The Chordials is a collegiate all-gender a cappella group from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. They are known for their edgy and passionate style, and perform a broad variety of music genres ranging from rock to alternative/indie to pop.
History The Cornell Chordials was founded in 1997 by a group of Cornell students, including founder Elana Wolff ('01), Music Director Dennis Chow ('99), President Anand Swaminathan ('99), and Business Manager Amanda Stahl ('99). The group has traveled and performed in many venues across the northeast, including at Penn State, Haverford, Rutgers, Muhlenberg, RPI, Johns Hopkins,"" in The Johns Hopkins News-Letter (9 December 2005) accessed 5 May 2007 Rochester, Buffalo, New York City, Martha's Vineyard, the Ithaca area, as well as many venues on the Cornell University campus.
Over the years, the Chordials have had anywhere from six to eighteen members. Every year since 1998 the group has produced at least one major concert, including their annual "Cocktail Hour" concert in the spring semester. Their original annual fall concert was titled "Crunkapella", but has since changed to "After Hours". Throughout their time at Cornell University, the Chordials have maintained a varied repertoire including such songs as Sam Sparro's "Black and Gold", Bon Iver's "8 (circle)", Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and Rihanna's "What Now". Through their regional performances and their several album releases, the Chordials have become a well-known exemplar of the collegiate a cappella genre.
The group produced their first album Shaken... Not Stirred in the spring of 1999. The album features songs such as "Come on Eileen" and "Killing Me Softly." The group's second album Not For Minors premiered in the fall of 2002, with songs including Sarah McLachlan's song "Angel" and Madonna's "Like a Prayer", which is now the Chordials' official alumni song. Their third album, The Third Chapter, features renditions of "Echo" by Incubus, Gladys Knight's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and "One Sweet Day" as recorded by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey.
In 2001, the group made its debut at the ICCA (International Championship of College A Cappella) quarterfinals in Rochester, NY, during which member Gabi Kornfeld ('04) received the award for Best Vocalist for her performance of "Angel." "Chordials celebrate a decade of a cappella with reunion concert and CD release." In subsequent years, the group received additional awards at the ICCA including Best Choreography, Best Soloist, Best Arrangement, and Best Percussion. In 2004, the Chordials became ICCA Finalists, placing third at the ICCA Finals in New York City's Town Hall Theater (ICCA Website)."Chordials Compete " in The Cornell Daily Sun Online (6 May 2004) accessed 5 May 2007
The group's fourth album, Arrival, was released on April 14, 2007, at their tenth anniversary concert "Cocktail Hour X"."Chordials celebrate ten years of Cocktail Hour " in The Cornell Daily Sun Online (20 April 2007) accessed 5 May 2007 It was recorded and produced by alumnus James Cannon ('07), via his production company "The Panic Room." Arrival features complex arrangements of songs from the catalogs of artists such as Puddle of Mudd, Snow Patrol, Nine Inch Nails, and others. At the concert, the Chordials celebrated their first-ever appearance on the annual Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) album for their rendition of Nickelback's "Photograph". Arrival also went on to win the 2007 acaTunes Award for their cover of "Let Me Entertain You," featuring soloist Rebecca Urbelis ('08). The album became a Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) Pick of the Year in 2007.
In 2008, the Chordials were nominated for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) for the first time in their history. Arrival was nominated for all four awards in the Mixed Collegiate categories, including Best Song (nominated), Best Soloist (runner-up), Best Arrangement (winner), and Best Album (winner).
In December 2006 and 2007, the Chordials embarked on a week-long "Winter Tour" across the southern regions of New York State and northern New Jersey, focusing on giving performances and educational musical workshops at high schools across the region. In March 2009, The Chordials toured the southern regions of New York State yet again, as well as parts of western Connecticut.
In 2008, the Chordials released their fifth studio album, titled Smash, produced by alumni James Cannon ('07) and Ari Goldman ('09). This album, like Arrival, was nominated for all eligible categories in the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), and the album was also chosen as a Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) Pick of the Year. The City Is At War, originally performed by Cobra Starship was featured on the Best of College A Cappella CD in 2009.
The Chordials went on their first international tour in June 2008. It was a sponsored trip around Germany in support of The Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development, an organization which focuses on the prevention of female genital mutilation. The group performed over a ten-day period throughout Germany at private events, schools, castles, and in the streets of Frankfurt.
Over the summer of 2010, the Chordials traveled to Martha's Vineyard for a four-day summer tour and retreat. The group performed at the West Chop Club.
Shake The Poet, the Chordials' first EP was released at their Fall concert, "Crunkapella" on November 14, 2009. This first half of this EP was recorded and edited by alumnus James Cannon ('07) with the remainder being recorded by Steven Goldman of "Four Legs Records." Five of the six EP songs were mixed by Goldman, while the mixing of "Ramalama (Bang Bang)" was handled by alumnus James Cannon. Since its release, the six track EP has won Best Mixed Collegiate Song, Best Mixed Collegiate Soloist, and it was the runner up for Best Mixed Collegiate Album in the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA). "Use Somebody" was featured as the opening track on the 2010 Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) Compilation CD. Shake the Poet was chosen as a CASA Top Ten Mixed Collegiate Album Pick of the Year, and their cover of Ramalama (Bang Bang) was chosen to be featured on Sing VII: Lucky.
Their seventh studio recording, PULSE, was released on April 29, 2011, at Cocktail Hour XIV.
In the Spring of 2013, after almost a decade, the group returned to the ICCA stage, earning 3rd place overall at ICCA Finals in New York City.
In the Summer of 2013, the Chordials released their eighth studio album, the Shadow Aspect.
Recent events
In February 2016, the Chordials released Surface. It was nominated for 3 CARA awards, winning Best Mixed Collegiate Solo and being the runner up for Best Mixed Collegiate Album. It is also featured on Voices Only 2016, Sing 13: SUPERSTITION, and is an RARB Pick of the Year.
On April 29, 2017, the Chordials celebrated their 20th anniversary at Cocktail Hour XX.
In the spring of 2018, the Chordials began the recordings for their EP, From Excavation. The EP was released on November 17, 2018, at the eighth anniversary of their After Hours concert. The idea behind this EP was to bring their vision of a cappella back to the bare basics, and to produce recordings with minimal added effects so as to focus on the beauty of purely vocal music.
On June 22, 2020, the Chordials released their latest album, Fire & Concrete.
Awards Year Presenter Award Result 2001 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal Best soloist Winner, (Gabi Kornfeld) 2002 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal Best choreography Winner, (Randi Dublin and Jay Legaspi) 2003 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal Overall 3rd place Best soloist Runner-up, (Jay Legaspi) 2004 ICCA Northeastern Quarterfinal Overall 1st place Best arrangement Winner, (Sam Coffin) Best choreography Winner, (Jay Legaspi, Jackie Pribil, Felicia Williams) Best vocal percussion Winner, (Jay Legaspi) ICCA Northeastern Semifinal Overall 1st place Best choreography Winner, (Jay Legaspi, Jackie Pribil, Felicia Williams) Best soloist Winner, (Felicia Williams) ICCA Finals Overall 3rd place 2007 acaTunes Awards 2007 Favorite Tracks of the Year "Let Me Entertain You" opb. Robbie Williams BOCA (Best of College A Cappella) BOCA "Photograph" opb. Nickelback RARB Picks Pick of the Year "Arrival" 2008 CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards) Best Mixed Collegiate Album Winner, (Arrival) Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement Winner, (Brian Tarpinian - "Photograph") Best Mixed Collegiate Soloist Runner-up, (Rebecca Urbelis - "Farther Away") Best Mixed Collegiate Song Nominated, ("Swing Low, Sweet Chariot") 2009 BOCA (Best of College A Cappella) BOCA "The City Is at War" opb. Cobra Starship CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards) Best Mixed Collegiate Album Runner Up, (Smash) Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement Nominated, (Ari Goldman - "The Moment I Said It") Best Mixed Collegiate Soloist Nominated, (Billy Ferguson - "Love Me Dead") Best Mixed Collegiate Song Nominated, ("Love Me Dead") CASA SING V: Groovus "The Moment I Said It" opb. Imogen Heap RARB Picks Pick of the Year "Smash" 2010 BOCA (Best of College A Cappella) BOCA "Use Somebody" opb. Kings of Leon CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards) Best Mixed Collegiate Album Runner Up, (Shake the Poet) Best Mixed Collegiate Soloist Winner, (Ariel Arbisser - "Cold Shoulder") Best Mixed Collegiate Song Winner, ("Ramalama (Bang Bang)") CASA Top Ten Mixed Collegiate Album Picks 2010 Top Ten Mixed Collegiate Album Picks (Pick of the Year) "Shake the Poet" CASA A Cappella Community Awards Favorite Collegiate Album Runner Up, (Shake The Poet) Favorite Female Vocalist Runner Up, (Ariel Arbisser) Favorite Mixed Collegiate Group Nominated, (The Chordials) Favorite A Cappella Album Title Nominated, (Shake The Poet) Favorite A Cappella Song Nominated, (Ramalama (Bang Bang)) Favorite Gender Bender Song/Solo Nominated, (Cold Shoulder) Favorite Cutting Edge Group Nominated, (The Chordials) CASA SING 7: Lucky "Ramalama (Bang Bang)" opb. Róisín Murphy2011 CASA SING 8: Too Cubed "Cosmic Love" opb. Florence + the Machine Voices Only Voices Only 2011 "What's a Girl Gotta Do?" opb. Basement Jaxx2012 CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards) Best Mixed Collegiate Album Nominated, (Pulse) Best Mixed Collegiate Soloist Nominated, (Billy Ferguson - "Touch") Best Mixed Collegiate Song Nominated, ("Cosmic Love") Voices Only Voices Only 2012 "Sincerely, Jane" opb. Janelle Monáe RARB Picks Pick of the Year Pulse Song of the Year "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" opb. The Temptations "Sincerely, Jane" opb. Janelle Monáe2013 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal Outstanding Soloist Winner, Jay Grollman ("Lies") Overall 1st Place ICCA Mid-Atlantic Semifinal Outstanding Soloist Winner, Jay Grollman ("Lies") Overall 1st PlaceICCA Finals Overall 3rd PlaceRARB PicksAlbum of the YearThe Shadow AspectCASASing 10: Neon“Bizness” opb. tUnE-yArDs2014CARA (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards)Best Mixed Collegiate AlbumNominated, (The Shadow Aspect)Best Mixed Collegiate SongNominated, (“Lights”)Best Mixed Collegiate ArrangementNominated, (Shannon Lawrence – “Bizness”)Voices OnlyVoices Only 2014“Lies” opb. The Black Keys2016RARB PicksAlbum of the YearSurfaceTrack of the Year“Retrograde” opb. James BlakeCASASing 13: SUPERSTITION“Retrograde” opb. James BlakeVoices OnlyVoices Only 2016“Haunted” opb. Beyonce2017CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording AwardsBest Mixed Collegiate ArrangementNominated, (Harry Davis - “What Now”)Best Mixed Collegiate SoloWinner, (Jay Grollman- "Retrograde”)Best Mixed Collegiate AlbumRunner Up, (Surface)2021BOCA (Best of College A Cappella)BOCA"Commit Me" opb. Alex Boyd, apb. Suzy JonesCARA (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards)Best Mixed Collegiate SongNominated, ("Bass Song")2023 ICCA Central Quarterfinal #2 Outstanding Soloist Winner, Katherine Xu ("In The Kitchen") Outstanding Vocal Percussion Winner, Eddie Lacson
Albums