Resonance is an all-female a cappella group at the University of Memphis. The group was created by UofM students Jordan Dodson and Kristin Boekhoff.
The University of Memphis is home to various organizations, and a female a cappella group called Resonance is one of its newest additions.
Jordan Dodson, the leader of Resonance, has been involved in a cappella groups since she was in high school. When she enrolled at the UofM and decided to major in music, she thought it would be a great idea to create an a cappella group at the university.
“I competed all over the UnitedStates with White Station High School’s a cappella group, which was also an all-female group,†Dodson said. “We also had a male group at our school. However, it was our girl’s group that went on to become nationally recognized as third best in the world and first place in the nation.â€
An a cappella group is composed of people who use their voices to sing and create musical beats. Well-known groups like New Edition, Take 6 and Pentatonix are a capella groups.
Dodson was looking for an outlet within the music industry that would give her the same freedom as her high school’s group, Key of She.
“It really felt like a touring band and we were getting paid to perform,†Dodson said. “I found it hard my freshman year of college to find a musical group where I could be myself and keep working on my art. I knew going into my sophomore year that I wanted other women like me to find their place and community early in the school year too.â€
Dodson created Resonance with the intent of giving female students a place where they could be themselves and make sounds among each other to create beautiful and enjoyable music.
“My expectations for the group have always been to push one another to be better vocalists and business women,†Dodson said. “Being a part of Resonance is like getting free practice for performing in front of crowds. It is sometimes the first place that our girls have their stage.â€
Dodson and other women from the university helped create Resonance.
“It was with the help of my peers that also graduated from White Station High that helped me gather the courage to create Resonance,†Dodson said.
Dodson said she would love for all incoming female freshmen to join them for the 2019-2020 school year.
“My co-leader, Kristin Boekhoff, has been singing, performing and competing alongside me for the past five years,†Dodson said. When she entered college as a freshman, we had already formulated this idea in high school.â€
Dodson wants incoming female freshmen to join the Resonance because not every high school has an arts department and incoming freshmen may want to try something new involving music.
“There is an electric community that is created when you put strangers together and tell them to sound like a trombone or a saxophone. Girls start to feel comfortable in these odd moments that we share together,†Dodson said. “We always empower each other and never allow outside feelings to affect how we work together as a group. It is important, especially in this social climate, to surround yourself as a woman with other women that you know you can be vulnerable with.â€
This year, Resonance was invited to perform at the National A Cappella Convention, but because of this year’s lack of funding, they will not be attending.
“The National A Cappella Convention is an annual event that takes place at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis and is home to one of the best high school a cappella groups,†Dodson said.
Although Resonance will not compete in this year’s convention, they plan to save money for next year’s competition.
The Resonance is an all-female a cappella group at the University of Memphis. The group was created by UofM students Jordan Dodson and Kristin Boekhoff.
