Shades of Gold: Wooster’s own a capella group

“We are the only group that works exclusively by ear,” said Sara Beckstrom, president of Shades of Gold at the College of Wooster. “That is the defining characteristic for us.” Beckstrom, a junior at the college, joined the group her freshman year. Shades of Gold, founded in 2013, is a relatively new addition to the campus music scene. The a capella singing group was started to bring something different to the members’ experience of singing and performing. How long does it take to bring a song from the “table” to rehearsal? It all depends on the complexity of the song and necessity. The group performed a rendition of “Black Bird” for the community at the Martin Luther King event in January. That arrangement came together in a few hours.With an overall goal of performing less-known music with a slant toward alternative and R & B, members bring their favorites to rehearsal, everyone listens and all have a vote, deciding which songs to bring into the repertoire.One of the group’s two vice presidents, sophomore Brian Pousak, said, “When it comes to song selection, we go with stuff we get inspired by. It’s a collaborative approach. We have a listening lab.” Once a song has been chosen, the process of creating a unique arrangement begins. “Sometimes we’ve built [arrangements] from the piano ... For the most part it’s about listening,” Beckstrom said. “People just jump in and come up with parts.”“With arranging it’s about inspiration,” Pousak said. “Whatever we hear, we run with it. If one person has an idea, we will give it a try. It takes a lot of editing.”What is at the core of the Shades of Gold experience for these creative vocalists? Senior Rachel Woods, co-public relations officer, said, “The overall vibe of the group is what I thrive off of, being able to sing, laugh and have fun with so many talented people.” Member Rebecca Wells said, “My favorite part of Shades of Gold is the family aspect. We all support one another and help each other to do our best. As a freshman it was really nice to have a group of people that I could fall back on.” With nearly all of the original group members graduating last year, Shades of Gold has been regrouping and planning for the future. “It’s like a new year,” Beckstrom said, “a transition year for Shades.” Regarding future goals for the group, Pousak said, “It’s not set in stone. One hope we have is to participate in a capella competitions. We’d like to tour to other colleges to perform and hopefully record another album.”The Shades of Gold debut album, “Masterpiece,” is available online through all the major music resources. Follow the group on Facebook for information regarding upcoming campus performances at www.facebook.com/Shades-of-Gold-1555703144695644/.Shades of Gold is interested in more connection with the greater Wooster community and is available to perform at community events. Email Beckstrom at sbeckstrom18@wooster.edu.