Sing When We’re Winning

Cambridge proved their dominance over Oxford once again this weekend, this time in the singing stakes.

a cappella Cadenza Cambridge University jess ford oxford university Singing voice festival uk

Uni a cappella group Cadenza smashed Oxford’s unbeaten streak on their way to becoming Voice Festival UK champions last weekend, as Cambridge once more show their superiority over their Dark Blue rivals.

The May Ball favourites won their regional heat in February, and proceeded to annihilate all competition in Saturday’s final, including groups from St.Andrews, Birmingham, KCL, and the previously undefeated Oxford’s ‘Out of the Blue’.

On top of that, Cadenza bagged extra awards from a celeb judging panel, bringing home the prize for best arrangement for Dominic Johnpillai’s ‘Hurt’. Three members of the group were also lauded for their solo work, with strong performances in MJ’s ‘Thriller’ and Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Holding out for a Hero’.

Cadenza celebrate with their awards

President Jess Ford was proud of the victory, telling The Tab, “As a group we couldn’t get on better and it shines through when we’re on stage together.” Ben Russell was pleased to have trounced Oxford, saying: “They might have been ‘out of the blue’, but we were out of this world.”

A cappella singing is undergoing a current comeback in Cambridge. While Cadenza’s quirky tones are leading the way, there are many groups set up around the uni, with Fitz Barbershop recently playing at the ADC.

And Cadenza member George Lamb was in no doubt as to its popularity, telling The Tab that nobody could “question the masculinity of a capella singing” once they had seen the “virile tenor Martin Kent.”

With Cambridge smashing Oxford in yet another competition, attention turns to the remaining Varsity games, including this year’s boat race next Saturday.