SUNY Geneseo’s Little “Sing Song Groups”

Photo courtesy of Neveline Garwood

All five of the a cappella groups who performed at Mwa-Ha-Hacappella—check out Geneseo's amazing a capella groups.

On Oct. 25 at 7:00pm in Wadsworth Auditorium, the room echoed with the sound of voices singing in harmony. This event was the first a cappella concert of the semester, featuring five of SUNY Geneseo’s very own talented groups: Between the Lines, Emmelodics, Exit 8, Hips ‘N Harmony, and Southside Boys. The concert was divided into two sets with a 15-minute intermission in between. Each group performed four songs in total.

Prior to the concert, these five groups had spent months preparing their songs of choice. Between the Lines’ set list consisted of a mix of upbeat and melancholy songs, including “Petals on the Moon,” “Night Changes,” “Moment in the Sun,” and “Ain’t It Fun.” The group, Emmelodics, performed arrangements of “Take a Chance on Me,” “Everybody Talks,” “Maneater,” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Another group, Exit 8, took the stage with their renditions of “Zombie,” “Headlock,” “Workin’ for the Weekend,” and “I Will Wait.” The penultimate group, Hips ‘N Harmony, entranced the audience with “Toxic,” “Rhiannon,” “More Than a Feeling,” and a Noah Kahan medley of “Maine” and “Forever.” Another featured group was the Southside Boys kicked off the concert with “Good Ol’ A Cappella,” followed by “...Baby One More Time,” “Mr. Blue Sky,” and a Styx medley.

A cappella groups at Geneseo are all rich with tradition, especially when it comes to their concert attire, and each group had its own theme for the event. Both Emmelodics and Exit 8 traditionally wear their group colors (maroon for Emmelodics and dark green for Exit 8) mixed with concert black. Hips ‘N Harmony members were all seen wearing black dresses and flaunting pink flowers in their hair. Between the Lines showed up festive in fall colors, and most uniquely, the Southside Boys arrived in concert attire paired with Halloween costume pieces.

The energy of this concert was unmatched, as every single group that performed showed their passion for music and love for their group. There are two concerts each semester, and now that this performance is complete, the groups will reconnect and begin preparing for their next show on Dec. 6, 2025. 

During the concert, heartfelt speeches were given to some of the groups’ graduating members before they performed their senior song. This tradition marks the end of a member's a cappella career as they prepare to graduate and move on to experiences outside of SUNY Geneseo.

After watching Between the Lines, Emmelodics, Exit 8, Hips ‘N Harmony, and Southside Boys at “Mwa Ha Ha Cappella,” there is no doubt in my mind that each group is incredibly talented. However, the truly prevailing theme of the night was realizing just how deeply bonded these little families have become by sharing their love of singing with one another.

If you are interested in joining one or more of these groups, it is not too late to get involved! A cappella auditions are held every semester before the next two concerts and are open to everyone. If you auditioned this fall and were not accepted, you are welcome to re-audition this coming semester.

For those looking for a creative outlet, a chance to showcase your talents, or a family to be part of, a cappella could definitely be for you!