Music at the Wren

It might be known for its historical importance, but don’t let the ancient building fool you…it is still the rocking center of campus even today. For a small state school, William and Mary has a huge musical presence! Each semester, the A Cappella council arranges and hosts a concert series that takes place every Wednesday night with a different A Cappella group performing each week. It might seem shocking, but there are actually enough of these groups on campus that there is pretty much a concert each Wednesday for the entire semester (guess that’s what happens when you have the lowest A Cappella groups to student ratio in the state – a statistic that any singer on campus is happy to boast).

The best part about these concerts is that they are simply for the students. They are called Wren Ten, cleverly titled for the fact that they occur at the Wren Building at 10PM at night, and they usually attract hundreds of people. Regardless of the group performing, students swarm to the Wren portico to take a much needed study break, cheer on friends, and enjoy the musical stylings of this campus’ talented singers who need no back up music! As a member of one of these groups, I really love the Wren Ten concert. It’s the most fun to perform for just your friends and classmates with no other agenda. Not to mention, the historical venue is fantastic and you can’t beat the acoustics!

You might think this is a bit dorky, and granted A Cappella is mostly a college phenomenon that has gone particularly crazy at William and Mary, but who doesn’t want to hear their friends sing arrangements of boy band medleys, beloved oldies, and the most popular new pop song all while awkwardly dancing in a semi-circular line. The point is it’s fun and what else could you possibly want to do at 10PM on a Wednesday night!

Beth Mahalak, Class of 2009
Senior Tour Guide