Years active 1914, 1940–present Record label The Yale Spizzwinks (?) | Active from 1913 Genre Easy listening | |
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Members Tenor IScott Feiner '19Nolan Crawford '19Dale Zhong '19Noah Strausser '18Tenor IIDylan Schifrin '20TanTan Wang '20Dennis Brookner '19Jake Colavolpe '18Donovan Sabog '18BaritonePaul Gross '20Nick Massoud '19Hudson Lee '19Ian Billinge '18BassAidan O'Connor '20Jake Gluckman '20Christopher Bowman '18Scott Feiner, pitchpipeDonovan Sabog, business manager Albums Never Don't Go, Cause for Alarm, The Brothership, Eine kleine Winkmusik(?) Similar The Whiffenpoofs, Yale Glee Club, The Duke's Men of Yale, Redhot & Blue, The Society of Orpheus Profiles | ||
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.
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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.
History
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.
Music and Humor
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.
Notable Alumni
Discography
Songs
Football Medley
I'm YoursCause for Alarm · 2009
Out of My LeagueCause for Alarm · 2009