With a song in their hearts — and a lump in their throats — 31 alumni shared the Rooke Chapel stage with 17 current students to sing the plaintive “Hallelujah” on Nov. 2.
Written by Leonard Cohen and arranged by the group in its early years, “Hallelujah” has been the closing number for most Beyond Unison performances. So it was a natural choice for the conclusion of the acapella group’s 15th anniversary concert.
“As I look back over 15 years, I’m amazed at how the group has grown,” says Jon Backhaus ’07, who with Laura Householder McFalls ’08 and Anna Riker Mulligan ’08 founded Beyond Unison.
“Leading up to the weekend concert, the group started an email chain to share memories about what Beyond Unison meant to each person,” says Backhaus. “What struck me most was the sense of belonging — the sense of family — that has persisted through the years. In talking to alumni after the concert, I realized how the group has touched so many of us.”
Alumni and students each sang five songs, including Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. “I was amazed at how good the songs sounded,” says Max Code ’21, vice president of Beyond Unison. “It sounded like a release from the last spring concert.”
Beyond Unison also performs an annual fall concert and frequently throughout the year on and off campus.
Written by Leonard Cohen and arranged by the group in its early years, “Hallelujah” has been the closing number for most Beyond Unison performances. So it was a natural choice for the conclusion of the acapella group’s 15th anniversary concert.
“As I look back over 15 years, I’m amazed at how the group has grown,” says Jon Backhaus ’07, who with Laura Householder McFalls ’08 and Anna Riker Mulligan ’08 founded Beyond Unison.
“Leading up to the weekend concert, the group started an email chain to share memories about what Beyond Unison meant to each person,” says Backhaus. “What struck me most was the sense of belonging — the sense of family — that has persisted through the years. In talking to alumni after the concert, I realized how the group has touched so many of us.”
Alumni and students each sang five songs, including Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. “I was amazed at how good the songs sounded,” says Max Code ’21, vice president of Beyond Unison. “It sounded like a release from the last spring concert.”
Beyond Unison also performs an annual fall concert and frequently throughout the year on and off campus.
