A cappella is a form of music performance that uses only the human voice as an instrument. All beats and harmonies adding depth to the music are generated by singers in a unique way. On campus, displays of this artistic prowess come from two groups: the TrebleMakers and the RedShirts.

The TrebleMakers and the RedShirts will come together this weekend for their annual spring concert in Van Meter Hall on Sunday. The two a cappella ensembles will showcase their harmony by covering genres such as Doo-Wop, pop and R&B.

The TrebleMakers are a female a cappella group on campus who display their talents by putting a spin on popular songs. Treble is the clef in which women typically sing, so the group’s name is a play on the word “troublemakers.”

“It’s fun to have people not only enjoy the popular songs but also [enjoy] a new way of listening to it through a cappella,” TrebleMaker sophomore Cathryn Ellis of Danville said.

The RedShirts are a male a cappella group that originally went by the name Hilltoppers. In the 1950s, the Hilltoppers were a group of WKU men who were known nationally for their Billboard Top 100 hits, according to Lexington junior Gavin Knies, RedShirts public relations chairman.

“Our goal for the longest time is to spread the power and the love of music through harmony. That’s what we do, and we just want to spread happiness through everyone, and we can uplift others and ourselves through our songs,” Goodlettsville, Tennessee senior Tyler McDuffee, booking manager for the RedShirts, said.

McDuffee said harmony is essential musically and socially so that various components can exist together without overpowering each other.

In a cappella, voices can be displayed without being overshadowed by beats.

Members of both the TrebleMakers and RedShirts said they enjoy a cappella because of the freedom it gives them to create and perform songs as a group.

“I really love being a part of the TrebleMakers. I love spending time with the girls in the group. [It’s a] fun hour of practice because we can forget about [the] stress of school and sing,” Ellis said.

The RedShirts will showcase their group dynamic at the event while singing Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.”

Although the groups will not be performing together, they remain in harmony by having social events and by booking the same shows. The groups travel statewide and perform for choirs to help show that there are music opportunities beyond high school.

The groups will often have a question and answering part of their educational visits to inspire high school students to audition for the ensembles if they attend WKU.

Those who attend the show should expect to hear throwbacks from the Hilltoppers, Alicia Keys, Adele and many others.

The RedShirts and TrebleMakers’ spring concert will be on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Van Meter Auditorium. The cost is $7 for general admission and $5 for those with a valid WKU student ID.

The Herald reported that the concert would be held in both Downing Student Union and Van Meter Hall. The correct location is Van Meter Hall. This has been corrected online. The Herald regrets the error.