The Dartmouth Aires, the oldest collegiate a cappella group from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. They came in second place in the third season of the NBC musical competition The Sing-Off. A diverse group of college students, they sing a lot of different styles of music. Currently, much of their repertoire consists of popular songs from the 1980’s, 90’s, and 00’s, but they also perform more traditional Dartmouth songs. Most of the arrangements consist of a soloist, a dozen or so people singing background, and a vocal percussionist. The Dartmouth Aires perform a few times a term at Dartmouth, other colleges, and high school music festivals. Every spring they tour further afield, and this year made their first trip to China, with Daystar Academy their Beijing hosts.

Students at Daystar had the opportunity to interview the Dartmouth Aires. One of the Grade 4 classes had prepared a number of probing and fun questions for two members of the a capella group. David "Moco" Clossey is a third year student at Dartmouth who sings tenor, and freshman Olafur "Vigo" Olafsson sings baritone.

Do you like being a student at Dartmouth?
M – In the US you go to college for four years. I’m a New Yorker, in my third year at Dartmouth. It’s a small place and a lot quieter than New York, but I love that about it.
V – Dartmouth is a fun place to be and the college is great. It’s just so cold in winter!

What is the inspiration for your colorful and wacky jackets?
M – The jackets are passed down from Aires alumni, so some of them are decades old. Each is unique, and chosen to reflect the personality of the wearer. For most performances, we wear the same color trousers, our amazing jackets, and then any kind of shirt and tie we like!

Vigo, why do you wear your wooly hat all the time?
V – So I don’t have to brush my hair.
So why are you wearing a Viking helmet in your promotional picture?
V – I’m originally from Iceland, so the Viking hat reflects my Nordic heritage.

What do you study at Dartmouth?
M – I want to be a doctor, so Chemistry is my major and also Music.
V – I’m studying physics, math, and music. You don’t declare what you’re majoring in until second year, but I will major in Engineering Sciences.

How did you join the Dartmouth Aires?
M – You audition as a freshman. Once you’re selected, the Aires will sing “Somewhere” from Westside Story to you, as part of welcoming you to the group. The Aires will then sit on the steps of Dartmouth Hall and come up with a nickname for new recruits. All members have to have a nickname. It has to end in “o” and can only be two syllables. Your nickname should reflect you and your personality. There is a list of every Aires nickname ever made, and you can never use the same name twice.
V – Having just gone through the auditions, I can tell you it is tough! An 18 hour audition, straight through, with no sleep. I think I finished at 5am! As well as the nicknames, the Aires have a bit of their own language going on. “Errh” is one of our unique words, and we use it to greet each other. It’s kind of an Aires “hi”.

What has been your favorite performance?
M – “Oh What a Night” which I sang during my first freshman show.
V – One of our fellow Aires had invited his grandma to one of our shows. She was 90 years old and was so proud to be watching her son perform. That was one of my favorite performances, seeing how happy she was.
Both – Our Whitehouse performance, where we sang for President Obama and First Lady Michelle, that was pretty special. We had been asked to go again this spring, but decided to come to China instead.

Will you continue singing after you graduate?
V – I’ve been singing since I was really small. Singing has always been a big part of my life and who I am, so yes I will definitely continue.
M – Singing is a wonderful thing, and can so easily be done in addition to your more academic studies. Great fun, relaxing, it’s a way of expressing yourself.

What is your favorite song?
V – My favorite Aires song is my own solo song. My favorite song ever is the Rolling Stone’s “No Expectations".
M – Songs from Carmen. When I was in the children’s chorus of the New York Opera House, Carmen was my first performance.

What other hobbies do you have?
V – Rock climbing, shooting, skiing, and rugby. I’ve dislocated my shoulder seven times though, so I have to be a bit careful now.
M – Skiing, squash, and sailing.

Were you ever bullied at school?
M – No. I went through kindergarten, elementary, and high school with the same group of friends. So we had to make sure we all got on. We would disagree at times, and fall out occasionally, but there was never any bullying.
V – I traveled a lot as a child. At one stage I went to a Swiss school. When I first arrived, there was a boy who didn’t like me at all. In the end we tried to be grown up about it, sat down and talked about what the problem was. We managed to resolve it.

The kids had a great time firing their questions at both “Moco” and “Vigo”, and the guys had a real rapport with the students. Listening to the chatter amongst the students afterwards, it was obvious how inspired they were. One of the key messages they seemed to take from it, is that you can have a number of different interests. It doesn’t matter whether you’re studying science or math, you can still enjoy singing and music. Even if you’re not looking to have a career in music, whether it’s playing drums at the weekend, or singing in a group, it can be enjoyed just for fun. 

Some of the Daystar Students were given the opportunity to perform with the Dartmouth Aires. So I sneaked a look at their audition, as they prepared for the afternoon’s school performance. The students listened intently as they were each allocated a role – some would be singing, others clapping, others dancing. The song they would be preforming was Pharrell William’s “Happy”. Some of the students were handed the famous Dartmouth Aires jackets to wear for the performance, you could see how proud they were as they put them on. Towards the end of the school day, all the students filed into the main hall, to see the Dartmouth Aires and their fellow students perform.

“Happy” was met with huge applause, and those that took part were grinning from ear to ear. The Dartmouth Aires continued their performance with "Shama Lama Ding Dong", a song that was performed by fictional band Otis Day and the Knights in the 1978 film National Lampoon’s Animal House. It’s been performed and recorded by the Dartmouth Aires many times, because Dartmouth College is the school on which Animal House was modeled. The Proclaimer’s "I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)" and Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” concluded the performance. It was a pleasure to meet this group of incredibly talented and very enthusiastic young men, and the students will have benefited hugely from this wonderful experience.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of Dartmouth Aires, Sally Wilson

In just one week, the Dartmouth Aires will perform at the Four Seasons Hotel Beijing for the Daystar/Ivy Charity Cocktail Concert. The event will entail a silent auction featuring works from renowned artists, hotel stays, and restaurant vouchers in addition to a cocktail menu and free flowing drinks. All proceeds from the event will help support six migrant schools’ art and music program for a year and fund the college education of eight rural girls from Guilin. In anticipation of the noteworthy cause, beijingkids spoke to Dartmouth Aires Spring Tour Manager Brian Chalif.

Tell us about the group.
The group was founded in 1946, back when Dartmouth was all male. Although Dartmouth has become co-ed, the Aires have remained all male. We originally were part of the Glee Club, but over time we detached. When we departed from the Glee Club, we become completely student run, from logistics to budgeting, arranging, rehearsals, choreography and any aspect you could think that would go into an a cappella group. The group currently has 20 members, with a large new member class of six people.

Why a cappella?
As mentioned, we started as part of the Glee Club, but separated many years ago. In very old recordings, occasionally there were instruments, but that was only in the first couple of years. The reason that we only do a cappella is mostly tradition at this point, but I think most members would agree that the pure vocal music allows for some of the most beautiful music.

Is there a type of music that is impossible to vocalize?
We sing a wide range of music. Pop, classical, musical theater, jazz, and much much more. I can’t imagine singing something like heavy metal music, dubstep, or electronic music. That being said, we have never tried!

How many languages can the group sing in?
We sing mostly in English. However, we are learning a Chinese song for this tour! As a group, we have not sung in many languages, but individually many of us have sung in other languages. To name a few: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Hebrew, and Latin, but I am sure there are many more.

What types of songs tend to be most popular?
We tend to sing a lot of new popular music, as this is what our young college-age crowds generally enjoy. We also sing a lot of traditional Dartmouth songs, which Dartmouth alumni love.

What are some of the most different /interesting songs the group has performed?
We have sung new popular music like Uptown Funk featuring Bruno Mars, which is brand new and pretty mainstream. Last year, we sang Lady is a Tramp, a traditional jazz piece. Next term, after the tour, we will be learning a classical choral piece named Lux Aurumque, by Eric Whitacre.

What types of events do the Aires normally sing?
We sing at a wide range of events; there is no normal for the Aires! Since I have been in the group we have sung many alumni shows, school shows, and various Dartmouth functions. Some of the more exciting shows have included live video streams to tens of thousands of people, a performance at the White House, major fundraisers, an Obama presidential campaign rally for over twenty thousand people, and the national anthem at national league baseball games.

What the next move for the group?
Next year we will be working on recording a Christmas album. We also will be having our tri-annual reunions, in which 60+ Aires alumni come to Dartmouth to reminisce times singing with the group. Next year we will also do two tours. One on the east coast of the United States and one is yet to be decided, we are thinking maybe Iceland.

Is this your first time in China? Why did the Aires choose the Daystar Academy/Ivy charity event in particular?
This is my first time to China. A couple members have been, but most of us have not. For some, it is the first time leaving the country! We chose China because ever since NBC’s The Sing Off was aired in China 2 years ago (in which the Aires were runners up), we have been dreaming of going to China. This dream will become a reality in just a couple weeks. In regards to Daystar/Ivy, I give all the credit to Daystar Marketing Manager, Ja Wuttihamrong who has helped plan the entire thing. Without her, this show and our experience in China would not have nearly run as smoothly or been as enjoyable.

Are there any sites in particular in Beijing you’d like to see most?
We are performing a lot, but intend to also see some sights. We are going to see the Great Wall, of course. We will also see the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and Mao Zedong’s Mausoleum. Some other things we are hoping to see are The Golden Mask Dynasty Show and Panjiayuan Flea Market. For us, a tour that combines sight seeing and shows provides for a wonderful cultural exchange. We are very much looking forward to the charity concert at the four seasons.

The Dartmouth Aires serenaded an audience of millions in 2011 with a strong runner up performance on the hit TV competition The Sing-Off. But on March 20, the a cappella group will perform a far more intimate encore for their Beijing fans.

Daystar Academy and the Ivy Schools are coordinating the event, which will be held in the Four Seasons Hotel’s ballroom. A statement from Daystar says that all proceeds from the event will be donated to A Bridge for Children, an organization that funds art, music and sports programs at six migrant schools outside of Beijing.

A silent auction will also be held in conjunction with the concert, where attendees can bid on Four Seasons’ hotel stays and restaurant vouchers, along with works of art and other items donated by renowned local artists and parents of Daystar and Ivy students. All proceeds from the ticket sales and the auction will be donated to charity.

The Dartmouth Aires— a long running collegiate singing troupe from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire— will perform at the Daystar/Ivy event as part of the troupe’s first ever tour in China. The tour comes on the heels of the group’s latest album, Truth or Daire [https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/truth-or-daire/id931640804], which was released last fall. The album is The Aires’ first studio recording since its widely viewed second place finish on the popular hit TV vocal competition The Sing-Off in 2011. The group’s first iteration formed in 1946, and since then they have won the 2003 and 2005 Contemporary a Cappella Recording Awards for Best All-Male Collegiate Album, along with embarking on tours in Aruba, Costa Rica, France, and Italy.​ The group’s upcoming Beijing concert, and its additional PRC performances, will be the group’s first trek in China.

The Daystar/Ivy charity concert will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Beijing’s The Imperial Ballroom (48 Liangmaqiao Road, 5695-8888) on Friday March 20. Acocktail reception will take place at 6pm, and the concert will begin at 7pm. Tickets cost RMB 688 each. All children under 5 will be admitted for free, but must sit on their parent’s laps. Tickets can be booked here [https://yoopay.cn/event/daystarivycharityconcert]. For more information on The Dartmouth Aires, click here [http://www.dartmouthaires.com].

Stay tuned for Beijing Kids exclusive Q&A with The Dartmouth Aires in advance of their performance.

Photo: Dartmouth Aires Facebook Page