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Let the

The Real
Pitch Perfect

Zoe Schubot I JN Intern

T

he first thing people ask me
when they hear I'm in an a cap-
pella group is usually, "No way!
So, it's just like Pitch Perfect, right?"
My answer to that question is usu-

ally yes and on While my a cappella
group, RCAHppella, which is based in
the Residential College in the Arts and
Humanities (RCAH) at Michigan State
University, does compete in the very some
ICCA (International Championship of
Collegiate A Cappelli.) competition that
serves as the dramatic height of the Pitch
Perfect movies, and while we do perform
mashups of popular songs arranged by
incredibly talented students, the similari-
ties pretty much end them
We don't have any crazy kind of ini-
tiation where we swear to never talk
to members of other groups We don't
indude phrases like *aca-mazing" in our
everyday vemacular, and we are unable to
perform complex choreography bemuse
we are actually singing onstage, not lip
synching to prerecorded studio tracks.
But while all of that is mildly inaccu-
rate, the glaring moment of Pitch Perfect
that showcases the inaccuracies of the
film is the riff off
For those who haven't opened their
eyes and ears to the Pitch Perfect phe-

nomenon (Pitch Perfrct 2 is still in some

theaters now), a riff off is a type of infor-
malcompetition where groups gather
and improvise songs based on a given
category. Riff offs are incredibly fast-
paced, with songs picked at random by
the participants and performed with no
prior rehearsal.
This concept, while very impressive to
watch onscreen, is incredibly unrealistic
Arrangements take weeks to prepare
before they are memorized, refined and
ready to be performed in front of an
audience. While it would be amazing to
be able to simply decide what to sing and
instantly be able to do so in perfect har-
mony with no rehearsal, this isn't possible
in the real a cappella world.
The rivalries that occur among the a
cappella groups in Pitch Perfect prove
exciting onscreen, but aren't so realistic.
Competition is not the foundation of
the a cappella experience. Rather, groups
focus on being the best they can be and
performing in a variety of settings, not
just competition.
The a cappella community is a sup-
portive one — my friends and I frequent-
ly attend other groups concerts, parties
and rehearsals. We help each other out
before competitions providing encour-

Zoe Schubot fakes a solo while
Michigan State University's
RCAHppella performs at the annual
Acapalocua event.

agement and critiques; we even have a
joint a cappella concert at the beginning
of each year where the groups on cam-
pus share the stage for a night of shared
musicianship.
While we take part in some friendly
competition, it is just that, friendly.
Despite some glaring inaccuracies,
the Pitch Perfect movies do manage to
emphasize the root of what a cappella is
all about — sharing something you love
with people you love.
Music has been a part of my life since
I was 4, when I would wander around
my house singing at the top of my lungs
(something I still do to this day), and I
love being able to share that passion with
a group of people who have become my
best friends. ❑

JO intern Zoe Schubot of Bloomfield Hills
WM be a Junior et MSU's Residential Collecie
Sr the Arts and Humanities this fait Watch
a video of the RCAHpella group at winubit.
ly/INH335N.

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JN CONTENTS I theJEwisHNEws.

July 9-15, 2015 I 22-28 Tammuz 5775 I Vol. CXLVII, No. 23

Around Town
24
Arts & Life
39
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28
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Calendar
25
Editor's Picks
42
Here's To
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NextGen
Obituaries
Points of View
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Torah Portion
World

36
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32
49
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26

Columnists
Danny Raskin
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48
32

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