USU Octaves look forward to new year after annual holiday concert

Utah State’s eight-man a cappella group, the USU Octaves, has had an eventful year that culminated in their annual holiday concert in December.

After holding auditions in late August to fill some empty slots, this year’s team spent most of fall semester preparing to perform, making music videos, and singing to themselves between classes.

The Octaves’ holiday concert was a great end to a great semester, and it also provided a chance to collect donations for the Cache County Food Bank.

Brandon Shaffer, a junior at USU, has been singing since he was little. Shaffer is a bass and is majoring in creative writing, but he loves to sing on the side. This was his first semester with the Octaves, and he said that the holiday concert was fun because it brought people together and allowed for a time of reflection.

“I’ve always loved singing because it’s very expressive and makes me happy,” Shaffer said. “I don’t know why anyone would sing aside from those reasons, because it’s definitely not for the money. Singing has always been there for me and it is a part of who I am.”

Another new member of the Octaves is Noah Johnson, a freshman studying vocal performance. Johnson has only been singing for a few years but says that he wants to focus on singing as a career.

“I really enjoy making music. Singing is very fulfilling and it’s a dream career of mine,” Johnson said. He went on to add that his goals are to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and go on to get his master’s before ultimately focusing on a performing career.

Johnson added that he enjoys the relaxation of the holidays and being with family before starting a new year.

The Octaves have been around for three years, and Todd Partridge has been in the group since the beginning. Partridge is studying statistics and says he loves music.

“I don’t get a lot of chances to focus on music with what I’m studying, but this group allows me to,” Partridge said. “I write about 80 percent of the songs that we sing, and it’s a really great creative outlet.”

After their annual holiday concert, the group is preparing for their spring semester and their end-of-year recital.

To get involved with the Octaves, keep an eye out for their upcoming events and summer auditions.

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@GrahamWoodMedia