Wander into the Paul Mellon Arts Center gallery on Monday, Friday, or Sunday night, and you will find a group of students singing and harmonizing to ever-catchy songs. A group of boys and girls sway to modern and classical tunes, radiating passion, energy, and enthusiasm for music. Meet Bellacanto, Choate’s first ever coed a cappella group.
Bellacanto offers a welcoming home to its members. Elaine Shen ’18 said, “Bellacanto helps me relax after a busy day at school. It is a place of comfort when you are trying to figure out who you are at Choate.” The group fosters a sense of belonging and a family-like bond. Joseph Coyne ’19 explained, “We all get along really well. We are all passionate about singing, and just want show people how amazing music can be.”
Ms. Alysoun Kegel, who oversees all a cappella groups on campus, stated, “They all work extremely hard and pay a lot of attention to musical elements. They are not sexualized, unlike single gendered groups, and are appreciated solely for their music. Single gendered groups are often objectified. It is inherently not inclusive of people who are on different places of the gender spectrum.” This is reinforced by the excitement of all-girl groups visiting boys’ dorms, and vice versa. Bellacanto breaks away from this norm, creating a new era of co-ed a cappella at Choate.
Maya Iyer ’16 said that being relatively new, Bellacanto is “in a special situation because we are able to start our own traditions and create a legacy for our group.” Many members of the group came into Choate knowing this was the a cappella group for them. Steven Jiao ’19, recounted, “I wanted to be in Bellacanto because it is more diverse, making it stand out from other groups.” This uniqueness stems from the group’s diverse range of coed voices, which widens the spectrum of songs to perform.
Hopefully, next time you hear Bellacanto around Choate, you will remember the significance of this group in terms of their individuality, acceptance of all, and deep sense of community. Be sure to listen for them if you walk into the PMAC during their practice hours!
