Eight Beat Measure celebrates 35 years with alumni

Eight Beat Measure, Rochester Institute of Technology’s oldest a cappella group, is celebrating 35 years since being formed and is seeking former group members to join them for an anniversary celebratory concert, “Chill Beats,” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 14, at the Theatre at Innovation Square, formerly the Xerox Tower.

The 13-member all-male group and another a cappella group, Midnight Ramblers, based at the University of Rochester, are expected to perform.

“We pride ourselves in our diverse musical repertoire, our passion for performance, and our desire to inspire others,” said member Anjan Maharjan, a third-year software engineering major, from the Rochester suburb of Gates. “A lot of people like singing, and a lot of people like dancing. A cappella is a lot like both of those.”

Maharjan said more than 20 alumni members of Eight Beat Measure plan to participate in a finale on stage with current members. Other Eight Beat Measure alumni not yet contacted are also encouraged to attend and join in the finale.

Advance tickets are $10, or $5 for RIT students; tickets at the door are $12, and $8 for RIT students.

There are seven a cappella groups at RIT. While not the largest, Eight Beat Measure over the years has won awards and made the semi-finals at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.

They have performed at Rochester’s Fringe Festival and will sing from 10:30 to 10:45 a.m. in Infinity Quad on the RIT campus during this year’s Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival on April 29.

Originally called the Men’s Octet when it formed in 1987, the group became dormant for a few years until 1994, when student Cory Pike helped resurrected it.

“I was in the RIT Singers and the director mentioned that he had tried to start up a men’s singing group,” Pike said. “So we thought it would be a good idea to start one up again.”

Interest grew, and Eight Beat Measure has flourished ever since.

“We gathered people from across the campus from a wide variety of majors, all who have a love of singing,” Pike said. “I remember we practiced every week at 5 p.m. on Fridays, in the hallway between the swimming pools and the Gordon Field House because of the acoustics. We sang at birthday parties, formal events for the college. We sang the national anthem for a hockey game and we sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” for a baseball game downtown. It was a good way to balance out your college experience and expand your social circle beyond your degree.”

Pike, who received his mechanical engineering degrees in 1998 and 2000, was a member of RIT’s Air Force ROTC and now serves as a lieutenant colonel with the Air Force Reserves. He is director of special programs for SAIC, a Fortune 500 technology integrator in El Segundo, Calif., and works directly with Space Force.

He said his time at RIT and in Eight Beat Measure were so special to him—four of his groomsmen at his wedding were from Eight Beat Measure and sang with him at his reception.