Main Squeeze, an all-women a cappella group at Syracuse University, will serve up hit songs and freshly baked goods at Schine Underground on Friday at 7 p.m. The group’s fall invitational, sweetly titled Squeeze’s Candy Land, is its biggest event of the year.

“It’s pretty much all of the music that we’ve been working on the entire semester presented at this one show,” said Keelie Hotchkiss, president of Main Squeeze.

The 12 girls in Main Squeeze, six of them being newcomers, have spent every Monday and Wednesday night in Crouse College since the beginning of the semester to prepare. The show, which will showcase eight songs, is “Candyland” themed, Hotchkiss said. The songs were chosen and carefully ordered with the intention of telling a story — usually one of empowerment and bravery.

“We actually have a rehearsal where we sit down, run our set, and then we talk about each song,” Hotchkiss said. “We just sit in this circle up in Crouse 403 and we’re like, ‘Okay, what’s the point in this song? What does it mean and what hits home?’”

This search for the bigger picture helps strengthen the connection between the singers and their music, Hotchkiss said. Longstanding members of the group were worried that it would be difficult to bond this semester and build a new dynamic after losing so many members, but their worries were forgotten after meeting the six newest members.

“We grew so quickly together, and I think that really shows in our music. We connect really well when we’re singing,” said Laura Cote, Main Squeeze’s business manager.

Gabrielle Weinstein, a freshman communication science and disorders major, said she also felt the connection right away.

“The music has been amazing and I’ve felt very strengthened musically, as well as individually,” Weinstein said. “Everyone I’ve met all bring something to the group that I learn from. Everyone’s just so great to me.”

Although eight songs may not seem time consuming, the group makes sure to “really grow through the music” with each song, Cote said. Audience members can expect to hear a variety of music that the group hopes listeners can relate to.

As a member of the A Cappella Council at Syracuse University, Hotchkiss said one of the things the a cappella community as a whole promotes is a nurturing support system for each other. Main Squeeze will not be performing alone at its fall invitational. The group will be joined onstage by Otto Tunes, an all-men a cappella group at SU.

“One of the things we’re really trying to stress this year is coming to each other’s invitationals, coming to each other’s gigs, and performing at each other’s things, if needed,” Hotchkiss said. “We do have that support of each other and that’s such a beautiful thing.”

Although Main Squeeze is active and inclusive within its own community, the group would like to reach out to people outside of its immediate circle.

“I think our group and all the a cappella groups have so much talent and not enough people know about it. We really do put 110 percent into everything,” Cote said.

Tickets for Squeeze’s Candy Land are available for purchase at the Schine Box Office for $3 with an SUID and $5 without.

Published on November 7, 2018 at 9:04 pm