UVU VoiceLine redefines the idea of a live concert

UVU’s a cappella group, VoiceLine, performed April 3 at the Ragan Theater, while emphasizing ideas of familial values and moral messages between songs of diverse genres.

VoiceLine began at UVU in 2012 through the efforts of Steve Koplin and Josh Olsen with help from faculty advisor Connie Jensen.  Though their roots originate at UVU, this all-male group has traveled to perform shows around the state of Utah, California and Idaho.

members of an a cappella group use only their voices to mimic the sounds of varying instruments, the singers in VoiceLine range from booming basses to electrifying tenors.

The team currently consists of nine members: Michael Armstrong, Jake Arnold, Phil Childs, Steve Koplin, Talmage Sanders, Scott Schreiner, Brian Shepherd, Josh Starita and Rylan Sturm.

Arnold, the bass of the group, exhibited the weight of his lower tone, while Childs and other members showed their abilities to hit high notes.

Shepherd demonstrated how he controls his voice to mimic the sounds of a drum or turntable, In one of the songs, he covered a dubstep song with only his voice and a microphone mimicking the deep bass and fast-paced tones.

Sanders, the youngest member of VoiceLine and future UVU student, talked about the importance of distinguishing the idea of their show as a concert rather than a performance.

“The purpose of the show is to have fun. It’s not a recital,” Sanders said.

This idea was emphasized during the show as colorful streams of light bounced around the stage while the group sang and danced to songs ranging from Tom Jones to Ariana Grande. The audience stood from their seats and danced along to each number.

Each a capella member took turns speaking during breaks between songs, connecting to the audience by sharing personal stories of emphasized family values and emotional struggles.

Sanders commented on this, saying the group sits down together and decides on what songs they want to perform, always choosing songs that are meaningful to the group and will help relay emotion to the audience.

“Music is heard when connected to emotion,” he said.

A row of ten women were especially enthusiastic about the concert as they were all members of UVU’s first female a cappella team HighNote, which formed earlier this year.

Brooklyn Ashby, a member of HighNote and musical theater major, said the reason for the group’s attendance is that she recognizes the importance of school clubs supporting other clubs, especially since they are groups of similar interests.

The concert included elements of comedy, choreography, audience participation, stage effects, light shows and, of course, melodious singing, while also highlighting how music paired with moral and emotional value is all the more exciting and entertaining.