Every fall, Bucknell’s Weis Center Atrium is packed for one of the most beloved Family Weekend traditions: Christy’s A Cappella Concert. On Saturday, Sept. 20th, students, alumni and families filled the atrium to hear all five of Bucknell’s a cappella groups–Beyond Unison, Two Past Midnight, The Bison Chips, The Silhouettes and The Offbeats–share their voices in a lively and heartfelt showcase.
The long-running event is more than just a concert. For many students, Christy’s is an emotional marker of their Bucknell journey– a moment to perform for their families, welcome new members and celebrate the power of music.
The concert featured a wide variety of musical styles, from emotional ballads to upbeat pop hits. Each group brought its own identity and energy to the stage.
For Beyond Unison president Will Crosswhite ’27, performing “As the World Caves In” was a moving experience. “I feel it was a powerful duet… it was great to be able to channel that energy into a song like that,” he said. Fellow member Leah Stever ’29 shared that her favorite song was “Carry You Home” because of the energy it sparked on stage. “I felt alive and happy to be on stage with my new friends.”
The Offbeats delivered a powerful set as well. Allie Merrick ’27, the group’s assistant music director, reflected on how “Diamonds” by Rihanna held personal meaning. “Last year at Christy’s was the first time I ever performed in front of a crowd and the first time my parents ever heard me sing! It was such an unforgettable moment!” Alto Clara Eikeboom ’27 was drawn to the group’s performance of “Elastic Heart”, while Alto Caroline McCahon ’28 found herself deeply moved by “Let It Be”. “I love how you could feel the emotion of the song. I got chills when I was singing this song!” she said.
For Ryan Sullivan ’26 of The Silhouettes, Christy’s carried extra meaning. Having joined the group only recently, she reflected on singing “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” one last time. “My parents were the ones who encouraged me to join an a cappella group at Bucknell… It meant so much to me that my final performance of the song was in front of my family, who had been my biggest supporters from the start.”
The Bison Chips struck a balance between tradition and experimentation. Treasurer Richard Perez ’26 highlighted “Ebb Tide” as his favorite moment: “I requested we sing that song for the performance, and we had the best blend in that song. Our newbie Dennis took the lead and he really shined in that song too. I think it was a great piece to open with.”
For Jenna Raiss ’28, a new member of Two Past Midnight, the highlight was discovering music she never expected to love. “My favorite song that we performed at Christy’s A Cappella was “Persimmon” by The Army, The Navy! I had never heard of the song or the band before, but I fell in love with the song after listening to the arrangement created by Brynn, our music director.”
Behind the polished harmonies and moving solos lay hours of hard work. Preparation for Christy’s begins soon after auditions each fall.
The Offbeats rehearsed three times a week, culminating in an intensive “tech week” with three-hour practices. “We played Indian Chief before our set to calm the nerves and get into our groove,” Merrick shared, describing a bonding ritual that kept the group grounded.
Beyond Unison members described their preparation process as “Christy’s Crunch.” “We always come together for rehearsal, but everyone is expected to put in their own time to master the music,” Crosswhite explained.
The Bison Chips took a different approach, shifting from longer, less frequent rehearsals to shorter but more consistent sessions. Perez noted the change brought better focus and results.
Two Past Midnight added humor to their process with the traditional “Newbie Skit,” where new members parody a song at the start of their group’s set. Raiss called it a highlight of the entire performance.
For many singers, the Family Weekend audience made Christy’s unforgettable.
“It was so rewarding to hear our hard work pay off!” said Merrick. McCahon echoed that sentiment: “Music is my way of expressing myself, so it was great to be able to share that with our families!”
Even for seasoned performers, the concert carried emotional meaning. Crosswhite described, “You can always tell you’ve done well when a song ends and there’s that brief, almost reverent pause before the applause. That moment feels rare, special and validating.”
Beyond the music, Christy’s is about belonging, both within musical groups and across Bucknell’s wider community.
For Eikeboom, being in the Offbeats created “a sense of belonging in this group with wonderful, talented, silly singers.” Stever described joining Beyond Unison as transformative: “Being in BU has made everything about my Bucknell experience better and it’s only been a few weeks.”
Perez emphasized that Christy’s helps the Bison Chips maintain their presence on campus and welcome new members. “It means that we can keep having a presence on campus as a serious a cappella group that loves their craft and their music,” he said.
Crosswhite, now a senior, reflected on performing at Christy’s one last time, sharing his favorite memory from the performance. “It was my senior speech, the one each graduating class gives to the group just before stepping on stage. It’s a tradition that carries on year after year, a bittersweet moment when you begin passing the torch to the next phase of the group and reflect on your time at Bucknell.”
This year’s Christy’s A Cappella Concert showcased not only the Bucknell talent but also the relationships that sustain it.
As the Atrium rang with harmonies from the five groups, it became clear why Christy’s remains a “can’t miss event” every fall: it is a celebration of music, tradition and the community that Bucknell students build together, one note at a time.
