“Out of the Blue” Delivers a Foot-tapping Performance

On March 29, “Out of the Blue,” an internationally acclaimed a cappella group from Oxford University, gave an energizing performance for the community during an all-school assembly in Werner Centennial Center.

 

Composed solely of undergraduate and graduate students from Oxford University, the group was founded in 2000 and has performed on the West End in London and on Broadway, reached the semifinals of “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2011 and toured around the world. They are now touring the United States to raise funds to support the Oxford-based Helen & Douglas House, a hospice that provides respite care for children and young adults in the U.K.

 

Former Westminster history teacher Richard Batchelder P’16 helped sponsor the group’s visit to Westminster. Known for their infectiously high-spirited stage presence and their multi-part harmonies, the group performed an eclectic mix of songs — ranging from “Here Comes the Sun” to “Little Darling” to “Thriller.”

 

Following the concert, the group conducted a workshop in Andrews Memorial Chapel with members of Westminster’s Chorale. After beginning with stretching and warm up exercises, “Out of the Blue” singers taught members of Chorale the song “As it Was” by Harry Styles. They broke into groups to rehearse various parts and then reassembled to sing their own version together.