The New Blue of Yale

The New Blue of Yale University is the oldest undergraduate female a cappella group in the Ivy League. Founded in 1969 as Yale's first women's organization of any kind, The New Blue has almost four decades of professional entertainment and inspiring musicality. With its rich, deep sound and eclectic repertoire, The New Blue celebrates its 43rd anniversary in 2013.
The New Blue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.
History
The first historic auditions for The New Blue were organized by Fenno Heath, long-time Director of the Yale Glee Club, Amee Wood, a member of a women's a cappella group at Skidmore, and Jim Weber, then President of the Glee Club. Eleven women were selected from these auditions, then to be left on their own to either sink or swim.
Dubbing themselves "The New Blue" to represent a new breed of Yalies reforming the mold of Yale's "Old Blue," the original group struggled to create a place for itself within the well-established male music scene. At first, it was difficult for The New Blue to be taken seriously. Without any start-up money or a model to go by, the group had to find a distinctive sound, create a new repertoire for the female voice, and compete with the other male groups from Yale for gigs.
The New Blue, however, did not give up. When they were barred from performing at the famous New Haven restaurant "Mory's," where male groups performed weekly, The New Blue rewrote the traditional song for Mory's and performed it at Naples Pizza nearby instead. After hearing the omnipresent quip "the new who?" for a year, the group responded with its first album entitled "Since You Asked..." in 1970. Finding venues wherever they could, The New Blue opened for the Yale Glee Club on its tours, sang joint concerts with groups at other universities, and eventually gained entry to "Mory's" in 1975. Their musicianship continued to evolve until the group was able to afford its first tours to Cornell University, Chicago, and Florida. Soon, the group was making a name for itself, and gaining the momentum they needed to become one of the most respected groups on campus.
Repertoire
In the 1980s, The New Blue's repertoire transformed dramatically. More arrangements that experimented with complex harmony and rhythm were added, and a new style was developed. The group embraced a more empowered image, and boasted a new deeper sound that was richer and more womanly—the sound that defines the group to this day.
Today, The New Blue's repertoire remains almost exclusively arranged by members and ranges from traditional arrangements to jazz, pop, rock, folk, and even country. Many arrangements include complex trios, scatting, and beat-boxing, taking on both famous female soloists like Aretha Franklin and modern male icons, like MIKA. From Cole Porter's "Antoinette Birby" and Imogen Heap's haunting "Hide and Seek" to the twang in "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" and the soulful "Always Be My Baby" or "With or Without You" by U2, The New Blue has a broad and eclectic repertoire. The New Blue prides itself on its award-winning layered arrangements with parts ranging from the traditional four up to twelve.
In addition to these arrangements, The New Blue also has eight different Valentine's quartets in its repertoire. Every Valentine's Day, The New Blue runs around campus delivering live singing Valentines to students. Whether serenading a classmate in the dining hall, singing a short quartet during a lecture, or even delivering a song over the telephone, the Yale singing Valentine is a long-held New Blue tradition.
Membership
Comprised yearly of about 15-20 undergraduate women from across the country and the globe. Membership is determined by an audition process unique to Yale a cappella groups..."Rush."
"Rush" period officially begins when freshman arrive on campus and ends about three weeks later with one of the university's most well-known traditions: "a cappella Tap Night." Rush season includes two large concerts featuring all 15 of the Yale a cappella groups, in addition to auditions, call-backs, a New Blue-specific concert called a "Singing Dessert," and weeks of rush meals in which auditionees dine with and get to know current members of their prospective groups. The rush process is organized by the Singing Group Council of Yale and is also open to current sophomores.
To help rushees through this exciting, but, admittedly, long, process, each group has several Rush Managers to organize their group and serve as a resource for rushees.
Tours and Travel
Each year, The New Blue travels on at least two tours. In the 2009-2010 school year, New Blue traveled on a domestic tour to southern California, an international tour to the United Kingdom and France, and a mini-tour to Philadelphia as guests of the prestigious Yale Glee Club. Recent tour destinations have included Greece, Florida, Washington D.C. Turkey, Ireland, Jamaica, California, England, Puerto Rico, France, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Canada. The group has performed in venues ranging from the White House to the Empire State Building, opened for notable comedian Bill Crosby, and recently sang for Barack Obama, The United States Embassy in Paris, Tyra Banks, and The Bonnie Hunt Show. The New Blue finances its tours entirely through performances throughout the year and CD sales.
Albums and Awards
As of June 2012, The New Blue has released 14 CDs, in addition to numerous cassettes and albums, in its history. New Blue's debut LP, Since You Asked, was released in 1969. The most recent CD was released in Fall 2011 under the title, "Speak for Yourself."
The group's 30th anniversary CD, "Can't Stop," named after one of the tracks on the album ("Can't Stop Thinking About You" by Martin Sexton) received the Contemporary A Cappella Society's national award for Best Female Collegiate Album. The Contemporary A Cappella Society also named one of The New Blue's arrangements, "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker, Best Female Collegiate Arrangement. "Sweet Love" can be heard on 2009's Blueprint. CASA on the arrangement:
Sue Kwok's arrangement is a lush, jazzy translation of the Anita Baker original. Listening to it, you are transported to some smoky blues bar (and you can almost see Dan Akroyd mingling with the crowd). This mood provides a rich setting for the song.

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