New ECU a cappella group promotes diversity on campus

Juniors Elizabeth Allen and Lauren-Paige Smith posing in front of the fountain on main campus.

Under the umbrella of music organizations at East Carolina University is a new a cappella group, set to mend the forces of diversity and dynamics together as one.

Called Drastic Measures, the organization prides itself as a co-ed a cappella group comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students at ECU. The name of the group, according to Drastic Measures’ President Lauren-Paige Smith, represents the wide range of diversity the group will be able to offer to campus.

“We just saw that there was not a group on campus that was all inclusive,” Smith, a junior health fitness specialist major, said. “We saw the opportunity (to create an a cappella group) and we just wanted to take it, especially because in today’s day and time, we need something like music that can bring everyone together and create a sense of unity across our campus."

Both Smith and Drastic Measures’ music director Elizabeth Allen are former members of the all-female a cappella group, Magnolia Belles. The two wanted to create a group which was “all inclusive” to every kind of person on ECU’s campus.

“We especially felt like this group was a very good idea, especially to reach out to the LGBTQ community on campus because with the other groups on campus that are all female, some members of that community may not be very comfortable being a part of that kind of group,” Allen, a junior declared nursing major, said. “With this group being co-ed, we’re open for anyone to be free to be who they are.”

The interest meetings for the new a cappella group took place last Monday and Thursday in ECU’s Brewster Building. There, students from all classes, races, genders and musical backgrounds gathered to ask questions, introduce themselves by playing “Two Truths and a Lie” and discuss their intended futures as prospective members of the group.

Freshman communication major Calvin Scott said after attending Thursday’s interest meeting, he felt as if he was “already a member of the group.”

“They were all so nice and welcoming. Everyone in the room was fun to be around and I left that room gaining two new friends,” Scott said. “It almost makes me more nervous for the audition, because I really want to be able to call myself an official member of Drastic Measures.”

All who are interested in being a member of Drastic Measures are required to have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and must go through an audition process, where they will sing a song of their choice, do basic sight reading and be asked to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” with someone else to check for the ability to blend their voices with others. Drastic Measures' auditions will take place on Sept. 9, Sept. 10 and Sept. 13 from 5-9 p.m., with the location being announced in the coming days.

As a graduate student at ECU, Kendall Wrigley said organizations at the university don’t do the best job when it comes to tailoring to those who have already turned their tassels once before, which is why Drastic Measures stood out to her.

“Often, organizations make a huge push toward recruiting solely undergraduate members, which is understandable yet unfair,” Wrigley said. “When I heard Drastic Measures was open to all ECU students, I was intrigued right off the bat.”

At the interest meeting, both Smith and Allen emphasized how they not only wanted to have a diverse group of members, but a diverse range of covers ranging from country, pop, rock and even original songs composed by members themselves.

“We’re open to suggestions and we’re not going to sing one genre,” Allen said during Thursday’s interest meeting. “It’s all about you guys.”

Drastic Measures will perform at campus and community events, and perform at one concert and one invitational for the campus community each year, according to its about page on Facebook.

Some of the intended plans for the group include traveling to a cappella festivals in state and strengthening the bond of members within the group with “bonding events at least once a month,” according to Smith.

For more information about Drastic Measures’ future performances and audition sign ups, visit the organization’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.