Many pass 230 Varner Hall and wonder what the harmonious sounds are that bellow from within. Those are the voices of OU Gold Vibrations, OU’s on-campus a cappella group.

Gold Vibrations is entering its seventh year of making music at Oakland University and is looking forward to becoming more involved with our on-campus and local community.

“For those who aren’t familiar with a cappella, our group focuses on making music without instruments,” senior Chris Brody, OU Gold Vibrations music director, said. “We create all of our own arrangements for our performances using a mix of various music genres including pop, rock, R&B, funk and folk.”

The OU Gold Vibrations is composed of 18 individuals with a passion for performing, most of which come from backgrounds other than music.

“Our group is very diverse,” junior Joe Danz, vice president of OU Gold Vibrations, said. “Most of our members come from a background in the arts, however, we only have two music majors in the group. Anyone with a passion for singing and performing is welcome, we are not exclusive to art majors only.”

Each year OU Gold Vibrations hosts two concerts, in addition to their performances in various competitions, which have included the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) and K440 in Canada.

“We have participated in ICCA for the past four years, and have qualified for the quarterfinals each time,” junior Jeanne Beall, OU Gold Vibrations assistant music director, said. “We have traveled to Pittsburgh, PA, Dayton, OH and Ann Arbor, MI to compete. Our group also made it to the semifinals in 2013 and received awards for best arrangement.”

In addition to their concerts and competitions, the group has performed opening shows for other collegiate a cappella groups. Some of these include Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

“This year marks the Gold Vibrations seventh anniversary of performance,” Brody said. “We want to encourage everyone to come out and support our group at our concerts and events, both on campus and in the local community. We have an upcoming show at Avondale High School on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices will be announced shortly.”

If you are looking to become a member of OU Gold Vibrations, make sure to keep an eye out for auditions next fall. They are usually held in the second week of classes, however, spots each year depend on how many people leave following graduation.

To find out more about OU Gold Vibrations and connect with their members, visit  www.ougoldvibrations.com or find them on Facebook as OU Gold Vibrations, Twitter and Instagram @gold_vibrations or www.youtube.com/OUGoldVibrations.