Celebrating 25 years

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Kelly "Kiki" Dent

Eight Beat Measure hosted its annual spring show, Chill Beats, in conjunction with its alumni weekend to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary.

Eight Beat Measure, RIT’s original all-male a cappella group, returns to campus this fall coming off of a whirlwind season of success and celebrations.

The group commemorated its 25th anniversary last year and celebrated by hosting its annual spring show, Chill Beats, in conjunction with its alumni weekend.

The group began in 1987 as the RIT Men’s Octet and quickly grew from traditional a cappella singers into a nationally recognized contemporary group.

Last year, Eight Beat Measure placed third at the International Competition for Collegiate A Cappella Mid-Atlantic Semifinal.

Jack Kelleher, a third-year tenor in the group, attributes the group’s success to past and present members’ desire to continually improve.

“We pride ourselves on our connection with our alumni,” he says. “They put us where we are now, and they’re just as proud as we are.”

The goal of the group, which has two studio albums and performs at events across the country, isn’t just to win competitions.

“We want to open people’s eyes to a cappella as an art form,” Kelleher says. “We strive to get our audiences to experience music in a style they’ve never heard before.”