As the economy continues to suffer, Brown's a cappella groups have faced challenges and new opportunities. Though one group has begun to rely on fundraising instead of paid gigs, another is capitalizing on the economic downturn and expanding its clientele.
Because the Brown'sTones, founded in 1992, are one of the newer groups on campus, they do not have the same kind of financial support from alums that other campus organizations have, Danielle Crumley '12, one of the Brown'sTones' business managers, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
To earn money, some members of the group have taken on shifts at campus eateries like the Gate, Crumley wrote. The funds will go toward group activities, including their upcoming tour of several East Coast colleges.
As a result, "it's not up in the air" whether they can afford to go on tour, said Taylor Gobar '11, the group's other business manager.
Proactive measures like working for Brown Dining Services are not the only thing ensuring the Brown'sTones' financial security.
As a result of the economic climate, Gobar said clients are planning events "way more in advance."
In the past, the girls would be contacted to sing at the last minute for off-campus gigs, Gobar said. But now, she said, most clients are planning their events months ahead of time.
Gobar said clients - especially those in the Brown community - used to ask up-front how much the group charged for performances. Now, fewer clients inquire about the fee and the girls have to mention it to ensure they are paid, she said.
But though the group may have fewer off-campus performances in the future, no one has yet cancelled an event for financial reasons, Gobar said.
Though the economy may be making things tight for the Brown'sTones, the Brown Derbies say they are benefitting from the changing economic climate.
Amos Budde '10, the Brown Derbies' business manager, said clients who would otherwise book a professional musician are now turning to the Derbies, who are a less costly option.
In fact, the demand for the Derbies is now so great that the group has turned away some performance requests, Budde said.
"We're not really that expensive to have," he said, adding that word-of-mouth has "really kept us going."
But the group still faces
occasional challenges, Budde said, explaining that the Derbies have "had to be a little more creative when it comes to looking" for some paid gigs.
In the past, the group has relied heavily on regional alumni events, performing at functions held at Brown Clubs around the country.
But this year, alumni groups have had to cancel their events with the Derbies "pretty frequently," Budde said.
Jennifer Ketay, assistant director for Clubs and Associations for Alumni Relations, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that clubs are continuing to have the same number of musical groups perform at their events as in the past.
"We are not aware of cancellations or of any diminished interest in having the groups perform," she wrote.
