Acasola, CSUN’s student-run a cappella group, hosted the Halloween-themed concert, “Lost Sols,” featuring spooky renditions of popular songs and showcasing both seasoned and new members in a haunting event.
The group was accompanied by a guest performance from CSUN Vocal Percussion Radio, another campus a cappella group, to perform tracks including “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and “Turn Off the Light” by Kim Petras. The collaboration between the two groups added an extra layer of excitement to the evening, highlighting the strong musical community at CSUN.
“It’s always out in front of the house, just like this. I think it’s a really cool way to get engaged with the neighborhood, with the community,” said Garrett Cypher, Acasola music director. “It’s a real staple of what we do here as a group. It’s always our first performance of the year, so it’s a great way to get things going.”
The concert provided a platform for both experienced members and newcomers to shine. While some Acasola members like Cypher have been involved in the group for a while, others got the chance to perform for the first time during “Lost Sols.”
“It’s been really nice, everyone has been super welcoming. I haven’t sang in a group since high school, and it’s my third year, so it’s nice to be singing with a group of people again,” said Maddie Sparrow, an alto who joined Acasola earlier this semester. “I was really nervous because I didn’t know how it was going to go. I had a solo, so I was worried I was going to mess up, but everything went well. It was really fun!”
Friends and family of the singers sat outside the Acasola House on Vincennes St. enjoying the student arrangements from the newly expanded group, with each song receiving enthusiastic applause.
In addition to the musical performances, Acasola members sold items such as crocheted scrunchies and purses, handmade bracelets and creatively designed T-shirts to raise funds for the club near the entrance and exit of the event.
Cypher expressed his feelings about seeing new and old members performing together in a showcase like this one after half a semester of tireless rehearsals.
“We’ve got some great people in this group and they work so hard, I can’t even explain it,” said Cypher. “I feel like it’s so representative of what we are as a group, when things just line up and everything just works. That’s what it’s all about, just making good music with good people.”
“Lost Sols” is one of Acasola’s two major annual performances held at the Acasola House. Their spring semester showcase, “Sol Train,” is scheduled for 2025.
