Brandeis Group To Be Featured On WGBH's Sing That Thing!

WALTHAM, MA – The Brandeis University Starving Artists, a contemporary a cappella group based in Waltham, will compete on Season 4 of WGBH’s televised singing competition "Sing That Thing!" this Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m. on WGBH 2.

The episode will also feature Merrimack Valley Chorus from Wilmington, MA and the Nashua High School South Concert Choir. After the performance, coaches Annette Philip, Anthony Trecek-King and Jared Bowen will consider whether The Starving Artists will move on to perform in the finale later in the season, and will offer constructive feedback to the group.

This year seven new episodes showcase performances from 18 ensembles, representing genres from barbershop and pop to jazz and classical in three age-based divisions. Expert coaches will guide the groups, offering constructive suggestions throughout the season and will ultimately decide which groups will be named the winners in each division.

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“Singing brings people of all walks of life together – it’s a tradition that’s thriving right here in Boston, across New England and around the world. Sing That Thing! celebrates the power and emotion of vocal music, as well as the unique sounds from diverse communities in New England’s evolving a cappella scene,” said Liz Cheng, WGBH’s general manager for television and co-executive producer of Sing That Thing! “I hope viewers will tune in to WGBH 2 each week and be inspired by the talent, creativity and uplifting performances of these 18 unique groups.”

Each of the competing groups belongs to either the high school, collegiate or adult singing group division. The coaches will select two groups from each division to perform on the finale, when one group from each category will be selected as the winner in their division.

The Sing That Thing! coaches are Anthony Trecek-King, president and artistic director of the Boston Children’s Chorus; Annette Philip, a vocalist, composer/arranger and faculty member at Berklee College of Music and winner of the 2017 International Championship of A Cappella with her quartet, Women of the World; and Jared Bowen, WGBH News executive arts editor and host of WGBH’s Open Studio with Jared Bowen, Boston television’s only local arts series. Together, the coaches provide constructive feedback to each group and determine which will advance to the next round.

“We look forward to another high-octane celebration of the vocal arts and can’t wait to showcase the amazing variety of singing groups in our region,” said co-executive producer Patricia Alvarado Núñez. “Get ready to meet some of the most accomplished singers in New England and pick up some insightful tips from Jared, Annette and Anthony.”

Sing That Thing! is sponsored by Emerson College and Eastern Bank, with additional funding from Eran and Yukiko Egozy.

The series is produced by public media producer WGBH, in partnership with Emerson College and with WGBY (Springfield, MA,) Maine Public, New Hampshire Public Television, Vermont PBS and CPTV - Connecticut Public Television. Sing That Thing! will be seen in every state in New England thanks to these partner stations.

Now in its fourth season, Sing That Thing! premiered April 13 at 8 p.m. on WGBH 2. More information about the series is available at SingThatThing.org. Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Photo courtesy Patricia Alvarado Núñez.

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