Princeton Tigertones

The Princeton Tigertones are an internationally known all-male collegiate a cappella group from Princeton University. The group was founded in 1946, and since then has produced thirty-two albums. The Tigertones, known informally as "The 'Tones", draw from a repertoire of nearly a hundred songs that have been arranged exclusively by members of the group, and which range in genre from traditional choral arrangements to barbershop quartet standards, modern jazz, the "American songbook", and contemporary pop culture hits.

The Princeton Tigertones
Also known asThe 'Tones
OriginPrinceton, NJ
GenresCollegiate a cappella
Years active1946–present
Websitehttp://www.tigertones.com

In addition to extensive performing on Princeton's campus, the group frequently tours the United States and the world, and has traveled across the United States, Europe, and Asia to perform in such storied venues as New York City's Carnegie Hall, London's Barbican Centre, and aboard Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth 2.[1] The Tigertones have performed before heads of state including President Bill Clinton[2] and the late Yitzhak Rabin, and, in 2010, performed three times at the White House for an audience including President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.[3][4]

The Tigertones have been profiled in dozens of publications, including a 1995 article in Rolling Stone[5] and Life magazine. They are historically notable for being the first collegiate a cappella group to release an album in compact disc format (1989's "Ba Da Ya Ba Da.") and the first collegiate a cappella group to have a page on the World Wide Web, dating from March 1994.[6]

History

Founded in 1946 by a group of undergraduates seeking an alternative to the existing opportunities for vocal performance on campus, the Tigertones were originally organized by Henry G. Parker '48 and found quick and enduring success. The group's inaugural arrangement was the barbershop quartet standard "Coney Island Baby", and other early arrangements included Irving Berlin's Alexander's Ragtime Band and a Princeton University anthem known as "The Orange Moon."

In addition to becoming a staple at formal parties at the Seven Sisters, the Tigertones began international touring in the 1950s with repeated visits to Bermuda. They appeared for several years running alongside The Talbot Brothers of Bermuda, and adapted some calypso tunes for the repertoire.

The tradition of the biennial World Tour was inaugurated in 1987 with a transatlantic voyage that included stops from Britain to Greece; the group has completed ten such tours that have included performances at the US Embassies in Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, and Tel Aviv, as well as the U.S. Consulate in Geneva.

Repertoire

The Tigertones draw from a repertoire of nearly a hundred songs that have been arranged almost exclusively by members of the group. While songs have been arranged since the group's mid-century inception, many songs "die" from the active repertoire to make way for new arrangements. As a result, the most successful and well-arranged songs from each generation remain with the group as it progresses forward, leaving the undergraduate group with a repertoire of songs representing all decades in fairly equal proportions.

The most performed of these songs is probably the Tigertones' arrangement of "Shower the People" by James Taylor.

Performances and tours

The Tigertones sing regularly for private parties, corporate-sponsored events, and charity functions primarily in the Northeast (NYC, Philadelphia, Boston). Several times a year, they embark on week-long tours that take them to domestic locations (San Francisco, Orlando, Atlanta) and abroad (Bermuda, Japan, UAE, China and the United Kingdom).

The Tigertones performed for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House holiday parties of 2010 and 2011.

In October 2017, they performed at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet in London as part of their week-long tour of the city.

Attire

The Tigertones perform at events ranging from the ultra-informal ("arch sings" in the arches on Princeton's campus) to the very formal (Carnegie Hall, American Embassy in Tokyo). As a result, the Tigertones have adopted several styles of performance attire, the most notable being "Coat and Tie" (a blue blazer, khaki pants, and tie; medium formality and the most common) and the Tigertones' signature "DJ" (a full tuxedo with white dinner jacket, reserved only for important performances, and the attire used for publicity photos and CD inserts).[7]

Notable alumni

Fictional and literary appearances

Geoffrey Wolff's memoir Duke of Deception describes some of his experiences as a member of the Tigertones.[8]

The character Paul Kinsey on the popular television series "Mad Men" was a Tigertone.[9]

References
  1. "Students Sing to Aid Cause of Road Safety". The New York Times. 1998-05-02. Retrieved 2007-09-26. The New York Times, 2 May 1998, B4
  2. This outdoor performance on Martha's Vineyard, was alluded to by author Paul Theroux in his 2006 work Blinding Light: A Novel. See and "CASA - the contemporary a cappella society - News Briefs: 7.15.06". Archived from the original on 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
  3. "East Wing a cappella". Archived from the original on 2010-12-11. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  4. Mitchell, Amanda (December 10, 2010). "Tigertones Sing at White House". DailyPrincetonian.com. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
  5. Herz, J.C. "Welcome to the Information Superdorm". Retrieved 2007-09-11. Rolling Stone, October 19, 1995, pp. 109-117.
  6. According to a search of rec.music.a-cappella and alt.music.a-cappella newsgroup postings from 1991 to 1994 ,
  7. The Tigertones' 2005 appearance in white dinner jackets, at the U.S. consulate in Düsseldorf, is pictured here Archived 2006-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, also the July 4, 2007 performance at the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, is seen here Archived 2007-09-03 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Wolff, Geoffrey. Duke of Deception. Vintage (February 19, 1990) ISBN 0-679-72752-3, p. 250
  9. "Mad Men: Performance Anxiety". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
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