Students in Meghan Rogers and Roland Woehr's Upper School Chamber Singers class recently received a unique and valuable learning experience when they were visited by Allen Drew, a master beatboxer and the father of Avy '25. Drew, who has been directing a cappella pops music at Germantown Friends School for 22 years, shared his expertise and passion for beatboxing with the Chamber Singers, teaching them how to use this percussive element of pop singing to tighten their ensemble.
"Beatboxing is impactful," Drew said. "Groups who use beatbox (vocal percussion) don't speed or slow down, and often the original energy of a song (with drums) is infused into your performance. A general principle is to keep it simple and clean; the simpler the better."
The Chamber Singers were eager to learn from Drew, and they picked up on the basics of beatboxing. By the end of the lesson, they were able to accompany themselves on simple beats.
The Chamber Singers are grateful to Drew for sharing his expertise and passion for beatboxing. They are excited to continue exploring this new element of pop singing and to see how it can help them create even more dynamic and engaging performances.