On a Sensual Note
On a Sensual Note (OASN) is the first collegiate a cappella singing ensemble of American University, welcome to male-identifying individuals as well as non-binary folk. Founded in the fall of 1996, OASN is the university's oldest a cappella ensemble. The ensemble performs regularly at campus events, tours and visits other schools and participates in regional festivals. OASN's most popular events include its biannual end-of-semester concerts in the Kay Spiritual Life Center, a tradition which has been mirrored by newer performing ensembles. OASN is the only collegiate a cappella group at American University to go on a Spring Break Tour to a specific destination, commonly on the East Coast; recent destinations include: New Orleans, LA, Miami, FL, Savannah, GA, and Charlotte, NC.
On a Sensual Note | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | OASN |
| Origin | Washington D.C., United States |
| Genres | A cappella |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Members | Carson Young '24 Julien Hector '24 Julian Ingersoll '25 Nick Pappas '25 Roy McGowan '25 Pierre Maman '25 Trevor Hettrich ' 25 Ethan Kauffman '26 Aidan Palmer '26 Colin Weschler '26 |
| Website | www |
History
The Early Years
In the fall of 1996, Jay Criscuolo and Jay Rao arrived as freshman at American University, each with a desire to participate in the collegiate legacy of men’s a cappella. Upon learning that there were no a cappella groups at AU, both independently began a search to find members to start a group. Eventually, they found each other. In their early months of searching, the group grew to only six members. It was not until the spring of 1998 that the group of six, under the name “Tastes Like Chicken”, got its first gig.
The Present
Since its beginning, the group has established themselves as one of the most well-known a cappella groups in the D.C. area, performing at many prominent venues in the city and surrounding area. OASN has released eight albums and has taken multiple tours up and down the eastern seaboard. OASN has recently finished production of their eighth album entitled "128" which pays homage to their longtime rehearsal room, Katzen Arts Center at American University Room 128. The group plans on having the album complete by Fall of 2017. Since the group went virtual due to COVID-19 in March of 2020, the group has expanded and is back to performing in-person in the hope to perform at venues across the District in the near future.
Notable Performances
The group's most notable performance came on January 28, 2008 when the campaign of then U.S. Presidential candidate Barack Obama asked OASN to open for a rally at AU where Obama was endorsed by Senator Ted Kennedy.[1] The ensemble learned Obama's campaign theme song, Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (1970), but was forced offstage after a teleprompter was kicked during their performance.
Since then, the group has performed at The White House,[2][3] the Embassy of Singapore, Disney World, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and for the U.S Secretary of Labor.[4]
Most recently, the group performed on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in March 2023. The group performed Fireflies by Owl City with Ethan Kauffman as the soloist.
Discography
Albums
- Aural Pleasure (2001)
- Back to the Drawing Board (2002)
- The On a Sensual Note (2004)
- New Ties, Old Guys (2006)
- On a Sensual Night (2008)
- Spare Change (2009)
- Guys in Ties (2014)
- 128 (2023)
See also
References
- LiveJournal
- Lyons, Morgan. "OASN performs at the White House…again!". WordPress. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
- "OASN Sings at the White House". WordPress. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
- The Reliable Source (October 20, 2011). "In other news: Labor Secretary Hilda Solis gets a birthday serenade". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
