A cappella group seeks members

Local a cappella group Straight No Chaser is looking for some new faces. \nIn May, five of the members are leaving. Seniors Kyle Coffman, Ben Cohen, Mark Holloway and Michael Landau will graduate, and sophomore Steve Parrish is transferring to DePaul University in Chicago. \nThe remaining five singers are seeking some new talent.\nFreshman Jermaine Miles said he encourages anyone to try out.\n"If you've ever sang in your entire life, either in a choir, in the shower, or anywhere and you're remotely interested in auditioning, give it a shot," Miles said. \nBut a good voice is not the only quality the group is looking for. Potential members are encouraged to be outgoing during their audition, said Cohen. He said Straight No Chaser performances reflect not only talent, but also the members' unique personalities.\n"There are so many great voices at IU; we're looking for those who we would have a good time with," Cohen said.\nSophomore Ryan Ahlwardt said he agrees with Cohen. He said he hopes to find people who can express their personality and commitment during the audition.\n"No one needs to be an opera major or a singer since grade school," Ahlwardt said. "All we want are guys who want to have fun and have a drive to succeed."\nAhlwardt said the group's new members must have versatile voices, which means they will need to be able to sing a solo. He said every man in the group should know each solo in case he needs to sing it for someone who misses a show, and the ability to learn music quickly is crucial.\nLandau said he doesn't consider the countless hours spent working with Straight No Chaser as a job.\n"We are just a bunch of guys who love making music together and sharing it with others," he said. "It is a big commitment and a lot of work, but it's well worth every minute."\nAhlwardt said the members agree the joy of being a part of Straight No Chaser must be experienced first-hand to fully appreciate it. \n"People who just want to focus on the concerts, or the CDs, or the popularity on campus shouldn't audition," Ahlwardt said. "Rather, the guys who want to make people happy by doing what they love to do are the guys we're looking for." \nCohen said that, in a nutshell, what Straight No Chaser is looking for is a group of five to six fun and outgoing guys who are ready for a good time and some work along the way. He said the five members who are leaving are sad to go but confident the legacy of Straight No Chaser will continue.\n"SNC has shaped my future because of the people I've met and the experiences I otherwise would not have had without the group," Cohen said. "This is where I met my best friends, had the most fun and learned about music and about life"