The Spizzwinks
| The Yale Spizzwinks(?) | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Years active | 1914, 1940–present |
| Website | http://www.spizzwink.com |
| Members |
Tenor I Scott Feiner '19 Nolan Crawford '19 Dale Zhong '19 Noah Strausser '18 Tenor II Dylan Schifrin '20 TanTan Wang '20 Dennis Brookner '19 Jake Colavolpe '18 Donovan Sabog '18 Baritone Paul Gross '20 Nick Massoud '19 Hudson Lee '19 Ian Billinge '18 Bass Aidan O'Connor '20 Jake Gluckman '20 Christopher Bowman '18 Scott Feiner, pitchpipe Donovan Sabog, business manager |
The Spizzwinks, stylized as the The Spizzwinks(?), are an a cappella singing group of male students from Yale University. Founded in late 1913, the Spizzwinks(?) are the oldest underclassman a cappella group in the United States, dating back to a first performance in early 1914.
Composed of eighteen college-aged men, the Spizzwinks perform internationally, touring to every continent within a three-year term. The group is also a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that the group is a non-profit organization.
In 1913, four young men met at Mory's Temple Bar, Yale's historic tavern, to create a light-hearted alternative to the more serious Whiffenpoofs (another a cappella singing group). They decided upon the "Spizzwinks," a reference to a mythical creature to which the Corn Blight of 1906 had been whimsically attributed. Because the editor of the Yale Banner was unsure how to spell the fledgling group's name, he added a question mark in parentheses to the headline announcing its foundation. The group liked the look of "Spizzwinks(?)" and has officially adopted the symbol as both a part of its name and as a logo.
The Spizzwinks' repertoire comprises music arranged entirely by current and former members of the group, including a mixture of traditional Yale songs, songs by composers such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein, and more modern artists like Queen, MIKA, fun., Adele, and Justin Timberlake. The group values a signature "laugh of loud" humor, and a typical concert includes a variety of skits and other comedy.
Each year, the Yale Spizzwinks(?) perform over 100 concerts across the nation and around the world, typically in tuxedos or tails. They have performed at the White House, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and professional sporting events, as well as at country clubs, yacht clubs, churches, schools, and resorts. The group sells CDs and other merchandise to raise funds for their touring, as they are completely self-funded.
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