Isabelle Cialone
Cherry Tree Massacre, the a cappella festival, returned to Gaston Hall this past weekend, completing the first weekend of its 51st annual installment. Hosted by Georgetown University’s oldest a cappella group, the Georgetown Chimes, Cherry Tree brings together several student groups from across the area for two nights of performance.
The first half of this year’s showcase, which took place Feb. 7, featured five Georgetown student groups and four groups from local universities. Hailing from the Hilltop were Superfood, the GraceNotes, the Phantoms, the Capitol G’s and the Chimes. Two all-female groups from The University of Virginia — the Virginia Belles and the Sil’hooettes — were also present, joined by American University’s Dime a Dozen and The Catholic University of America’s Take Note. Each guest group performed two to three songs of genres ranging from oldies to rock to disco, but modern pop dominated the evening.
The festival kicked off with the Chimes’ performance of “Out There” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The group’s flawless navigation of the vocal intricacies of the arrangement set the tone for the awe-inspiring celebration of musical talent.
Some performances, like Take Note’s rendition of Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met,” were loaded with powerful emotion, even bringing some of the audience to tears. The groups seamlessly interspersed these heart-wrenching songs with upbeat tunes that invited the audience to groove, such as Superfood’s mashup of Maggie Rogers’ “Don’t Forget Me” and Zedd’s “Clarity” or the Capitol G’s’ funky choice of “Love Machine” by The Miracles. The evening was a testament to each singer’s impressive vocal ability. The GraceNotes’ arrangement of “Talia” by King Princess highlighted the powerful voice of soloist Chiara Volpi (SFS ’28), as did the Phantoms’ cover of The Paul Smith Quartet’s “Summertime” with soloist Zayne Nemry (SFS ’27).
Though a cappella performances are captivating to hear, they often suffer from a lack of audience engagement. The typically minimal choreography accompanied by subtle swaying tends to come across as awkward at best. Fortunately, the audience at Cherry Tree was full of life, and their enjoyment was evident through the roaring cheers and clapping that reverberated through Gaston Hall. The Chimes’ annual skit performance, in which each Chime performs an individual pop culture skit and then combines them all for the refrain, was — as always — a crowd favorite, as was the Capitol G’s’ Lady Gaga mashup, which sparked torrential applause.
Most people associate a cappella with the “Pitch Perfect” movies, as the franchise popularized the singing style in the mainstream; thus, an a cappella festival wouldn’t feel complete without some reference to the series. Luckily, the Chimes delivered on this front, kicking off their final act with a mashup of the songs sung by the Treblemakers, the all-male group from “Pitch Perfect,” who rival the central Barden Bellas. This performance was another crowd favorite, drawing cheers and even quiet vocal accompaniment from the audience.
Though Cherry Tree assembles a variety of a cappella groups, it is ultimately a tradition of the Georgetown Chimes. The tight-knit group’s prideful spirit truly shone through in the event. The show was emceed by Justin McCarthy (CAS ’13), a Chimes graduate whose commentary hinged on his relatability as a Hoya — and his incessant digs at English majors (which hit a little too close to home). McCarthy, as well as other present former Chimes, joined the current group on stage for the ultimate finale, “The Georgetown Fight Song.” The final arrangement did something not even a Georgetown basketball game has been capable of: inspired in me a sense of school pride.
This year’s event was dedicated to two late Chimes: David J. Walsh (CAS ’58), who died in October 2024, and Fr. James Patrick Michael Walsh, S.J., who died in June 2015. The Chimes’ performance, which rounded out the evening, included an ethereal hymn as an honorable tribute to these two beloved members of both the Chimes and the greater Georgetown community, as well as the current group’s seven graduating seniors’ tear-jerking performance of “When She Loved Me.”
A cappella groups are a staple of the college experience, and I would be remiss not to urge you to indulge in an evening of stellar performances. The next and final Cherry Tree date is Feb. 22. Though the show is long, approaching three hours with only a 10-minute intermission, the caliber of the singing, fun traditions and its affordability make it abundantly clear why the event has managed to persist over the years.