Kokosingers
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The Kokes
The Kenyon College Kokosingers are an all-male a cappella group. Also known as the Kokes, the Kokosingers are the college's oldest original a capella group, and the second-oldest student-run singing group on campus. The group fluctuates in size from as small as 9 to as many as 14. Members pick out and arrange their own music. New members are selected by auditions held in the first week of classes each year.
There are four officers which conduct the business of the group: The President serves as the group's spokesman, and books concerts and tours. The Musical Director runs rehearsals, and conducts the group during performances. The Business Director manages the group's money and CD sales, and also helps manage tours. The Beermeister serves as the group's liason to the Village Market.
In 1965, the group was started by four freshmen, Jim Hecox, Peter Arango, Tom Ulrich and Rich Haskins, all members of the Kenyon chapter of Alpha Delta Phi. The Kokes originally met for practice in the basement of the Village Inn. When this space became unavailable, the group's meeting and practice space, also known as "The Kokes Room," moved to the basement of the Gambier Post Office. Rising rent forced the Kokosingers out of the Post Office, and as of 2008, they have no official meeting space. Rehearsals are conducted in Rosse Hall, the music building.
The group's name is taken from the nearby Kokosing River. a tributary of the Walhonding River. In the Delaware language, Kokosing means "Owl Creek", which was later used to name the all-female a cappella group, the Owl Creek Singers.
The repertoire of the Kokosingers ranges from barbershop and ensemble pieces to popular standards. Traditionally, the Kokosingers end every concert with "Kokosing Farewell," a sentimental waltz written by Canon Orville E. Watson, class of 1892, and Kenyon's unofficial Alma Mater (the official Alma Mater of Kenyon College is "The Thrill"). The group performs three concerts a year, as well as numerous engagements and a winter tour of the Eastern United States. In years past, the group sometimes toured over Spring Break.
Former members who have reached national prominence include Christopher Smith, an American actor, Justin Roberts, an American award-winning children's singer/songwrtiter, Daniel Fishbach, executive director for the famed Los Angeles improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and Marc Lacuesta, an American recording engineer and vocalist.
Studio albums
- "The Kokosingers" (1965)
- "The Kokosingers 1969" (1969)
- "Best Of The Kokosingers" (1972)
- "Bathe In The Bright Sky"
- "Good Night Little Girl"
- "Pearl Motel" (1983)
- "Old Timey Baby"
- "Fascinatin' Rhythm"
- "Some Strange Spell" (1987)
- "Don't Try This at Home" (((1987)))
- "The Silver Album" (1989)
- "That's Dutch" (1992)
- "Knee Deep" (1993)
- "Misunderstood" (1995)
- "Downstairs At Pedro's" (1998)
- "Home Entertainment" (2002)
- "We Were In Love" (2006)
- "Promises, Promises" (2008)
