‘Snaps’ isn’t just an onomatopoeia used in their performances– it’s the name of the exercise the group begins each practice with. Individually, the members share a bit about what’s going on in their lives, and then move onto warmups and practice runs through their songs.
Xuxa Rossi, one of Solstice’s members, describes their dynamic as reminiscent of “a huge girls slumber party” because it’s filled with great feminine energy that’s both chill and chaotic.
Solstice is a non-competitive group that performs concerts at the end of each semester, as well as smaller gigs throughout. The all-female vocal ensemble is composed exclusively of a range of altos and sopranos, keeping their range purely tenor. After auditioning and being offered a position, Rossi found herself at home in this singing group since she’d been involved in choir since the fourth grade and now enjoys the challenges that a cappella brings.
“A cappella is special because its essence is so raw– there’s no masking background music, so all you have to rely on is the voices of each other,” explained Rossi. “It’s emblematic of the bonding experience that is being a member of this group.”
Solstice’s cover songs span a large range of music including pop, traditional and holiday tunes. Rossi’s favorite song to perform is Hymn of Axiom because it’s a bit spooky.
Along with their voices, Solstice plans to incorporate more choreography into their future performances, as well as possibly publishing their covers.