Aca-scuse me? An OPRF alumnus is returning to his old singing ground and bringing his a cappella group and the vocally dynamic style of singing in a performance geared towards students.
Gabe Schonman, a 2018 graduate of OPRF, is one of the founding members of Radius, a Chicago-based, five-member vocal band. The group will not only be performing at the high school for choir students but also piloting its new educational program “The History of A cappella.”
Radius will be performing and teaching on Friday, Sept. 20.
Meredith McGuire, choir director at OPRF, said it was always exciting to have alum return and give back to the community.
“I’d like to think that when former students come back to share their lived experiences, they are showing current students what is possible,” McGuire said. “This is an especially strong message as it is coming from a person who was in their exact position not too long ago.”
Schonman, a former member of Take 5 – a boy only a cappella choir group at OPRF, said the idea for Radius came during the COVID-19 pandemic after a failed audition in Boston in 2020.
Schonman connected with others who also did not make the cut and a few weeks later they were singing virtually together and posting their videos online.
They began recording a couple of songs a week and continued to post them online.
“We were all stuck inside with nothing to do so we kept it going and now it has turned into this,” Schonman said.
By July 2020, the members had received negative COVID tests and met up to record an EP.
“That was the beginning of it all,” Schonman said. “People really liked what we were putting out and we really liked making music with each other.”
After graduation, the group did a 10-day tour across the Midwest, including stops in Indianapolis and Columbus, before deciding to pursue singing professionally.
Since then, the group has performed across the country including various festivals. It won the 2023 National Harmony Sweepstakes, the nation’s premier vocal competition.
“It has been a really cool trying, but rewarding time for sure,” Schonman said.
The idea for an education program came from other a cappella groups, such as Face — a group out of Colorado, who provide a similar experience, Schonman said.
“We have wanted to do this for a while,” Schonman said, adding high school students have been their most rewarding audience.
Schonman said the group has gone through some member changes so this also serves as a great way to build a new foundation with the new members.
Radius’s “The History of A cappella” will cover the style of singing — unaccompanied by instruments, from the first Gregorian Chants through current times, including some “Pitch Perfect” moments – reflecting the popular 2012 musical comedy movie centered around a cappella.
McGuire said OPRF has a strong history of a cappella dating back to 1998.
“I think it’s really important to see what a cappella looks like at the professional level,” she said. “It will be exciting for our students to gain a better understanding of this art form.”
Crowd participation, beat boxing, and singing along can be expected.
“We want to build a show that is obviously educational but also entertaining, not just for the adults that are watching, but for the kids,” Schonman said.
The show will feature popular songs including “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls.
“I think once we are in front of the students, any time you are in front of an audience it breathes new life into it,” Schonman said.
Since this would be a pilot run, Schonman said the group will be welcoming feedback from the audience to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
The group will also be recording the program and performance for their highlight reel, which will be used to book more shows and opportunities to bring the educational program to other schools in the Midwest.
“What we learned from our experience is that if you want to book stuff, people will take your word for it, but they also want to see it,” Schonman said. “This is something we are building from the ground up and we want to have video of it.”
More information on future shows can be found on Radius’ Instagram page, radiusvocals.
