A junior vocalist of Miami University’s a cappella group, Treblemakers, clutched her necklace and punched a triumphant fist in the air in a burst of victory. Lindsey Hoff hit the right note after three attempts, and her focus shattered into bliss as her eyes crinkled with joy, “I got it,” she said.
To her right, 11 girls gathered in a semi-circle around a piano, dressed in a mix of sweatshirts, jeans and leggings. Their laughter bounced around the mirror-filled room as they made imitations of Hoff’s fist pump and ricocheted jokes back and forth.
The 14-member group is a student-led organization at Miami that focuses on the arrangement and performance of vocal music, according to its page on The Hub. As a treble ensemble, members range from altos to sopranos who perform a cappella covers.
The organization was founded in 2010. According to Miami’s website, they perform concerts every year and give other performances in the broader Oxford community, such as philanthropy events, collaborative showcases and other gigs at Miami. Last year, they released an EP, “Change of Heart,” on streaming platforms.
“It’s more of a family,” said Kathryn Berry, a senior speech pathology and audiology major and president of the group. “The strongest bonds I have made and the best relationships I’ve made throughout college have been through this group.”
Berry said her first year was difficult to adjust to. After Thanksgiving, the only reason she wanted to come back to campus was to see these girls. Now, if she’s having a bad day, singing with “The Trebz” takes her mind off of it. They provide a safe space for her that goes beyond their talent.
“You can tell when they looked at each other and were having fun on stage, they were relaxed,” said junior Grace Barnes, an audience member at the A Cappella All Stars Invitations Concert. “It really gave away that their bond is strong, and they felt very comfortable around each other, and that made them more comfortable with a crowd as well.”
Naya Pease, a junior nutrition major and the group’s outgoing social chair and incoming president, said their closeness and comfortability is largely due to their social events. She highlights several traditions that strengthen their bond, including an initiation night dip potluck, a Galentine’s letter exchange and singing around a bonfire.
“When we do Trebz bonding things, it really brings our group together so well,” Pease said. “That really benefits us when we do sing, because that really brings our music together as a whole.”
The girls have a formal at the end of this semester in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which is a beloved tradition, according to Pease. She said nothing compares to the joy of getting ready with everyone to take pictures on the dock overlooking the lake, when the room is filled with the sounds of music and laughter as they do their makeup and zip up each other’s dresses to prepare for their night.
“It’s my whole world,” Pease said. “I would do anything for all of them.”
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