Loreleis celebrate 35 years of a cappella on campus

As they celebrate their 35th anniversary this year, the Loreleis recounted how their history and commitment to excellence helped them become one of the most important all-female a cappella groups at UNC.

Loreleis President Hunter Travers said the group was initially founded to give female singers a chance to perform without requiring any previous learning experience.

“The Loreleis were founded in 1981 to provide female singers without formal musical training a venue to show off their talents,” she said. “The eight original Loreleis had an informal start with their first performance at Morehead Planetarium and just four total songs in their repertoire.”

Loreleis Business Manager Karli Krasnipol said she was impressed by the strength and vibrancy of the alumni community after their 35th anniversary concert on Satuday.

“We had almost 100 alumni at our concert, and there is no better feeling in the world than feeling that support from the many Loralums that came before you,” she said.

The Loreleis Music Director Celia Vitale said the group is named after the mythical siren who enchanted sailors to their deaths with her beautiful voice.

Vitale said the Loreleis took some time to become prominent and successful, but they haven’t looked back since. In 1996, the group become more well-known after they won the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.

“And now just earlier this spring, we opened for Jay Leno for the second time at the Durham Performing Arts Center and are celebrating our 35th anniversary as a group this year,” Vitale said.

Travers said ever since the Loreleis were founded, the group has worked toward carrying this mission of providing opportunity to all female singers while still being identified as one of the top female a cappella groups.

“I believe the group has remained true to its original purpose but after many years of performing, we also now strive to be one of the best female a cappella groups in the collegiate a cappella world,” she said.

“Every single year is different because we have members graduating and also entering the group, but the traditions and guiding principles unite everyone, past, present and future, who is a part of the Loreleis.”

Travers said her favorite part about singing with Loreleis involves carrying on the group’s longstanding reputation.

“Being a part of this group has given me a purpose at Carolina and it’s truly an honor to be in an organization that has been a part of the school for so long, and to be able to carry on a tradition at UNC, especially as a leader, is something that I’ll take with me for the rest of my life,” she said.

“We’re a paid performance group, so there is a certain quality of service that is expected from us, especially having been a group for 35 years.”

Krasnipol said that, as an all-female a cappella group, the Loreleis have embraced their gender as a large part of their image.

“We embrace our gender and use it to push ourselves, never to hold us back,” she said. “The purpose is still very similar today, but has developed into an outlet in which we can empower each other to be proud, hardworking women who love to sing, build each other up and make each other feel more confident in ourselves.”

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