There seems to be an unwritten rule that every college acapella group has a musical pun to their name, and the group that visited Wantagh High School January 10 are no exception.

The Binghamton Crosbys, or rather, Bing Crosbys, are the oldest independent music club and only all-male a capella group on campus.  The group was established in 1983 and has since released 13 albums. Some of the Crosbys’ more recent albums are available on Spotify, including their newest single, “Panama.”

Wantagh High School Chorus and Orchestra students had the opportunity to see these guys live as the group visited the school on the first leg of their annual winter tour.  The Crosbys performed a series of songs, including classics such as “Me and Julio Down at the Schoolyard” and “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay.”

Students were also invited to participate in a workshop with the Crosbys, where they learned and performed a piece from the group’s repertoire to culminate the visit.

Afterward, I had the chance to interview one of the group’s Tenors: a tall, jovial Junior at Binghamton University, Ari Lachenauer.

“I see acapella kind of as an escape from my academics,” responded Lachenauer when asked about the feasibility of handling both academics and a capella at a major University.  “It’s a break, it’s a release and I always have time to fit it in with my school work.”

A capella is an activity available to all students on campus, regardless of major or prior experience.  The guys came from a variety of academic backgrounds, including majors in Astrophysics, Mathematics, and English.  

Though none of the Crosbys major in musical theater or vocals, each are talented singers with a great confidence on stage.  These guys love what they do… you can see the enthusiasm in simply how they snap their fingers.

The Crosbys are scheduled to tour high schools across New York State, where they will perform and do workshops similar to what they did here in Wantagh High School’s auditorium.

“We have two more weeks of this and we’re really excited about it,” said Lachenauer as he looked around at his Crosby brothers and smiled.