The Gentlemen of the College is an all-male singing group, and the oldest all-male a cappella group at the College of William & Mary. Founded in 1990 the Gentlemen started out as a men's choir that concentrated in barbershop and traditional pieces—a repertoire that has since evolved to encompass a large selection of contemporary music. Known for their navy blazers, khaki pants, and novelty ties, the Gentlemen perform collegiately, locally, and nationally. The Gentlemen usually field four 'fixed' concerts per year—a Homecoming concert in the Sadler Center, Two "Wren Ten"s on the portico of the Wren Building, and a final concert in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall Additionally, the Gentlemen have performed on national television, at The White House, The Capitol the Waldorf Astoria, and for Queen Elizabeth II of England. The Gentlemen have 15 studio CDs in their discography, having just released their most recent album, Shenanigans, in 2019.
History
Co-founded in 1990 by Douglas Stambler and Mike Fitch, the original group had a passion for barbershop and was inspired by the theatrical performances of the Whiffenpoofs of Yale University. The Gentlemen of the College has been an active part of the William and Mary community for over twenty years. Usually consisting of 10-15 members, The Gentlemen have biannual auditions with the rest of the William and Mary a cappella Council.
Performances
The Gentlemen integrate a lively and humorous performance style with their repertoire—a style shown through their Homecoming and Final concerts. Respectively taking place at the Sadler center and Phi Beta KappaMemorial Hall concerts are punctuated with skits. A 'final video', a Gentlemen-acted spoof of the year's blockbuster, is shown during final concert. The Gentlemen perform a 'Wren Ten', an arch sing, once per semester. Congregating on the Wren Portico, the Gentlemen showcase the semester's new songs, introduce the new members, and produce a skit. The Wren Ten performances are sometimes themed—traditionally, the Gentlemen dress up in costumes for their fall Wren 10. The Gentlemen of the College also perform for campus-wide events. Amongst the list, they usually sing at Admitted Students Day, Charter Day, the Yule log ceremony and others. They also sing for private events, including Greek life, business meetings, and special guests. Recently, the Gentlemen have performed for Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and CEO of Willis Group Joe J. Plumeri.
Uniform
Since its inception, The Gentlemen of the College have maintained a uniform that they wear at all performances. This consists of a blazer, a pair of khaki pants, and a novelty tie. The latter part of this uniform is especially important to the group. It signifies the relaxed, humorous side of the Gentlemen; a balance to the otherwise formal wear. Each member supplies his own novelty tie that he wears for four years, adding to the history of the group. During their holiday performances, the Gentlemen don holiday apparel and winter scarfs.
