“A sisterhood bound by a love for music and lifelong friendship” - Meet JMU's Note-oriety!

Haley Thomas
Dec 4, 2020
3 min read

Note-oriety, founded in 1998 by Kelly Myer and Bonnie Estes, is James Madison University’s top-notch all-women a cappella group. The group’s list of achievements is astounding. Note-oriety is nationally recognized, award winning, and named one of “The 10 Female Groups Running the A Cappella World” in February of 2018. They’ve even been recognized by some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Nicki Minaj and Kelly Clarkson.

Start streaming their music now:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5BmFLnxjaPtZxSgLAUJ0w6?si=rR5sTJKJRimTE-e7CaskvQ

Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing Caroline Mork, a third year Note-oriety member. Caroline is a junior SMAD major with a concentration in Digital Video and Cinema, and she is minoring in Music Industry. “I auditioned for Note-oriety in the Fall of my first year,” she says. “I came into JMU with no musical outlet. I was also undeclared, so I really wanted a sense of belonging. I immediately found that and so much more through Note-oriety.”

Auditions for Note-oriety are held every semester. According to Caroline, “Note-oriety is constantly looking for something new. We’re very open to all vocal styles!” During an audition, a potential new member must choose a song and sing it for the group. “Never sing a song just because you think it’s something we’d want to hear,” Caroline advises. “Sing something that shows off your talent!” A typical audition also includes pitch recall and practicing scales. After an audition, Note-oriety sends an email detailing whether or not the auditionee has gotten a callback. Caroline says you can audition for multiple a cappella groups in the same day if you’d like to, and her advice is to “never shut a group out because you have your heart set on a particular one. Isolating yourself could cause you to miss out on your true family at JMU.”

In order to choose what songs they want to learn, the members of Note-oriety brainstorm songs and vote to pick their favorites. From there, they find arrangers, either from their own group or from others in the a capella community. They’ve even brought in arrangers from outside of JMU. Caroline says her favorite arrangements are “Runaway” because of how challenging it is, and a mashup of Billie Eilish songs arranged by Emma Wagner, a member of Note-oriety herself. Both of these songs can be found on Note-oriety’s latest album titled “Note to Self” released in July of 2020!

Stream “Note to Self”:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0ipKwidtH2Oo9okVFaCI6a?si=4GAPyowGTgCGfWiCmOkdAg

Like other musicians, clubs, and organizations at JMU, the pandemic is forcing Note-oriety to completely shift from how they would normally operate. Due to the current guidelines, the sixteen members of Note-oriety are not allowed to rehearse as a full group, although they occasionally have socially distanced meetings and rehearsals in groups under ten. Despite these unprecedented circumstances, the group is doing everything they can to continue making music and growing their sisterhood.

One major change for Note-oriety is with their annual Fall concert. Although it is typically held as an in-person event, their 2020 Fall concert will be posted as a virtual showcase. The concert will be listed for viewing on their YouTube channel (JMU Note-oriety) on this Sunday, December 6th at 6:00PM sharp. You can also find the link on their Facebook page and in their Instagram bio (all linked below)! The 2020 Fall concert will feature each member of Note-oriety in a duet, trio, quartet, etc. and will also serve to send off Class of 2020 seniors since their Spring concert was cancelled last semester. Be sure to tune in and share the video below with your friends!

Watch Note-oriety’s Annual Fall Concert on December 6th at 6:00PM:

Note-oriety is the epitome of talent at JMU. Caroline says that if she could describe the group in one word, it would be “empowerment.” Note-oriety’s members are all supportive of one another, and Caroline says it’s reassuring to know that no matter what, she’s “never alone at JMU. It truly feels like a second family.” She says, “Note-oriety is a safe place to grow and become yourself. Also, we get to make some super cool music together, so that’s fun too!”

I’d like to say a special thank you to Caroline Mork for her time and for giving us a deep dive into Note-oriety. You can hear her amazing talent in her solos on the group's newest album “Note to Self,” including Lake Street Dive’s “Seventeen” and Tori Kelly’s “Paper Hearts!”

"Seventeen": https://open.spotify.com/track/2yXO43kLS9ry5bua8tLZdj?si=0fnuj3SXR2C-5HIm9v-T4w

"Paper Hearts":

https://open.spotify.com/track/4ZThPf8awxwVBbY8B8Rud5?si=6gkFSTb5Rbucz9BVYntYGw