The Night Owls (also known as the "Owls") is the oldest continuous women's and genderqueer a cappella group in the United States. Formed in 1942, they are

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

's oldest a cappella group. The Night Owls are a soprano/alto jazz ensemble that performs a range of music from jazz standards to current pop hits to indie-folk music.

History

The Night Owls perform in all-black to honor the tradition of the group's founding. In the midst of a

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outbreak in 1942, sixteen students left their quarantined dormitories, dressed in black, and sneaked into the library basement at night to perform for their classmates. The group performs throughout Vassar's academic year including at final concerts in December and May, local fundraisers, joint concerts with other Vassar and non-Vassar a cappella groups, and Vassar events. Alumnae of the group include actress

Meryl Streep Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...

. In 1996, The Night Owls performed as the opening act for

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when she spoke at Vassar College. Following that performance the group was invited to sing at the inauguration of Bill Clinton in January 1997, but were unable to appear until Clinton's second inauguration. That same year, The Night Owls competed in the semi-finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) at Haverford College. While they did not move onto the finals at

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, then musical director Amanda Weeden 1997 won “Best Soloist” for her performance of Captain and Tennille's “

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,” beating out the

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Counterparts’ soloist John Stephens, better known today as

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...

. In 2001, The Night Owls appeared in an episode of ''

Comedy Central Presents ''Comedy Central Presents'' is an American stand-up comedy television series created for Comedy Central. It is the network's main half-hour program which highlights either one or a series of stand-up comedians each episode. In 2011, the series ...

'' featuring

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singing "

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" originally by

The Bangles The Bangles are an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. The band recorded several singles that reached the U.S. top 10 during the 1980s, including " Manic Monday" (1986), " Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), "Hazy Shad ...

Discography

* ''Night & Day'' (1993, with The Accidentals) * ''On The Air'' (1995) * ''After Dark'' (1997) * ''All-Nighter'' * ''Relax'' * ''Constellation''

References

External links

* * {{authority control Vassar College Collegiate a cappella groups Women in New York (state) Musical groups from New York (state)