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KANSAN.COM
ARTS & CULTURE
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University a capella group Genuine Imitation brings together students through a common love of music.
Savanna Smith/KANSAN
Genuine Imitation offers a unique musical experience
▶ SAVANNA SMITH
@SgvSmith27
The University's a cappella group, Genuine Imitation, offers more depth than meets the eye. It involves a diverse group of students with different backgrounds and interests all brought together by a common love for music. Its instrument-free sound showcases individual voices and their abilities to create music solely with vocals.
of the music is pop. This includes recent adaptations of "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and "Kaleidoscope Heart" by Sara Bareilles.
The group performs around Lawrence and the Kansas City area. Its most recent performance was at Rock Chalk Shabbat. The main yearly event for the group is the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) in the spring.
we are only failing ourselves and each other," Chestnut said. "It's just really exciting. It's this huge bonding experience."
["A cappella] is a different style. You get to make it more personalized to your group," said Jaden Nussbaum, a sophomore from Rose Hill. "It's people making the entire arrangement with their mouths. That is something that will be permanently unique about a cappella that you can't really find anywhere else."
A lot of us would have never met each other. Our paths would have never crossed, but when the music starts, all the differences are just abolished," Chestnut said. "It makes us stronger that we're different."
Ben Schenberg, a sophomore from Chesterfield, Mo., said Genuine Imitation offers a unique and expressive outlet from daily life.
"I think for me, the best
thing about being in [Genuine Imitation] is that, as an engineer, I don't have a lot of time to do the things that make me really happy," Schenberg said. "It kind of gives me an outlet to express myself when I'm doing so much math all day. I feel like I'd go crazy if I didn't have things like Genuine Imitation."
For the group's older members such as Chestnut,
Genuine Imitation plays an important role in a fulfilling college experience.
"It's [Genuine Imitation] just continuing my love for music in college in such an uplifting environment," Chestnut said. "I love being surrounded by different communities. That's what's special to me about this music group."
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