As the cold descended on Kenyon last week, students flocked to Rosse to warm themselves up and enjoy a night of a cappella tunes performed by Kenyon’s premiere jazz a cappella group, Take 5. After a 2021-22 season of incredible concerts, Take 5’s new leadership had big shoes to fill. An eclectic medley of songs was chosen and performed by some of the most capable singers on the Hill, furthering Take 5’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with in Kenyon’s a cappella scene.
Opening the concert with its most experienced members, Take 5 showcased the talent of its senior leadership with covers of “Orange Colored Sky” (performed by Stephanie Kaufman ’23), “Agua de Beber” (performed by Will Newhart ’24) and “Slow Like Honey” (performed by Zoë Casdin ’23). Hank Thomas ’24 performed a sublime cover of “Love Me or Leave Me” (originally recorded by Frank Sinatra), followed by a performance by the two of the newest members of Take 5. Amanda Kuo ’26 and Gideon Malherbe ’24 performed an excellent cover of “Something Stupid” (originally recorded by Frank and Nancy Sinatra). It was a fantastic effort for their rookie season, with both performers showing an incredible amount of promise and raw intrinsic talent, pointing to an exciting future for Take 5’s next generation. Take 5’s experienced sophomores shone brightly as well, with covers of “I’m In The Mood for Love” (performed by Maddie Vandeberg ’25), “Me & Mr. Jones” (performed by Alana Goldstein ’25) and “Just A Cloud Away” (performed by Drew Sutherland ’25). Take 5’s other two rookies, Isa Braun ’26 and Mia Huerta ’25, then took the stage with a magnificent cover of “Cheek to Cheek” (originally recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong).
The newest members of Take 5 all showed an incredible level of talent and demonstrated that the singing group has a bright future ahead, a sentiment echoed by Take 5 president Stephanie Kaufman in a message to the Collegian: “[It] went very well! Our tech week was pretty stressful, but it paid off. I’m so proud of everyone. The preparation for this concert felt a little more stressful than last year because we had such an incredible leadership team last year — we (Zoë and I) are still learning how to lead this year. We’re looking to improve playing out to the audience to ensure they’re having as much as us! Look forward to hearing our senior solos … in the spring!”
While all songs performed were fantastic, the highlight (as it is for every Take 5 concert) was when Take 5 invited alumni to the stage for a reunion performance with the current members. A tradition that draws as much awe as it does emotion, it was a special moment as several alumni joined the group and performed “Every Time I Say Goodbye.”
On a night that threatened low attendance due to weather, finals season and the Chasers concert the same night, Take 5 drew a sizable crowd that they should be extremely proud of. Each and every performer sang with zeal and gusto that often proves difficult to project, cementing Take 5’s reputation as one of the most outstanding musical groups at Kenyon. There is much to look forward to for Take 5’s spring concert, one that will prove incredibly emotional as the last concert for seniors Casdin and Kaufman.