The Ladies in Red are set to take center stage Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in Stewart Theater to showcase their updated program and talent.
According to Elena Lopez, a sophomore in elementary education and member of the Ladies in Red, the group is an all-female a capella group, meaning they sing without instrumental accompaniment.
“The Ladies in Red are one of several a capella groups on campus, but we are the only all-female group associated with N.C. State’s music department,” said Lopez. “We usually have one large concert like this per semester to showcase our hard work and new voices.”
Performing selections from popular musicians including Led Zeppelin, Muse, and Owl City, Amanda Young, a sophomore in business administration and member of Ladies in Red, said they have been very dedicated to creating a new and exciting program.
“This concert will be different because 6 out of ten of our members are new to the group this semester, so our sound will be a bit different as it is each year. The music selection for this year has also been a bit more edgy and dark,” said Young. “I know that I have dedicated a lot of time to learning my parts on a set of completely new repertoire.”
Along with the new selection of music, this concert will be the first to include choreography, and according to Chelsea Schwabe, a junior in communications and newly instated co-director of the Ladies in Red, the concert will demonstrate the effects of the new leadership within the group.
“The Ladies in Red are a talented group of females from all different majors brought together by our love of music,” said Schwabe. “We have added choreography to our numbers so the stage presence of our group this year is ten times what it has been in the past, and we’ve tried to take the group in a different direction not only with music, but the way we dress and the way we perform. We just hope to represent the N.C. State a capella community and the Ladies in Red in a positive and energetic manner.”
What sets the Ladies in Red apart from other a capella groups at N.C. State is the diversity within the group, according to Ella Bedsole, a junior in social work and a member of the group.
“All the groups on campus here at State are lovely and have their own personal strengths. The Ladies in Red are both an accepting and talented group of girls, coming from a variety of different majors and backgrounds and they excel in bringing a wide variety of musical styles to our concerts,” said Bedsole. “I really enjoy spending time with these girls, and this concert should really be a lot of fun.”
According to Schwabe, also performing at the concert will be the Walk-Ons, a co-ed a capella group from UNC-Chapel Hill, and attendees will have the chance to purchase merchandise in support of the Ladies in Red such as CDs and T-shirts.
Tickets are available at Ticket Central in Talley Student Center for $5 with a valid student ID, but entrance may also be purchased at the door on Wednesday.
According to Young, prior exposure to a capella music is not necessary to be able to enjoy this unique type of music, and all students are strongly encouraged to attend.
“This concert will be a fun and entertaining event for everyone,” said Young. “You don’t have to have any experience with music performance to appreciate what we’re doing, and it makes it all worth it when we perform and see our hard work come together for our audiences to appreciate.”
