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Fundamentally Sound | |
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![]() Fundamentally Sound in February 2013 | |
Background information | |
Origin | University of Wisconsin - Madison |
Genres | A cappella |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels | Collegiate |
Website | Fundamentally Sound Official Website |
Fundamentally Sound - Men's A cappella (or Fundamentally Sound or FS) is an all-male collegiate a cappella group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Created in 2005, Fundamentally Sound became the fourth established a cappella group on the UW-Madison campus and the second all-male group after the UW Madhatters. Fundamentally Sound has grown significantly in popularity on the UW-Madison campus and in the national collegiate a cappella community, having released several albums and receiving numerous awards. Fundamentally Sound is notable for being featured on one Best of Collegiate A Cappella (BOCA) compilation album, winning a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award and receiving nominations for five others, performing on stage live with the University of Wisconsin Marching Band for state-wide broadcast on Wisconsin Public Television as well as placing in the semifinal round of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.
History
[edit]Beginning to Early 2000s
[edit]In 1997, choral department students Chris Yahng and Chad Musolf gathered a group of men interested in singing beyond the normal choir concerts and formed the a cappella group. Over a short period of time, the group's popularity rose dramatically, leading to the MadHatters selling out the historic Orpheum Theater on State Street multiple times and performing at the acclaimed UW Varsity Band Concert in April 2002 in addition to their regular performances at hospitals, senior homes, various schools, and community events.
The group has gained nationwide recognition since the release of State Street, their first album. Recorded with the University's women’s a cappella group Tangled up in Blue, each group had one track earn a spot on the 2002 BOCA CD, and is credited as the first a cappella album recorded in 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound. This widespread publicity helped the MadHatters to take their first ever concert tour. In January 2003 the group traveled to the East Coast performing at Harvard University and in New York City.
In the fall of 2003 the MadHatters released their second album, a live CD of their sold out 2003 spring concert at the Orpheum Theatre, entitled No Jacket Required. In January 2004, the MadHatters took their second major tour to the west coast, stopping and performing in Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Luis Obispo, and San Francisco. In February 2004, the MadHatters were selected to compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella contest for the first time. That semester, the MadHatters had their main show again at the Orpheum Theatre, despite a small fire in the theatre the morning of their concert. At that show, the MadHatters sold out the theatre again, having the largest turnout for any show at the time.[1]
Mid 2000s to present
[edit]The group sang the National Anthem for more than 41,000 people at Miller Park (Milwaukee) for a Brewers/Cubs game on August 17, 2004. On November 10, 2004, the MadHatters performed at the then new Overture Center and sold out the show, filling the house to its 2,251 person capacity. Shortly after, the group began recording their second studio album, Friday After Class. At the end of the 2004 Fall semester, the group received the UW Student Organization Office's "Outstanding Achievement Award" for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the school and community throughout the semester. In April, the group received a second award from the Student Organization Office, the annual "Outstanding Contribution to Campus" award.
In April 2005, the group released their follow-up album to State Street, entitled Friday After Class. One year later, in April 2006, the group returned to the Overture Center for their largest concert series yet, 2 nights at Overture Hall. In the Fall of 2007, the group sold out the Capitol Theater of the Overture Center on back-to-back nights in December and released their third studio album, Not For Credit. The group had a second track selected to the Best of Collegiate A Cappella (BOCA) CD and Contemporary A cappella Recording Award nomination in 2008 for the track "I Believe" off the Not For Credit album.
The group's 2008-2009 tour went international for the first time, touring in the country of Mexico throughout January 2009. Their fourth album, Random Play, was released on April 10, 2010 after the MadHatters’ sold out performance at the Orpheum. At their annual Fall Concert on December 3, 2010, the MadHatters released their first holiday album, Cheer on Tap. At their spring concert the next semester, April 16, 2011, with a dollar from each seat sold and a third of all CD sales in the month of April, the group was proud to donate over $4000 to Going for Ten Thousand, a student-run organization that helps raise money for the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.[2][3]
In Spring 2011, the MadHatters began work on their next full-length studio album.
Albums
[edit]Fundamentally Sound has recorded two studio albums.
Stratosphere (2009) | ||
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Stratosphere
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Tracks
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Sound the Alarm (2012) | ||
Sound the Alarm
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Tracks
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Honors and Recognition
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3a/The_UW_MadHatters%27_%22Thriller_Dance%22_as_seen_in_TIME_Magazine.jpg/300px-The_UW_MadHatters%27_%22Thriller_Dance%22_as_seen_in_TIME_Magazine.jpg)
TIME Magazine
[edit]A highlight of 2009 for the MadHatters was having a picture of their rendition of the “Thriller Dance” included in the December 21, 2009 TIME Magazine “Year In Pictures” Issue.[4] The picture was taken at the MadHatters’ November 21 Fall Concert Series at the Overture Center in Madison, WI and was a feature picture in the issue’s tribute to Michael Jackson.
BOCA
[edit]The MadHatters have had 2 songs appear on the Best of Collegiate A Cappella compilation albums:
- I Was Brought To My Senses - State Street - Featured on BOCA 2002
- I Believe (When I Fall in Love) - Not For Credit - Featured on BOCA 2008
Voices Only
[edit]The MadHatters had one track selected to appear on the Voices Only Compilation albums:
- Forever - Random Play - Featured on Voices Only 2010
- ^ Ingersoll, Brenda. “Orpheum Fire is Called Arson; But the Blaze Was Contained, and the Shows Go On at Historic Theater.” Wisconsin State Journal [Madison, WI] 24 April 2004: B1
- ^ "Raising Money for MS". Raising Money for MS. WMSN Fox 47 Madison.
- ^ "Big Voices on Campus". Big Voices on Campus. The Isthmus.
- ^ Keas, Jeremy. "Elegies for a Thriller." TIME 21 December 2009: 62