting, and beat-boxing in many of its arrangements; and takes on both famous female soloists like Aretha Franklin and modern male icons, like MIKA. From Cole Porter
's "Antoinette Birby" and Imogen Heap's haunting "Hide and Seek" to the twang in "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" and the soulful "Always Be My Baby" or "With or Without You" by U2, The New Blue never fails to surprise. The New Blue prides itself on its award-winning layered arrangements with parts ranging from the traditional four up to twelve.
In addition to these varied arrangements, The New Blue also has eight different Valentine's quartets in its repertoire. Every Valentine's Day, The New Blue travels around campus delivering live singing Valentines to students. Whether serenading a classmate in the dining hall, singing a short quartet during a lecture, or even delivering a song over the telephone, The Yale singing Valentine is a long-held New Blue tradition.
The "Rush" period officially begins when freshman arrive on campus and ends about three weeks later with one of the university's most well-known traditions: "a cappella Tap Night." Rush season includes two large concerts featuring all 15 of the Yale a cappella groups, in addition to auditions, call-backs, a New Blue-specific concert called a "Singing Dessert," and weeks of rush meals in which auditionees dine with and get to know current members of their prospective groups. The rush process is organized by the Singing Group Council of Yale and is also open to current sophomores.
To help rushees through this exciting, but, admittedly, long, process, each group has several Rush Managers to organize their group and serve as a resource for rushees. Rush is one of the most interesting experiences a freshman can have, and every year The New Blue is excited to meet and invite several new members into the group!
. Recent tour destinations have included Greece, Florida, Washington D.C. Turkey, Ireland, Jamaica, California, England, Puerto Rico, France, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Canada. The group has performed in venues ranging from the White House to the Empire State Building, opened for notable comedian Bill Crosby, and recently sang for Barack Obama
, The United States Embassy in Paris, Tyra Banks, and The Bonnie Hunt Show. New Blue's members don't pay tour dues - group travel is entirely financed by performances and CD sales.
The group's 30th anniversary CD, "Can't Stop," named after one of the tracks on the album ("Can't Stop Thinking About You" by Martin Sexton) received the Contemporary A Cappella Society's national award for Best Female Collegiate Album. The Contemporary A Cappella Society
also named one of The New Blue's arrangements, "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker, Best Female Collegiate Arrangement. "Sweet Love" can be heard on 2009's Blueprint. CASA on the arrangement:
Sue Kwok's arrangement is a lush, jazzy translation of the Anita Baker original. Listening to it, you are transported to some smoky blues bar (and you can almost see Dan Akroyd mingling with the crowd). This mood provides a rich setting for the song.
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
. Founded in 1969 as Yale's first women's organization of any kind, The New Blue has almost four decades of professional entertainment and inspiring musicality. Notable for its uniquely rich, deep sound and eclectic repertoire, The New Blue looks forward to celebrating its 43rd anniversary this year and another four decades of sharing its elegant and spirited performances with venues around the world.
The New Blue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.
History
The first historic auditions for The New Blue were organized by Fenno HeathFenno Heath
Fenno Follansbee Heath, Jr. was an American conductor, composer, and arranger of choral music.Heath attended Yale University, where he majored in music and graduated in 1950. As an undergraduate he sang in the Yale Freshman Chorus, the Apollo Glee Club, the Yale Glee Club, and the Spizzwinks, the...
, then director of the Yale Glee Club, Amee Wood, a member of a women's a cappella group at Skidmore, and Jim Weber of The Whiffenpoofs
The Whiffenpoofs
The Yale Whiffenpoofs are the oldest collegiate a cappella group in the United States, established in 1909. Best known for "The Whiffenpoof Song", based on a tune written by Tod Galloway and adapted with lyrics by Meade Minnigerode & George S Pomeroy , the group comprises college...
. The eleven dynamic women selected from these auditions were informed of their success, and then immediately left on their own to either sink or swim.
Dubbing themselves "The New Blue" to represent a new breed of Yalies reforming the mold of Yale's "Old Blue," the original group struggled to create a place for itself within the well-established male music scene. At first, it was difficult for New Blue to be taken seriously. Without any start-up money or a model to go by, the group had to find a distinctive sound, create a new repertoire for the female voice, and compete with the other Yale groups for gigs. Yet The New Blue did not give up.
When they were barred from performing at the famous New Haven restaurant "Mory's
Mory's
Mory’s, known also as Mory’s Temple Bar, is a private club adjacent to the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1849 and housed in a clubhouse that was originally a private home built some time before 1817...
," where male groups performed weekly, The New Blue rewrote the Mory's song and performed it instead at Naples Pizza nearby. After hearing the omnipresent quip "the new who?" for a year, the group responded with its first album entitled "Since You Asked..." in 1970. Finding venues wherever they could, New Blue opened for the Yale Glee Club
Yale Glee Club
The Yale Glee Club is a mixed chorus of men and women, consisting of students of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1861, it is the third oldest collegiate chorus in the United States after the Harvard Glee Club, founded in 1858, and the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club,...
on its tours, sang joint concerts at other universities, and gained entry to "Mory's" in 1975. The level of ability and musicianship continued to evolve until the group was able to afford its first tours to Cornell University, Chicago, and Florida. Soon, the group was making a name for itself, and gaining the momentum they needed to become one of the most respected groups on campus.
Repertoire
In the 1980s, The New Blue's repertoire underwent a dramatic transformation. More arrangements that experimented with complex harmony and rhythm were added, and a new style was developed. The group embraced a more empowered image, and boasted a new deeper sound that was richer and more womanly—the sound that defines the group to this day.Today, The New Blue's repertoire remains almost exclusively arranged by members and ranges from traditional arrangements to jazz, pop, rock, folk, and even a little country. Not a group to shy away from a challenge, The New Blue includes complex trios, scatting, and beat-boxing in many of its arrangements; and takes on both famous female soloists like Aretha Franklin and modern male icons, like MIKA. From Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
's "Antoinette Birby" and Imogen Heap's haunting "Hide and Seek" to the twang in "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" and the soulful "Always Be My Baby" or "With or Without You" by U2, The New Blue never fails to surprise. The New Blue prides itself on its award-winning layered arrangements with parts ranging from the traditional four up to twelve.
In addition to these varied arrangements, The New Blue also has eight different Valentine's quartets in its repertoire. Every Valentine's Day, The New Blue travels around campus delivering live singing Valentines to students. Whether serenading a classmate in the dining hall, singing a short quartet during a lecture, or even delivering a song over the telephone, The Yale singing Valentine is a long-held New Blue tradition.
Membership
Comprised yearly of about 15-20 undergraduate women from across the country and the globe, the group is well-known for its elegant and spirited performances at a variety of venues, from schools to country clubs to women's organizations. Membership is determined by an audition process unique to Yale a cappella groups..."Rush."The "Rush" period officially begins when freshman arrive on campus and ends about three weeks later with one of the university's most well-known traditions: "a cappella Tap Night." Rush season includes two large concerts featuring all 15 of the Yale a cappella groups, in addition to auditions, call-backs, a New Blue-specific concert called a "Singing Dessert," and weeks of rush meals in which auditionees dine with and get to know current members of their prospective groups. The rush process is organized by the Singing Group Council of Yale and is also open to current sophomores.
To help rushees through this exciting, but, admittedly, long, process, each group has several Rush Managers to organize their group and serve as a resource for rushees. Rush is one of the most interesting experiences a freshman can have, and every year The New Blue is excited to meet and invite several new members into the group!
Tours and Travel
Each year, The New Blue travels on at least two tours. In the 2009-2010 school year, New Blue traveled on a domestic tour to southern California, an international tour to the United Kingdom and France, and a mini-tour to Philadelphia as guests of the prestigious Yale Glee ClubYale Glee Club
The Yale Glee Club is a mixed chorus of men and women, consisting of students of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1861, it is the third oldest collegiate chorus in the United States after the Harvard Glee Club, founded in 1858, and the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club,...
. Recent tour destinations have included Greece, Florida, Washington D.C. Turkey, Ireland, Jamaica, California, England, Puerto Rico, France, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Canada. The group has performed in venues ranging from the White House to the Empire State Building, opened for notable comedian Bill Crosby, and recently sang for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, The United States Embassy in Paris, Tyra Banks, and The Bonnie Hunt Show. New Blue's members don't pay tour dues - group travel is entirely financed by performances and CD sales.
Albums and Awards
The New Blue has released 8 CDs, in addition to numerous cassettes and albums, in its history. New Blue's debut LP, Since You Asked, was released in 1969. 'The most recent is the 40th Anniversary album, Blueprint, released in Fall 2009.The group's 30th anniversary CD, "Can't Stop," named after one of the tracks on the album ("Can't Stop Thinking About You" by Martin Sexton) received the Contemporary A Cappella Society's national award for Best Female Collegiate Album. The Contemporary A Cappella Society
Contemporary A Cappella Society
The Contemporary A Cappella Society , or CASA, is a 501 charitable organization dedicated to fostering and promoting a cappella music of all styles around the world. CASA was cofounded in 1991 by Deke Sharon by incorporating the first a cappella directory, The List, founded in 1988 & distributed...
also named one of The New Blue's arrangements, "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker, Best Female Collegiate Arrangement. "Sweet Love" can be heard on 2009's Blueprint. CASA on the arrangement:
Sue Kwok's arrangement is a lush, jazzy translation of the Anita Baker original. Listening to it, you are transported to some smoky blues bar (and you can almost see Dan Akroyd mingling with the crowd). This mood provides a rich setting for the song.