The Hamline A Cappella choir, as part of a community outreach program, had decided to host an event called ‘The Cozy Cabaret’, a talent showcase of musical abilities that any student could sign up for if they wanted to. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the event has been canceled, but those interviewed still provided background for when the event is rescheduled.

“Well, I’m on the choir board. I’m the fundraising chair this year and we were talking to, like last year, the choir had discussed doing some sort of concert event, but we decided that we wanted to make it open to the whole community instead of just the choir,” senior Kate Malanaphy said. “So we came up with the idea to do a cabaret where anyone on campus could perform if they wanted and everyone was welcome to come watch.”

Malanaphy has been involved in Hamline’s music program since she began her college career.

“I’ve been in choir here since I was a freshman. I’m like a music scholar, so I’ve gotta be in an ensemble and everything like that. So, yeah, natural choice,” Malanaphy said.

Kate explained that the Cozy Cabaret was meant to bring the A Cappella choir closer to the level of other student orgs. “We figured like we have concerts and everything when all the other ensembles do, but we don’t have an event that like really lets people know that the choir is out there, that it’s an option and I feel like a lot of people have like kind of like a stigmatized view of choir from like high school and stuff like that,” Malanaphy said.

Senior Bob Delage was going to perform at the event with his band, Don Jenardo, a band that specializes in a variety of genres. “They had pictures posted early posters around drew fighters and I’m in a band with a few other music students and one of them brought it up actually and said we should get involved in the event,” Delage said.

Joining Delage’s band as a guest artist is senior Tranquil Bent. “I actually, I’ve only been with the AFA Paula for one semester, but I’ve been a musician for like 10 years and I’ve been singing for like six years. The A Cappella choir is amazing and everyone should go and support them,” Bent said.

Malanaphy explained the A Capella’s choir’s plan to increase community outreach and host more events going forward despite the COVID-19 setback.

“We’re definitely hoping to try to plan more events where we can involve the community musically and just like socially,” Malanaphy said. “Obviously, right now it seems like it’s going to be kind of hard to do that, but we were hoping that if this would take off, maybe an annual thing like this, or like more smaller concerts that are less classical music focused and more pop-oriented.”