Tonal Ecstasy

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Founded in 1998, Tonal Ecstasy is the oldest student-run a cappella group at McGill University. Membership varies between 13 and 17 undergraduate men and women.

Contents 1 History 2 Repertoire 3 Discography 4 Notable Alumni 5 Other a cappella groups at McGill University 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] History

Founded in winter, 1998, Tonal Ecstasy has held auditions every September thereafter, with occasional auditions in January as well. Following the founding of Tonal Ecstasy, several other a cappella groups were founded at McGill, including Effusion and Soulstice.

Tonal Ecstasy has done shows at the University of Toronto with Wibijazzin' (where they also ran a workshop on a cappella singing and beatboxing) and at McGill with the Tufts Amalgamates.

Tonal Ecstasy has sung the American and Canadian national anthems at Montreal's Stade Olympique for several games of the Montreal Expos.

Tonal Ecstasy has participated several times in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. In 2002, Tonal Ecstasy hosted the Montreal Quarterfinals and won first place, going on to participate in the Semi-finals at Boston University. The group has also participated in Quarterfinal competitions at Brandeis University (2000), McGill University (2001), and Hartford. Former beatboxer Micah Shapiro has won awards for best vocal percussion at three of these events. Alto Nedd-Roderique was awarded best soloist for her rendtion of "Independent Woman."

[edit] Repertoire

Repertoire is selected, directed, and arranged by group members. Song choice varies from year to year depending on group interest, but has ranged from songs by Beatles, U2, and Madonna, to spirituals to a fugue by J. S. Bach.

[edit] Discography

• Decision Making At Its Finest
• From the Eleventh Floor
• Another Round

[edit] Notable Alumni

• Micah Shapiro, beatboxer and tenor, later drummer and vocalist with Throwback.
• Mike Libis, tenor, later guitar and vocals for Throwback.
• Kurt Sampson, bass, beatboxer, musical director (2002) and arranger. Currently trombone master student at McGill University, Montreal.
• Dee Nedd-Roderique, alto, later vocalist for Kobayashi, a group which has performed at such events as the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
• Felicity Amos, soprano, founder of Tonal Ecstasy.
• Matt Dacso, beatboxer and bass, later jazz saxophonist in the Galveston scene.
• Ilan Muskat, tenor, later vocalist with Onoscatopoeia

[edit] Other a cappella groups at McGill University

• Effusion
• Soulstice

[edit] See also

• a cappella
• Collegiate a cappella
• List of collegiate a cappella groups

[edit] External links

• School of Rock McGill News (online alumni magazine) article mentions Throwback (founded by two then-members of Tonal Ecstasy) among notable alumni bands.