A cappella groups from Georgetown University and other nearby colleges performed in the 50th annual Cherry Tree Massacre a cappella show Feb. 2 in Gaston Hall, during Senior Parents and Family Weekend.
The Cherry Tree Massacre, hosted by the Georgetown Chimes — Georgetown’s oldest and all-male a cappella group — featured performances by four Georgetown vocal groups: the Chimes, Georgetown Superfood, the Capitol G’s and the Georgetown University Chamber Singers. Groups from three other local universities also sang at the show: the Virginia Sil’hooettes from the University of Virginia (UVA), Treble in Paradise from American University and Take Note from Catholic University.
Christian Kim (CAS ’25), who has been a member of the Chimes since his first year, said that it feels larger than life to be on stage and take part in a celebrated Georgetown tradition.
“It’s very humbling to be part of something that’s larger than yourself,” Kim told The Hoya. “We all worked really hard to make sure this could happen and we’re really happy that we’re able to contribute toward Georgetown in such a way.”
Ben Fosnocht (CAS ’25), the Chimes’ president, known as the “Ephus,” wrote that keeping the Cherry Tree Massacre tradition alive requires extensive behind-the-scenes work.
“We book the space, negotiate with an A/V company, reach out to guest groups, flyer, table in Leavey and Red Square, design a poster, advertise on social media, communicate with our alumni and, of course, rehearse our music,” Fosnocht wrote to The Hoya. “It’s a huge team effort, and everyone pitches in. We’ve all worked really hard to create as great of a show as we can for the audience.”
The Chimes opened with “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron and sang a diverse array of songs from “All I Ask” by Adele to “The Parting Glass,” a traditional Scottish song.
Kim said the Chimes devoted much of their set list for this year’s Cherry Tree Massacre to Chimes members from the Class of 1974, the first class to partake in the event.
“While most of the ’74 group who are still alive today will be able to come and sing — actually all of them that are still alive will come — there are three members who won’t be able to make it because they sadly passed away and so much of the set is actually dedicated to that,” Kim said. “‘The Parting Glass,’ ‘The Night We Met,’ other songs like that to just really honor them.”
Grant Goodrick (CAS ’25), the Chimes’ social chair, said that the setlist, which every Chimes member contributes to, is unique to that year’s group of singers.
“Behind the songs, it’s just we all chose it together and want to create an atmosphere that really got to know the group in our own special way,” Goodrick told The Hoya.
Georgetown’s other a cappella groups contributed covers of pop and rock songs to the show.
Georgetown Superfood performed a Rihanna medley and other songs, including: “The End of Love” by Florence and the Machine and Stevie Wonder’s “As.” The Capitol G’s, Georgetown’s low-range a cappella group, sang pieces like Bastille’s “Pompeii”, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day and “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Beach Boys.
Charlie Mei (CAS ’25), who has sung in Georgetown Superfood since his first year, told The Hoya that the group attempts to arrange their set list based on audience preferences.
“We really tried to focus on a mix of both crowd-pleasing songs and songs that our audience might not have heard before,” Mei told The Hoya.
All of the Chimes gathered on stage for the performance’s finale and sang the Georgetown fight song in a moment of camaraderie.
The Cherry Tree Massacre will continue on Feb. 10, with members of the 1974 Chimes returning for a graduate performance alongside the Gracenotes and Saxatones, two other a cappella groups from Georgetown, and the AcHOOstics from UVA.
Fosnocht said the Cherry Tree Massacre demonstrates music’s power to unify Georgetown students and graduates.
“Cherry Tree brings the community together through music, and it will continue to do so for another 50 years,” Fosnocht wrote.
