Members of Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary band fraternity, will perform in their respective bands, along with other musical groups at Lehigh, on the UC front lawn April 29 as part of the Acoustics in April event.
Kappa Kappa Psi’s Kappa Gamma chapter, which will be hosting the event, is a co-ed fraternity, with members in a variety of majors and with many in multiple musical groups on campus. The organization focuses its efforts on working with the music department at Lehigh, as well as working with the local community at elementary and middle schools, and has been doing so for 20 years. Aside from its outreach to the musical community at Lehigh and the surrounding area, its goals come to fruition at the Acoustics in April Event.
Rob Dorrycott, ’16, the president of the organization, explained that the event is held to allow small music groups and bands to play for large crowds, so they can be exposed to playing in a different setting than they may be accustomed to. He said that the group’s love for music nourishes the goal to bring people together through all genres of music.
The organization has 37 members and recently initiated nine new members, according to their previous president Douglas Solowey, ’15.
Unlike other Greek organizations on campus, Kappa Kappa Psi is a professional fraternity and not a social fraternity, Rob Dorrycott said. Solowey, however, noted that the organizations are similar in their recruitment and new member education processes.
Dorrycott is in a jazz combo and also in a pop-alternative band called Plan B, but encourages all lovers of music to come, as there will be nine total musical performances from jazz groups, a capella groups and the clarinet choir.
Shannon Steiniger, ’15, is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and a member of the Clarinet Choir. The Clarinet Choir is co-ed and its members are mostly non-music majors. It usually prepares two or three pieces per semester, one of which the group performed in the fall at the Christkindlmarkt festival, while the other will be performed at Acoustics in April.
Steiniger thinks the exposure Kappa Kappa Psi gives by playing in front of live audiences is great. As a senior who is involved in the symphonic and marching bands, she’s had experience with performances in front of larger crowds.
“It’s a lot of fun, especially to be performing with a group of friends,” Steiniger said.
Solowey, who is a bass drummer in the Marching 97, feels the same way about live performances.
“I performed at Yankee Stadium with the Marching 97,” he said. “It’s a great feeling. A lot of people would think you would get nervous, but the most memorable moments are the ones in front of large crowds.”
Although he is not performing this year, Solowey said he is excited to see all of the hard work of his peers pay off. After a short hiatus from the event, Kappa Kappa Psi brought back the event last year under Solowey’s presidency. Through advertising and by working with other organizations on campus, the group expects that it will be bigger and better than previous years, Solowey said.
Acoustics in April will be held April 29 from 4 – 8 p.m. The rain location is in Lamberton Hall.
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