The Oxford Belles

The Oxford Belles[1] are an all-female a cappella group from The University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University. The Belles are Oxford University's original all-female a cappella group. Established in 1995 to combat Oxford's male dominated music scene, the Belles are known for their 'sassy attitude' and 'kickass arrangements' of girl power anthems.

Since 1995, the Belles have enjoyed success on both a national and international level, having been on tours to New York City and Los Angeles as well as completing annual runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The group performs on a regular basis in and around Oxford and London, primarily at balls and charity events,[2][3][4] occasionally with other Oxford University a cappella groups such as The Oxford Gargoyles and Out of the Blue.[5][6]

History

The Belles were formed in 1995 by Helen Whiteley, a year-long visiting student from the University of Virginia, who had previously sung with The Virginia Belles. Helen was eager to continue the a cappella tradition, hugely popular in the US, on the east side of the Atlantic.

In the 2008 quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, the Belles were awarded prizes for Best Choreography (for their rendition of Blondie's "One Way Or Another"), and Lauren Bensted was awarded the prize for Best Arrangement. In the semi-finals, Joanna Langilie's solo in "One Way Or Another" was highly commended.[7] In 2009, the Belles reached the final of The Voice Festival UK (VF-UK), which established them for that year as the most successful all-female a cappella group in the UK.[8]

In 2009, the group travelled to New York.[9] There, they were offered the opportunity to sing the American national anthem at Madison Square Gardens,[10] and also performed at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.

In 2010, they returned to the US, this time travelling to the West Coast and exploring the a cappella scene in California. As well as performing at the L.A. Orthopaedic Hospital and with the groups Ready Willing and Mabel and the L.A. South Towns Show Chorus, they recorded a sketch for the radio show Cactus County Round Up with Will Ryan, a voice actor known for his roles in Disney's long-running series Welcome to Pooh Corner, The Little Mermaid, Spielberg's An American Tail, and The Land Before Time.

In 2010, the Belles returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the first time in 10 years and performed daily for a month in C Venues's theatre C −1.[11] The show, combining brand new arrangements with Belles classics, received critical acclaim for 'flawless harmonies',[12] Fringe Guru asserting that 'they've got the voices, the looks and, most importantly for any a cappella group, a decent human beatbox'[13] and Scotsgay calling them 'charming and talented.'[14] The Belles were asked to perform at the opening night for C Venues, at the C Cabaret Bar, as well as on the Nicholas Parsons Happy Hour, alongside comedian Reginald D. Hunter.[15]

Discography
  • Women of Note (2018)
  • O Holy Night (2017)
  • Phenomenal Women (2017)
  • Blame it on the Belles (2016)
  • Saved by the Belles (2010)
  • Listen To What The Girl Said (2008)
  • Score (2004)
  • Rearranged (2003)
  • Insatiabelle (2002)
  • In A Groove (2001)
  • Noteworthy (2000)

References

 
The Oxford Belles Official Website 2012–13
  1. The Oxford Belles website
  2. The Oxford Belles perform at 'Wadstock'
  3. "The Oxford Belles perform at Mansfield College Women's Dinner". Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  4. "The Oxford Belles perform at Oxhub charity event". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  5. The Oxford Belles perform with The Oxford Gargoyles, 2003–2004 Archived 18 September 2012 at Archive.today
  6. The Oxford Belles perform with Out of the Blue
  7. 2008 results Archived 14 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine for International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
  8. Results from the 2009 VFUK competition Archived 5 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. The Oxford Belles busking in Times Square on WorldNews
  10. "The Oxford Belles performing at Madison Square Gardens", WorldNews, 6 October 2009.
  11. The Oxford Belles at C-venues, Edinburgh Festival
  12. Freshair: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Fringe Guru: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review
  14. Scotsgay: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review Archived 19 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Pleasance Programme showing the Nicholas Parsons Happy Hour, featuring The Oxford Belles and Reginald D. Hunter, p.4
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