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where
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jaron
olevsky-abercrombie '00
Before I went to college, I spent the fall traveling around the
US with my friend Dan, and then took a 3 month guitar-making
workshop in England in the spring. I also worked at the arts
camp DASAC that following summer (my third year there, and sadly
the last...)
I moved to Philadelphia the following year, attending University
of the Arts with a major in jazz piano. However,
besides playing jazz and other types of gigs on piano, I
began meeting a lot of songwriters around town and playing
bass with them (which I played on the side since I was 14, but
nobody in PVPA seemed to know that). By the fall of my senior
year, I was taking maximum credits, playing various gigs,
and one of the songwriters I had been playing with for a
while, Amos Lee, was signed to BlueNote and starting
to really develop a career.
Since January 2005 I have been fortunate enough to travel around
the US and Europe (and briefly in Japan!)
playing music with him (along with drummer Fred Berman
and multi-instrumentalist Nate Skiles). And
believe it or not, I graduated, too (don't ask me how).
The last couple of months have been relatively show-less, as plans
and decisions have needed to be made regarding his next record,
which if all goes well should be out in the summer.
The website is www.amoslee.com
if anyone wants updates.
I think some of my favorite times with 5-Alone were actually
when we rehearsed, and in particular when we rehearsed in the
hallway, downstairs in the Russel building, next to what was Sonny's
art room. l felt more like we were just hanging out and and
singing 'cause we felt like it, and also it would just be
so great and "Fame"- like if someone new was walking
by. The multi-group version of "Chili Con Carne"
at the Iron Horse was pretty fun, too.
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Belting
out some country harmonies!
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zara
bode '01
Funny
to think how many years have gone by since "Stille Nacht"
and the first 5-aloners graced the stage of the PVPA
"Holiday Show." Ahhh t'was another time, a
happy time as I recall. A few memories linger on:
1) Pat constantly late, usually involving something to do with
his grandma.
2) Jaron's lower than low, whale sonar, range.
3) Tony's spot on impressions of either String or various Simpson
characters
4) Katie Servos.
5) Where is Katie Servos?
6) Tony telling me he'll get me a CD of all our old concerts,
studio time etc once a year since 1997, and the fact that to
this day I have never heard a thing.
7) Me, spraining my ankle 5 minutes before a district competition,
and performing in a wheel chair.
After graduating PVPA, I attended The University of
the Arts in Philadelphia for a short while. Then moved to
Brooklyn, NY where I have been ever since. I live happily in
my grandmother's old rundown house running my own petsitting
company Lovebirds Petcare. As for music, I'm on one track
of the Amos Lee album for Blue Note Records, and
have been doing recording work with various NYC artists,
background vocals for a swing band and did a few choral cds
with composer and choral arranger Peter Amidon in Vermont.
This past fall (2005) I was touring for a few months with a
world music group Northern Harmony. The group performs
a similar repertoire to Wake Every Breath, singing Bulgarian,
South African, Georgian, and other various types of music. There
were 16 singers and musicians in all, traveling through Germany,
Netherlands, England, Ireland, and Scotland. Pure delight. Last
but certainly not least I have recently found true love in the
golden age of country music, and created a honky-tonk duo "The
Sweetback Sisters" with an incredibly gifted singer
Emily Miller. We have a hot hot back up band of wonder boys,
occasionally graced by the musical presence of Ross Bellenoit.
After many years officially off the books, I am now a proud
student of Vermont College, an incredible alternative
school based in Montpelier. It's pretty much the college
version of PVPA and I couldn't be happier.
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alicia
chakour
'02
1.
Current whereabouts?
i am living in northampton on the week days and in new york
on most weekends (or elsewhere recording and gigging!). i'm
in my senior year at smith college where i am double majoring
in education and dance.
2. Done anything exciting since graduating
from PVPA?
i opened for THE godfather of soul,
James Brown a few times! performing a ton with
some old blues boys, did a bunch of regional/off broadway theater
work, signed a weird promotional deal with bose, i've
been teaching and working with city schools a lot, i got a new
rain coat a couple weeks ago... i like it.
3. Graduated from....any other school
or training?
nope, in my senior year at Smith though!
4. Link to you?
i will have some of my music up on the internet soon, I would
love for everyone to hear it. until then, go here: www.shooby.com
5. Playing/singing music at all right
now?
i am playing and singing a lot right now! mostly blues. i am
paying for college by singing... yes! gee, THANKS 5-alone!
6. Your "Favorite Five Alone Moment":
any anecdote, funny story, inspirational moment, etc from when
you were in the group---
patrick being late to every rehearsal because he had to go to
church with his grandma or something like that... mmm hmm.
7. Anything else that you can think
of that we (or the world) may want to know: my
ladies maya, zara and julia are FABULOUS!
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julia
littell
'02
I am a senior at Kalamazoo College, in Michigan.
Major: Math, Minor: Biology.
I
live in a house with 6 other girls and my dog, Banjo, who you
can also meet on facebook.
Last
year I studied abroad in Thailand for 6 months at the International
Sustainable Development Studies Institute, and I also lived/worked
at an elephant hospital for a month.
I
worked at Cornell's College of Veterinary medicine last
summer on equine reproduction research for my senior project.
After that I led a group of freshman on an 18 day backpacking
trip in Ontario.
I
grew my hair out after freshman year and it got very long, but
I just cut it off again two days ago so I look the same as most
of you remember again.
All
my honors/awards have to do with biology so I will spare you.
My
plans for next year are to work as a nature director at a cubscout
camp and then move to Baton Rouge, LA with my boyfriend and apply
to vet school.
Right
now I sing a lot in my car (mostly Alison Krauss... Zara, if you
ever want to start a bluegrass band I'm there!) and I am still
playing my cello...once or twice a week...and NO! it does not
compare to 5-Alone, which I miss a lot.
I
had a lot of good moments with 5-Alone. We were a funny
bunch. I remember lauging more than singing in most of our rehearsals,
laughing with Maya and Alecia in Long Beach, laughing at competitions,
laughing at Pat, laughing at Tony, laughing at Zara's house, laughing
at school, laughing as we walked on stage, and then being part
of an amazing singing group that taught me everything I know about
singing and whose members wowed me and continue to inspire me
today. And then laughing some more after the show was over.
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hannah
goodwin-brown '03
I'm
going to Wesleyan University, in Middletown, CT, majoring
in Music with a concentration in ethnomusicology. This year is
my junior year.
Last year (my sophomore year) I won the Wesleyan Orchestra's
concerto competition, which granted me the opportunity to
perform two movements of the Elgar Concerto for cello with
the orchestra. I take a lot of great music classes at Wesleyan
-- Gamelan, South Indian Music, etc. I'm currently doing
a semester abroad in the Republic of Georgia, following up on
a lifelong fascination with Georgian music. I'm also the captain
of the women's ultimate frisbee team at Wesleyan. I'll be graduating
in May 2007.
I spend a lot of time playing cello. My teacher is great and works
me really hard. In addition to the concerto, I performed in the
Brahms Clarinet Trio last year and it was really amazing.
I think I'll be doing a senior recital next year, yikes. I haven't
done any official singing, because I don't really have time. However,
I did have a very cool vocal solo in my final Gamelan performance
last semester. It's obvious that nothing can compare to 5-Alone.
Most of the stuff that really sticks out in my mind about 5-Alone
is how much fun we had together and how the group felt really
close and cohesive. I remember very fondly the time we had a photo
shoot and Tony kept making faces to make us laugh. OH! I think
the best BEST moment was when Rob made the Animal puppet perform
the bass solo in Flight of the Foo Birds. He snuck
behind the piano and made the puppet pop up right in the middle
of the song. He had the whole Iron Horse in stitches, and we all
had a really hard time keeping straight faces while singing backup.
I hope this is helpful! Hope you're doing well!
love,
Hannah
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emily
kaufman '04
1.
Current whereabouts?
laying low, living in an apartment in Amherst
2. Done anything exciting since graduating
from PVPA?
n/a, unless you count wildwood, but we're saving that for question
5
3. Link to you?
NOW: www.myspace.com/wildwoodmusic
EVENTUALLY: www.wild-wood.com
4. Playing/singing music at all right
now?
wildwood...and strangely, i HAVE found myself comparing it to
5-alone, with that wonderful, uncomparable director (what's
his name?), not sure why...
5. Tell us you're "Favorite Five
Alone Moment"...
inspirational moments galore: i couldn't possibly compare all
the amazing memories or try and pick one favorite. top 3 (in
no particular order):
• both years of the berklee competition, in particular
the awards ceremonies...(and we'll just forget about winning
second place that second year after them telling us we were
ALL the best singers there!)
• competing in the harmony sweepstakes against professional
groups, in front of an audience who really appreciated a cappella
music (as opposed to the jazz festivals we usually did).
• AMSTERDAM, cuz gosh how could you forget something
like that. special thanks to the one lady (besides the chaperones)
who actually stood there and watched the entire performance
cuz clearly we were way cooler than elvis costello or santana
(even if she was the only one who knew it)
7. Anything else that you can think
of that we (or the world) may want to know: Overall
it was just the absolute best thing i got out of high school,
so yay tony! have i rambled enough? cuz i could go on...
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erin
richardson '04
I'm
currently taking a semester off and am living in Springfield
for the time being. I'm working 30 hours a week at a small business
as an office assistant, but I plan on returning to school in
the Fall and using some of the summer months to travel to Italy
where I'll be studying cuisine and the Italian language.
Some new extra curricular activities I've picked up since I
graduated include rock climbing and canoeing! Other than that,
I've just been working and going to school...believe me, that
takes up quite a bit of my time!
http://mville.edu/McCormack_Scholarship/students_2008.html
This site is a link to the page that displays my classes
at the Manhattanville College/McCormick Scholars
(full scholarship recipients.) It has short bios for each of
the students and includes myself.
I'm currently still singing a cappella with my school's female
only, student-run group called Manhattanville Sound.
Aside from numerous school functions, we have been chosen to
perform at the Walt Disney World Annual Student Music Festival
at Epcot Center in March of 2006, and were invited to compete
in CASA's East Coast A Cappelle Summit the same month.
I've also recently started a two-man "band" called
TBA. We're still writing, but we hope to start performing locally
soon.
I'll never forget the Harmony Sweepstakes (either of
them.) Of course I enjoyed competing and listening to some other
really talented a cappella groups, but I won't lie- they're
my favorite 5-Alone moments because I love Red Bones. I think
about it WAY too much. I have never had cornbread like that
in my life.
Just wanted to share with everyone that I know exactly what
I want to do with my life! I plan to graduate from Manhattanville
College with a degree in Business, go on to a 4 year Culinary
Institute, and eventually open my own restaurant. It is going
to be an elegant dining experience in a more casual atmosphere,
and will have a performance space where I will hire musicians
of all sorts to play regularly. If 5-Alone is still around,
they'll be my first performers!
Take care Tony — and good luck with everything.
All the best,
Erin
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rob
ventulett '04
I'm currently living at Springfield College, going for
a bachelor's in Applied Exercise Science, a minor in Nutrition,
and a Grad school program for a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy.
I competed in my 1st natural bodybuilding show, and
got 1st place in the teen class. It was in Manhattan for
the INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding Federation)
I am currently playing the bass guitar, picked it back up after
a while. Singing in a band consisting of me, my brother, and
his best friend. I'm singing and playing bass. We have no intentions
of leaving the basement.
I'd say that one of the best moments in 5-alone would
have to be when we were in cali. Looking out over our secret
cove while the sun set, playing frisbee on the beach. Incredible.
Also, when we sang at the night performance at I think it was
Berklee, and we had thousands of 5alonites giving us
a standing ovation. Of course let's not forget Amsterdam and
the Netherlands... Awesome
trip, great times.....can you say Elvis Costello?
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arianna
clark '05
1. Current whereabouts?
HCC and living apartments with
my parents, had gone to boston for school but I wasn't getting
the support I needed personally, financially, or with my studies.
I am going to school for vocal jazz. I am a part of the chamber
group; auditions only, choral, brass methods (learning to play
brass instruments;at the moment trombone). I've met some really
great people who I believe will really help me along the way
to success.
2. Done anything exciting since graduating
from PVPA?
I am looking into performing at the Delany
House right now... nothing big like going to Eurpoe, meeting
famous people or anything like that.
3. Graduated from college?
4. Link to you?
NO...good idea though
5. Playing/singing music at all right
now? (and how it could never
compare to 5-Alone.... who WAS that amazing director who made
5-Alone sound so good again... his name escapes me right now,
but he was incredible...... : )
Tony ....something....Leaker? Leacher?
..Preacher? Leachnini? Tortellini? Mussolini? I think I'm getting
nowhere...LECHNER!
6. You're "Favorite Five Alone
Moment":
Everytime "Heavenly" is sung, I love the ultimate
ending when Daniel Plimpton has to hit that high note; his face
is priceless! Someone really needs to photograph that.
THANKS!!!
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