It’s a common joke on campus that a cappella is Conn’s answer to the active Greek life found at many other colleges. If our seven student-run a cappella groups are the Conn College version of fraternities and sororities, then Miss Connduct is certainly a most unusual (but wonderful) kind of sorority.
“We’re different from the crowd,” said Candace Taylor ’13, the founder and president of Miss Connduct.
For starters, don’t expect to hear just your standard vocal exercises when these ladies warm up. Every Miss Connduct rehearsal begins with group improvisation, a ritual that also forms an important component of the group’s audition process. This spirit of experimentation isn’t just for fun; the ladies of Miss Connduct say many of the musical ideas that emerge as they improvise together will end up in final performances.
Anna Volpe ’14, Miss Connduct’s pitch — that’s the “musical president” of the ensemble for those unversed in a cappella lingo — emphasized that “each one of us brings our own little two cents into the group,” musically speaking. It’s true that Volpe, as the pitch, manages many musical leadership duties on behalf of the ensemble: claiming songs for the group’s repertoire, leading warm-ups and rehearsals, assembling arrangements, etc. But the selection of songs directly reflects individual members’ musical tastes, said Molly Bienstock ’14. Miss Connduct’s repertoire features tunes by Adele, Jessie J, Alison Krauss and many other popular recording artists.
But each of these artistically diverse songs, whether it’s “Price Tag” or “Someone Like You,” receives the benefit of Miss Connduct’s stylistic signature: a healthy dose of soul. “We came into this as a soul group,” said Allie Munson ’14, and that doesn’t just refer to the group’s musical sound. In fact, a large part of Miss Connduct’s raison d’être is about the far-reaching meaning of soul — humanity, passion, empathy and everything else the word implies.
Recent performances by Miss Connduct show just how cohesive and sincere that mission is. Whether it’s to benefit the fight for cultural diversity or against twenty-first century slavery, the women of Miss Connduct have frequently sung in concerts that feature an altruistic purpose. These efforts to give back to the greater community are supported and enriched by Souled Out, a student-run arts outreach group that also happens to be the parent organization of Miss Connduct.
Photo Courtesy of Candace Taylor
After spending a few minutes with the ladies of Miss Connduct, however, it’s clear that these girls don’t just sing beautifully and do good deeds; they know how to have fun, too. The group’s website overflows with pictures that feature the singers’ fondness for goofy faces and charmingly ridiculous poses. Leah Swinson ’15 laughed when remembering a particularly gymnastic rehearsal session: “Doing handstands against the wall — just a typical practice!”
All silliness aside, sincere friendship among members of the ensemble is a given; nicknames are given freely and affectionately. Alex Iezzi ’16, a new member of the group, marveled at the “completely different atmosphere” she encountered as she walked into an audition for Miss Connduct. “You can feel the love,” agreed Taylor.
Danielle Cyr ’15, meanwhile, admires the advantages of having “a support group” in her fellow singers. After rehearsals, “I’m practically skipping back to my room,” she said.
This genuinely warm and caring vibe, it seems, is what truly distinguishes Miss Connduct as a unique musical entity on campus. “We do this … because we love it,” Taylor said. That fact seems obvious, not only in the singers’ joyful camaraderie with one another in “real life,” but also in their breathtaking vocal harmony when onstage.
So what should you expect from a Miss Connduct concert? “Come with your dance shoes ready and a skip in your step,” said Bienstock. Somehow, I don’t think they’ll have any trouble finding a large and eager audience — dancers, skippers and soul aficionados alike.
