No pianos. No drums. No guitars. This fall, with just their voices, 15 undergraduates from the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music will recreate some of today's most popular songs as they perform on NBC's "The Sing-Off."
The YellowJackets, the University's oldest male a cappella group, will compete against 15 of the country's best groups, working to win over celebrity judges Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five), Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men) and solo artist Sara Bareilles, while vying for the ultimate prize - a Sony Music recording contract and a $200,000 cash prize.
The series premiere is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. on NBC. Watch extended sneak previews for the show here and here. Tune in to see if the YellowJackets advance through the multi-episode series.
Interview Availability
Three members of the YellowJackets are Rochester natives: Aaron Sperber (Pittsford), Ross Pederson (Fairport), and John Greenhalgh (Greece). All three are available for interviews.
Select members of the YellowJackets are available for in-studio interviews on Thursday, Friday, or Monday morning.
To set up an interview, please call Melissa Greco Lopes at 585-276-3693 (office) or 585-260-6666 (mobile).
Be a part of the "Sea of Yellow" Sing-Off Campus Watch Party
Members of the community are invited to come out and rally behind the YellowJackets at a free, campus-wide Sing-Off Watch Party on Monday, Sept. 19, in Hoyt Auditorium on the River Campus. Doors open at 7 p.m. Members of the YellowJackets will perform a selection of songs from their repertoire prior to the start of the pre-taped premiere, and will take questions from the audience during commercial breaks. The evening also includes a free t-shirt give away, and in an effort to create a "Sea of Yellow," audience members are asked to wear yellow t-shirts.
Social Media
Connect with members of the YellowJackets on Twitter @ URYellowJackets and on Facebook, or follow updates from the series premiere at the University's official twitter account @UofR. Connect with the show on its official handle @thesingoff or use the hash tag #thesingoff.