A Capella Profile: Carley Buckley ’18 of Fools on the Hill

Group: Fools on the Hill

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Members: Angelo DeNofrio ’16 Francie Sullivan ’16 Kelly Clarke ’16 Jacqueline Bashaw ’17 Juliana Brandao ’17 Andrew Truong ’17 Michael Sixsmith ’17 Carley Buckley ’18 Katie Santaniello ’18 Caroline Legare ’18 Kelman Ramirez ’18 Julia Palmerino ’18 Katrina Black ’18 Tyler MacDonald ’18 Tom Petito ’18 Joe Egan ’19 John Dube ’19 James Falconer ’19 Lauren Carey ’19 Elizabeth Murphy ’19

Tell us a little bit about yourself, Carley.

I am sophomore English and Music double major and this is my second year in Fools. I’ve been involved with a cappella music since I was a freshman in high school. I knew I wanted to continue singing a cappella but with the variety of a cappella groups on campus, I wasn’t sure which group I wanted to audition for or if I would even make the cut. It wasn’t until my friend and fellow Fool, Juliana Brandao approached me after choir rehearsal and convinced me to audition. Even from that first audition, everyone in the group was so warm and welcoming. I loved being in Fools on the Hill last year and this group really helped me transition into college even more.

What is Fools on the Hill? And what is your ensemble all about?

Well, we definitely live up to our name. This group consists of some of the funniest and craziest people I’ve ever met. As much fun as we all like to have fun, our main focus is the music and making sure we are prepared for every performance. Our fantastic arranger, Katie Santaniello, creates these amazing arrangements each week and we want to be able to perform these songs and feature each soloist to the best of our ability. Trying to find the balance of having fun and still being productive can be difficult at times but when we do achieve that goal, we are all extremely proud of the final product.

What do you love most about singing in Fools?

I love being able to sing and perform with some of my best friends on campus! We’ve created such a close bond so quickly that it’s fun to share the stage with them. It’s also a nice break from the normal stresses of classes and homework twice a week. On top of that, these people push me to be a better musician and performer. Even the new members are extremely talented and everyone supports one another to sing and perform to the best of their abilities. It’s really exciting to be in a group with such a variety of singers in the group. We have such a range of voices that anyone one of us could perform a solo yet at the same time we are able to blend and be part of the background. That’s really exciting!

What’s it like being a part of the a capella community on campus?

There is a certain bond between individuals and the groups on campus due to a common interest in this specific genre of music. It is amazing what the human voice is capable of doing such as mimicking the sounds of instruments. It also creates a trust among the members of each group. Each member is responsible for learning, memorizing, and perfecting their part and they have to trust their fellow members to do the same. If they don’t, then the arrangement falls apart. Because there are five groups on campus, there is always some friendly competition of who’s the funniest, who’s the most energetic, who has the best arrangements, etc. However, at the end of the day, all the groups really do support each other.

What’s your favorite song to perform and why?

We’ve covered many artists from Lady Gaga to The Killers, but my favorite song to perform this year is definitely “I See Fire” by  Ed Sheeran. The arrangement is absolutely beautiful and Caroline Legare (the soloist) sounds amazing on it (check it out below!) Not only are our notes, rhythm, and overall techniques right, but the dynamics, swells, and little nuances that are added on top of that really make this song electric. I’m always so excited to perform this song!

If you could describe Fools in three words, what would those be and why?  

Foolish, vibrant, creative. Foolish because we are a crazy group of people who do and say the most outrageous things. It makes for very entertaining rehearsals. I would also describe this group as vibrant. Fools on the Hill is a very diverse group made up of very different types of personalities and different types of voices. With this wide range of voices we are able to cover many different songs and genres and we able to add color and a different sound to each arrangement. Which is why I would also say that we are creative. As I mentioned before, Katie does an amazing job arranging songs for us each week. However, we also like to come up with some choreography and dance moves to do at Cool Beans just to have more fun while performing!

Upcoming Performances

  • Guest performance at A Cappella Go! Concert at Needham High School on January 23
  • Every Thursday at 10:10 pm at Cool Beans

Check out Fools on the Hill performing “I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran, solo Caroline Legare ’18:

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