The Virginia Gentlemen (VGs) is a lower voices

collegiate a cappella Collegiate a cappella (or college a cappella) ensembles are college-affiliated singing groups, primarily in the United States, and, increasingly, the United Kingdom and Ireland, that perform entirely without musical instruments. The groups are typ ...

group and the oldest

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

group at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

. The group was founded in 1953 as an elite octet of the

Virginia Glee Club The Virginia Glee Club is a men's chorus based at the University of Virginia. It performs both traditional and contemporary vocal works typically in TTBB arrangements. Founded in 1871, the Glee Club is the university's oldest musical organization ...

. Since establishing independence from the Virginia Glee Club in 1987, the group has continued to perform a mix of contemporary pop and classic vocal music. Recognizable by the signature navy blue blazers and orange-and-blue bow ties worn during performances, the VGs offer regular performances across the

Charlottesville Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Cha ...

area and the United States, and conduct annual international tours, having most recently traveled to

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

Los Cabos LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...

and

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Additionally, the group has performed in recent years at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

, the

Forbidden City The Forbidden City () is a Chinese palace, palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples includ ...

, the Grand Palace of Thailand, and at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

for the

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and

Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

administrations.

About

Glee Club era and independence

The Virginia Gentlemen were founded in 1953 and are the oldest a cappella group at the

. The group was conceived as an elite octet of the

and would perform regularly at their concerts, eventually building enough of a reputation to attract its own audiences and perform its own shows. The group existed for over three decades as a subsidiary of the Glee Club until establishing itself as a contracted independent organization in 1987, under the leadership of then-music director Michael Butterman. Still, the Virginia Gentlemen feature at Glee Club events like their annual Christmas Concert, as a nod to their roots.

Modern group

Since the VGs' independence from the Virginia Glee Club, much changed with the group, the least of which being the group's membership size. From the Glee Club era size of 8 to 12 members, the group now stands regularly between 13 and 17 members per year. The group's musical tastes changed as well, diverging from the classical and barbershop chorus pieces of the Glee Club era to arrangements of modern pop singles and rock ballads that it performs and records today. The VGs maintain a close relationship with the

and the city of

, performing regularly on campus in concerts and for special occasions and memorials, including the vigil for Yeardley Love after her death. Virginia Gentlemen Army 60th Anniversary Picture

Virginia Gentlemen Army 60th Anniversary Picture

The group recorded its first album in 1988 with ''Live From the Studio'' and has since released 22 studio albums. The VGs most recent album release was in 2016 with ''Upside Down,'' a reference to their recent travel to Antarctica. Several Virginia Gentlemen arrangements have been featured on

Best of College A Cappella Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

compilations, including their renowned a cappella arrangement of the song "Insomniac" by

Billy Pilgrim ''Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death'' is a 1969 semi-autobiographic science fiction-infused anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut. It follows the life and experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early years, to h ...

Activities

Performances

Concerts

The Virginia Gentlemen annually perform four concerts throughout the year, typically in Old Cabell Hall. The first of these concerts is the Family Weekend Concert held as part of the events organized for the University's Family Weekend in the middle of the Fall semester. The second is the Holiday Concert held in conjunction with the Virginia Sil'hooettes in December. The third of these is the Winter Classic held in February, which at times has also been held in conjunction with the

Hullabahoos The Hullabahoos are a student-run, all-male '' a cappella'' group at the University of Virginia. The group was founded in 1987 by Halsted Sullivan and recorded its 19th studio album in 2014. They have appeared as the fictional group " Here Comes Tre ...

and the Academical Village People. The fourth concert of the year is the Spring Concert, held in April. The proceeds from the Holiday Concert and, in recent years, the Winter Classic, are annually donated to charity. The VGs also perform annually at the Annual Christmas Concert of the

in honor of the two groups' long-standing relationship. Traditionally, when the Glee Club performs "The Twelve Days of Christmas," the eighth day is sung by the VGs, an homage to the original octet which formed out of the Glee Club.

At the White House

The group has received requests to perform in several prestigious venues, including the

, at which the group performed in 1991 for

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

, in 2008 for

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

, and in 2011, 2012, and 2013 for

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

, including for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.

Annual international tours

The group has traveled extensively since its independence, beginning with regular tours around the country and to the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

in the early years of independence. For the last decade and a half, the group has traveled on an annual international tour, most recently visiting New Zealand and Australia in March 2019. The Virginia Gentlemen have now traveled to all 7 continents, a feat that has been accomplished by very few performing groups. See their record of travel for more.

Traditions

Image and attire

The Virginia Gentlemen's standard performance attire consists of khakis, blue blazers, and blue and orange bow ties (the UVA colors), for which members of the group are widely recognized around campus. Indeed, several of the a cappella groups founded at the University of Virginia after the Virginia Gentlemen established their identities in response to the formal look taken by the Virginia Gentlemen at concerts. However, the group does not perform exclusively in "VG attire" but has performed more informally as suited by the occasion.

Signature songs

Over six decades, the Virginia Gentlemen have arranged and performed hundreds of songs, several of which have become group classics. These songs, performed many times annually and recognized by students at the University of Virginia as VG signatures, include "Insomniac," by Billy Pilgrim, the group's most celebrated and acclaimed arrangement; "On the Turning Away," by Pink Floyd, performed during some of the University's most difficult times; and "Shenandoah," a Glee Club standard carried over from the groups' long history together.

"Lonesome Road"

The first and last song that each Virginia Gentleman sings during his time in the group is " Lonesome Road", by

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

. At the close of each concert, the Virginia Gentlemen invite all past VGs onstage to join in its singing, and it serves as the final song on ''Gold'', the group's 50th Anniversary Album, released in 2003. Though the song is younger than the group, past members of the Virginia Gentlemen have since learned the arrangement and all members past and present perform the song together whenever the occasion arises.

"When We Were Young"

In 2016, the group debuted its rendition of the famous

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...

track, " When We Were Young." The cover was the first of the group's to reach the one million view threshold on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

Discography

;Studio Albums *''Still Dancing'' (2019) *''Upside Down'' (2016) *''Full Attire'' (2014) *''Guys In Ties'' (2012) *''Rugby Road'' (2010) *''Holiday Album'' (2008) *''Poker Face'' (2006) *''Based On A True Story'' (2004) *''Gold: 50th Anniversary Compilation Album'' (2003) *''Turning'' (2002) *''Bizarro World'' (2000) *''Last Call'' (1999) *''Retrospective'' (1998) *''Out On The Street'' (1997) *''Void Where Prohibited'' (1996) *''Seven and Seven'' (1995) *''Undone'' (1994) *''XL'' (1993) *''High Tied'' (1992) *''Prairie Fire'' (1991) *''Stop, Drop, and Roll'' (1990) *''Live From The Studio'' (1988)

Awards

Musical awards

Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) , - , rowspan="2", 2015 , , ''Full Attire'' , , Best Male Collegiate Album , , , - , "

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Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of their sing ...

, , Best Male Collegiate Song , , , - , 2013 , , "

Colder Weather "Colder Weather" is a song by American country music group Zac Brown Band. Lead singer Zac Brown co-wrote the song with Coy Bowles (the band's keyboardist and guitarist), Wyatt Durrette and Levi Lowrey. It is the band's seventh single release ove ...

" by

Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy De Martini ( fiddle, vocals), John Driskell Hopkins (bass guitar, guitar, baritone guitar, banjo, ukulel ...

, , Best Male Collegiate Solo—Andrew Fish , , , - , rowspan="2", 1996 , , ''Seven and Seven'' , , Best Male Collegiate Album , , , - , "Insomniac" by

, , Best Male Collegiate Song , , , - , 1992 , , ''Prairie Fire'' , , Best Male Collegiate Album (Runner-Up) , ,

Selection for "best of" compilation albums

'
''Best of College A Cappella (BOCA)''
'' , - , 2015 , , " Problem" by

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...

, , ''BOCA 2015: Best of College A Cappella'' , , , - , 2014 , , "Insomniac" by

, , ''Best of BOCA: The First 20 Years'' , , , - , 2013 , , " Without You" by

David Guetta Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...

ft.

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, , ''BOCA 2013: Best of College A Cappella'' , , , - , 1996 , , "Insomniac" by

, , ''BOCA Vol. 2: Best of College A Cappella'' , , , - , 1995 , , "

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" by

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...

, , ''BOCA Vol. 1: Best of College A Cappella'' , , '
''Voices Only''
'' , - , 2013 , , "

Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...

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Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...

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Record of Travel

Notable alumni

* Will Anderson, lead singer of

Parachute (band) Parachute is an American pop rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. Formed in 2006, they released their major-label debut album, ''Losing Sleep (Parachute album) , Losing Sleep'', in 2009, followed by ...

*Bill Bruce, former majority leader of the

Tennessee Senate The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the U.S. state of Tennessee's state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Senate has the power to pass resolutions concerning essentially any issue rega ...

and 1978 U.S. Senate candidate *Michael Butterman, world-renowned conductor * Micah Iverson, season 18 finalist on ''The Voice'' * Nate McFarland, former guitarist of

*Justin Rosolino, singer/songwriter *Norman Vladimir, pop-soul artist

External links

The Virginia Gentlemen Home Page

References

{{Authority control Musical groups established in 1953 University of Virginia musical groups Albemarle County, Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Virginia culture Collegiate a cappella groups Musical groups from Virginia 1953 establishments in Virginia