Shades of Yale

Shades is a co-educational a cappella group founded to celebrate music of the African Diaspora at Yale University. It is the group’s objective to offer a unique, musically excellent, and spiritually enriching performance experience to audiences at Yale and beyond. Drawing from the diverse backgrounds of its members and the oral traditions of blacks in America, Shades strives to portray authentically the depth and complexity of the black experience with a focus on R&B, gospel, jazz, soul, pop, and traditional Caribbean, African, and African-American music. Shades is a member of the Singing Group Council of Yale. It is regarded to be one of the university's best ensembles. The group's latest CD, Sankofa, was one of the best reviewed collegiate a cappella albums in the United States in 2006, receiving a 4.3 from the The Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB).
History
Shades was started in 1988 by Titilayo Ngwenya, then a Yale freshman, and a small group of other students at a pre-orientation program for students of color now known as Cultural Connections. Shades's first performance was at the Durfee Sweet Shop on Old Campus, Valentine's Day, 1989. In addition to its major Parents' Weekend concert and "Spring Jam" and Shades continues its tradition of free Valentine's Day concerts to this day, filling some of the largest venues on campus.
The group's repertoire is rooted in music of the African Diaspora, a tradition that until the emergence of Shades had not established itself amongst Yale's a cappella community.
In determining the group's name, the founding members wanted to convey a sense of diversity and complexity in music and culture. Someone offered up the phrase "in life there is no black and white -only shades of gray." For a short time the group was called "Shades of Gray;" then they decided to shorten it to Shades.
Tours
Each year, Shades embarks on two or three tours. Past tour destinations include New Orleans, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Tokyo, South Africa, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. In Spring 2007, Shades traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana and contributed to the rebuilding efforts by performing at local churches and schools. In August 2003, Shades was invited to Phokeng, South Africa, to sing for the enthronement ceremony of Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. The group's performance at a soccer stadium of over twenty thousand included former president Nelson Mandela and the royal family of Botswana. This was the first tour by a Yale, a cappella group to sub-Saharan Africa. In 1992, the group was invited to sing before the Congressional Black Caucus. The group has recorded with Lenny Kravitz and performed for notable figures, including choreographer Debbie Allen and Tony Award winner .
Shades has been featured in the Japan Times, AsahiTV, and NHK News. The group was also the subject of an episode of the Felicia Mabuza Show (similar to the Oprah Winfrey Show) during its South Africa tour.
Shades has collaborated with the University of Pretoria Chorale, the first group at that university to perform African music. It has also exchanged arrangements with Stanford University's black music group, Talisman.
During spring break 2009 Shades visited Dublin, Ireland for two weeks. Notable performances included playing for Mary McAleese, current President of Ireland at Áras an Uachtaráin and on The Late Late Show with Pat Kenny.
Business Practices
Unlike other Yale a cappella groups like the Whiffenpoofs, Shades does not have an endowment. Shades has always been completely student-run and entirely funded by its performances throughout the year. The group has experimented with ideas like setting aside a share of profits from current albums toward production of future albums, as well as organizing discounted "pre-payments" for unrecorded albums from alumni and other supporters in order to reduce the amount of cash that needs to be earned and set aside for new album production costs.
The group has now received its 501c3 non-profit status.
Committed to educational and social outreach, the group has volunteered its services at a number of institutions and charitable venues.
Alumni
Shades has had several notable alumni over the years including Cicily Daniels, who is currently appearing on Broadway in The Little Mermaid, Anika Larsen, who appeared in Xanadu,, and Lauren Worsham, who performed with the New York City Opera in Candide.
Alumni have also gone on to work for firms like Goldman Sachs and McKinsey & Company, in addition to pursuing work in social justice and health care.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu