Although their voices can make fans stand right up and roar, not many students know about the talented male a cappella group known as The Tiger Tenors. The Tiger Tenors formed just two years ago and now regularly sing at LSU baseball games and for sorority events.
Tiger Tenors president, Harrison Daigle, spoke to LEGACY about the group’s development, music style and the popularity of a cappella as well as the fraternal bond among the group.
LEGACY: Why did you decide to get involved in a group like The Tiger Tenors?
Daigle: Coming to LSU from out of state, I wanted to get involved in something other than my major alone. My family has always been a supporter of the arts, and I grew up immersed in music and theater. At a young age, I was encouraged to participate in musicals along with my older sister and continued to be involved in theater throughout high school. Once I graduated and moved to Baton Rouge, an older friend from Tennessee already at LSU invited me to become a part of the group. I was excited to have the opportunity to again be involved in music and the arts and the different challenge that an a cappella group could bring.
LEGACY: How many members do The Tiger Tenors have? Are most of them musicians?
Daigle: At this point in time we have 15 members. Due to the nature of the group, we are all musicians in some right. However, most of the members of the group either participate in other musical groups or have chosen to pursue it as a major, but it most certainly is not a requirement.
LEGACY: What kind of pieces does the group typically perform? Can you try to define traditional a cappella for people who aren’t musically inclined?
Daigle: This is a very difficult question to answer because there isn’t necessarily a typical piece that we perform. Yes, we have songs that we usually sing, but they are not all from the same genre of music. A cappella as a whole is creating music with voices alone, and as a result, the “typical” song that we sing is that something that can showcase a blend of harmonies with melody.
LEGACY: What’s the most entertaining experience you’ve had as a member of The Tiger Tenors?
Daigle: It’s difficult to single out a single experience to talk about because we try to do many different types of events. Singing the national anthem at the LSU baseball games is always exciting, as is singing for the sororities, but we also enjoy singing for more serious occasions such as the LSU Ring Ceremony and the Tiger Twelve ceremony.
LEGACY: Would you say with movies like “Pitch Perfect” and shows like “Glee” that a capella groups are a popular trend these days?
Daigle: Yes, I think so. People are drawn to different styles of music depending on their interests, and the great thing about music is that it can express so many different emotions and cultures. Seeing the ability to blend these genres and styles together in “Pitch Perfect” and “Glee” as well as “The Sing Off” and groups like Straight No Chaser is a way to express the original songs in a different light.
LEGACY: What’s next for Tiger Tenors? Anything exciting we should know about?
Daigle: We’re always looking for opportunities to share our performances with others and consistently attempting to update and expand our repertoire. Just continue to look out for our performances, let us know if there is something that you would like to hear us sing.
