After Eight Update

By Olivia Moore '12, After Eight General Manager

2010-2011 marks an amazing year for the women of After Eight! Auditions brought us three incredible new members: freshmen Katie Abernathy and Claire Lender, and sophomore Helen Cowan. They dove right in to prepare for our annual Witching Hour, under the direction of Claire Gober ’12. At Witching Hour on October 30, After Eight premiered many new songs including Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There?” and Seal’s “Love’s Divine”. 

Immediately following Witching Hour, the women of After Eight began perfecting eleven of our favorite A8 pieces to record for our latest CD, “Mint Condition”! We chose pieces that we not only love, but those that showcase our natural talent as a powerful female ensemble. With the technical expertise of Liquid Fifth Productions and under the direction of CD Manager Olivia Moore ’12 and Musical Directors Claire Gober ’12 and Tiffani Burgess ’11, the girls created a mint green masterpiece. Furthermore, Meghan Burns ’13 volunteered to lead fundraising efforts, and with events in and around Ithaca, we raised the money necessary to produce the disc. We are incredibly proud of our 2011 CD, and were honored to release it at our 20thanniversary concert on April 30, 2011. 

April 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of After Eight, and to commemorate the occasion, 18 esteemed alumnae made the trek to Ithaca, NY to dine, sing, and share 20 years of history with the current group. Six of the eight founding members of After Eight were present: we have you to thank for the successes we now enjoy, and we are incredibly honored to be part of your legacy. 

Our spring concert also provided us with an opportunity to recognize and honor our five beautiful seniors: Gillian Bader, Tiffani Burgess, Kristen Dilzell, Elena Moreno and Zoë Proom. These women are integral to the group and to our lives, and although we are excited to see how they will change the world, they will be sorely missed. They have helped us redefine the world of all-female a cappella.  

After Eight continues to grow and improve, and we must have leaders who are willing to advocate and support A8. Recent elections for the 2011-2012 year resulted in a new set of officers: Meghan Burns ’13, Musical Director, Olivia Moore ’12, President/General Manager, Jillian Kaplita ’12, Business Manager, and Claire Lender ’14, Assistant Business Manager/Fundraising Chair. Congratulations, ladies, and we can’t wait for what’s in store for After Eight in 2011-2012!