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Undeclared

Home > Student Life > Clubs and Activities > Undeclared

Undeclared Acapella exists to rehearse and perform popular music for audiences by only using their voices. Touting covers from genres such as pop, indie, R&B, and everything in between, the group is known for its infectious energy and incredible sound. Welcome to Boochtopia.

Consisting of 12-18 members and student-run, Undeclared is the only auditioned tenor-bass contemporary a cappella group at Luther College. Our goals are simple: to build a positive, tight-knit community through (1) preparing a cappella covers in rehearsals, (2) sharing that music with our audiences, and (3) hosting social events for our members.

More than anything, we’re a group of tenors and basses that love singing, performing, and spending time with each other. One of our favorite parts about rehearsing is the occasional joke that makes everyone burst out laughing (so much to the point that we have to try really hard to lock in and actually rehearse). As one might guess, we have a ton of infectious energy that we love sharing with our audiences.

 

 

 

We have a variety of performances and gigs lined up each semester. Our most popular performances include our pre-finals concerts and Homecoming Weekend performance in collaboration with the other a cappella groups on campus, Beautiful Mess (SSAA) and Uptempo (SATB).

Besides these, we perform at various athletic games/meets, alumni/donor events, dorms, rallies, open-mic nights, and SAC concerts.

We audition new members nearly every semester, seeking singers that love to perform. Interested in learning more and/or auditioning for us? Fill out this form!

– Sunday, September 8th, 8pm: Undeclared First Fall Gathering: If you’re planning on auditioning for Undeclared, keep your evening plans free! If you place into the group, you’ll get some information about our first gathering a few hours after auditions. If you’re not auditioning for Undeclared, don’t worry about this one 🙂
– Tuesday, October 1st, 7:15pm: Undeclared National Anthem Singing @DCSD Volleyball: Undeclared will be performing the National Anthem at Decorah High School for a volleyball game. Come out and support!
– Saturday, October 5th: Undeclared National Anthem Singing @Luther Soccer: Undeclared will be performing the National Anthem at one of the soccer games at Luther College. Stay tuned for which game we’ll be singing at!
– Friday, October 25th, 7pm: Turn It Up To 11! The 1984 Concert: Undeclared plans to perform a Billy Joel classic at Professor Brooke Joyce’s interactive concert of 1984 music, featuring student groups, trivia, and more! Come support students and faculty and enjoy some epic 1984 tunes!
– Saturday, October 26th, 12:45pm: Undeclared National Anthem Singing @Luther Football: Undeclared will be performing the National Anthem at Luther’s Homecoming Football game! Come out and support your fellow norse, whether they’re playing football or singing the anthem!
– Tentative October Performance: We’ll be performing at least once more in October, so keep your eyes peeled….
– Tentative November Performance: We’ll be performing at least once more in November, so keep your eyes peeled….
– November: Undeclared Dorm Storm: Get ready, because Undeclared is coming to YOU in the dorms around campus! We’ll be singing a few songs from our Winter Concert set-lists at various dorms around campus. Stay tuned for which dorms we’ll be performing in, and which Friday in November we’ll be performing (it’s a secret for now teehee).
– Sunday, December 8th, 12pm: Winter A Cappella Concert: It’s tiiiiiiime! All the Luther A Cappella groups (Beautiful Mess, Uptempo, and Undeclared) will be putting on a concert in the NRH! Come support a cappella at Luther, and enjoy some epic music.

Here’s our most recent concert with Beautiful Mess and Uptempo (we’re the ones in black and jeans): https://fb.watch/ucpB_dVSUH/

Instagram: undeclared_lc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LCUndeclared/

Undeclared Shirts: Coming Soon!
Extra Merch Goodies: Check out our Redbubble Store!

Thank you to all that auditioned for us this fall! Every semester, we have to make difficult decisions, and this semester was no different. Stay tuned for future auditions!

Returning Members

Micah is a sophomore majoring in English, Spanish, and Law & Values. He’s been in Undeclared since the fall of his first year, and something he loves about the group is the opportunity to create quality music with his friends outside the confines of a curricular ensemble. On an unrelated note, Micah admittedly has a strange obsession with goldfish.

Nate is a sophomore at Luther College majoring in Vocal Performance and Visual Communications. He sang bass in Undeclared for a year. He enjoys the company of the group and the process of making music together. Nate is also an avid strength sports enthusiast.

Peter is a Junior Music Education major at Luther with a vocal emphasis. Peter is in his third year with Undeclared. Peter’s favorite Undeclared memory was singing “Holding Out For A Hero” last year. In Peter’s free time, he loves to play piano, water ski, and watch anime.

Rowan is a sophomore at Luther majoring in Music, with an emphasis in vocal performance and composition. This is his second semester being a member of Undeclared, and he loves the energy and brotherhood of the group. A fun fact about Rowan is that he once swam in an AmericInn.

Jacob is a Senior Music Education Major with a vocal emphasis, and he is one of the co-leaders for the fall semester before he goes off to student teach in the spring. Jacob has been in Undeclared throughout his entire time at Luther (since Fall 2021), and he loves to arrange songs for the group. His favorite parts about Undeclared have to be the moments when everyone is struggling to sing because they can’t stop laughing at the most random thing. When he has free time, Jacob enjoys playing Gloomhaven with his friends, listening to the newest albums out on spotify, and hiking.

Cam is a senior Music Education major with minors in Spanish and Musical Theatre. He has been in Undeclared since his first year, and loves making music with the group. Cam also sings in the Nordic Choir, conducts the Luther Ringers, participates in theatre productions, and is a member of the Ballroom & Swing Team. Cam looks forward to finishing off his time at Luther with another great year in Undeclared!

Dylan is a junior at Luther who is double majoring in accounting and management. He has been in Undeclared for one semester and is excited to be co-leading the ensemble this year! His favorite part of Undeclared is getting to hang out with all of the hilarious and supportive laddies in the group! Dylan loves hiking, listening to music, and saucing it up in the kitchen playing overcooked with friends!

Elliot is a junior majoring in Visual Communication and Theatre. He has been singing his whole life, and has only recently begun his foray into a cappella. This is his second year in Undies, and he is always passionate and excited to come to spend his time with this great group of fellas. Currently, he serves as the social media chair for Undeclared.

Samuel (Sam Scheff) is a rising junior and a beatboxer and bass for Undeclared. Originally from Lakeville, MN, the “Scheff” is currently studying Political Science, History, and Theatre at Luther. His favorite memory from Undeclared is finally learning what “booch” is at his first performance…

Luke is a Sophomore at Luther and has only done one semester with Undies so far. Luke is a vocal performance and theater double major, and has done a couple shows at Luther. His favorite part of acapella has been getting to learn how to beatbox with the one and only Sam Scheff. He loves movies, comic books, and other nerd things, and spends copious amounts of money on Legos every year.

New Members

Zach is a first year student this year. In the past, he has been in one a cappella group and was the vocal percussionist. This year, he is studying Biology (Pre-Med track) to one day become a Cardio-thorasic surgeon. Zach is from Coon Rapids, MN and loves to play games and go fishing. Zach is also a huge fan of driving; he has taken two track classes to race cars. Zach’s baby is his 1993 Z28 Camaro. Zach can make a convincing mouth trumpet and plays a very lovely rendition of “La vie en rose.” Zach cannot wait to be part of a goofy and talented group of guys to make inside jokes to laugh at alone on his long cold walks across campus.

David, a sophomore (home: Ames, Iowa, Go State), is a visual communications major who loves music, loves to be outside, and enjoys sauerkraut. This year, David is excited about Undeclared for the stellar community and to be able to sing goofy music with equally goofy people. Fun fact about David, in 2023, he was in a vocal jazz choir that placed 3rd in the 3A Conference of the Iowa Vocal Jazz Competition. Booch.

Raymond is a first-year student majoring in Vocal Music Education. He loves baking, drawing, singing, and composition. Raymond also participates in Norskkor, and is excited to meet new people and sing with others!

Joey is from Waukee, IA. He is a sophomore and a computer science major. He’s super excited to be both a part of a group of great singers, but also just great guys.

Michael is a Junior Music Performance major from Delhi, IA. He is involved in Jazz Orchestra, Driftless Jazz, Peas in the Pocket, and Lufda Ultimate Frisbee. His debut album “Brasilian Blue” releases mid-September of 2024. He looks forward to good music and whimsical antics with the boys.

Ben is a Bass 2 first-year Music Education major from Iowa City, IA. He is excited to sing his heart out in a tenor-bass a cappella group. He loves music, sports, and meeting new people.

The History of Undeclared

Undeclared Beginnings (2001-2003)
Matt Young, a freshman at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, fell in love with a cappella when he joined The Yellow Jackets, the oldest and most prestigious a cappella group at the University. Unfortunately for Matt, Eastman wasn’t what he was looking for in an undergraduate program, so he decided to transfer to Luther College, which was where his older sister had gone and graduated a few years earlier (1999).
When he moved into Olson Hall on campus in 2002, he met his roommate, Jacob Mans, who was transferring from St. Olaf. Down the hall from Matt and Jacob was another student, Zach Rodasti, who was also transferring into Luther that year. Matt, Jacob, and Zach, with their common experiences, naturally became friends. One night, while talking about their experiences at their previous colleges and universities, Matt mentioned The Yellow Jackets, and was surprised that Luther didn’t have any a cappella groups of its own. Jacob and Zach grew interested, and soon after that night, the three decided to form their own a cappella group.
Group Photo of Undeclared, Fall 2003
They held auditions and started the group with 14 members that semester, but they weren’t allowed to perform in any of the spaces in the Jenson Noble Music Hall. This was because the group wasn’t quite seen as official (to be fair, they didn’t even have a name). To work around this, they decided to plan a ‘dorm storm,’ where they would go around campus, performing in the dorms to make students aware of their group. On the night of this ‘dorm storm,’ the group hadn’t chosen a name. “Well, I guess we’re just Undeclared,” said one of the members, and from then on, it stuck. The name also fit well for the group because, ultimately, their existence for the longest time was a joke since they couldn’t book spaces like the Noble Recital Hall (NRH) in Jenson yet.
Undeclared rehearsing in Jenson Noble Room 125
In addition to their music, Undeclared was internally a campground of inside jokes and slang. The original members of the group mentioned that they would sneak in slightly inappropriate words in the background vocals as they sang, which became a prominent inside joke of the group for a number of years. Members Jake Bouma and Shawn Kennedy also came up with the word, “booch,” which was slang for “cool” or “dope,” and the saying has stuck around to this day. They also pulled late-night shenanigans, such as singing pantsless outside Jenson Noble from time to time.
Undeclared at Marty’s, likely Fest Fest
While he knew Undeclared would never be anything like the UofR’s Yellow Jackets during his time, Young hoped that if he was able to get organized, have a strong foundation of officers to run the group, and have their own concert at the end of the year, the group could go very far. And it did. At the end of their first year (spring 2003), Undeclared put on a concert in Marty’s showcasing everything they had worked on throughout the year, and they called it Fest Fest. Ultimately, Matt wanted a group of friends who just liked to make great music and have fun while doing it, and he got just that with a few extra goodies that made the experience that much better.
Albums, Tours and ICCA’s (2004-2009)
Undeclared’s first EP, “undeclared” 2004
In the spring of 2004, Undeclared had recorded and released their very first EP titled “undeclared,” featuring the tracks “A Cappella,” “Under The Bridge,” “Say It Ain’t So,” “Real Men Of Genius,” “Grey Street,” and “Up The Ladder.”  In the midst of this project, they also competed at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs), taking second place in the midwest semi-final.  This put Undeclared in the top twelve a capella groups in the country at the time.  Later that spring, they also held their second spring concert, Fest Fest II, that same term.  After receiving national recognition for their incredible sound, Undeclared would go on a number of tours in the local midwest area, traveling to and performing at high schools and other concert venues.
Undeclared at the St. Louis Arch, 2008
Once Young graduated in 2005, he didn’t anticipate the group to continue going, but it did. In 2007, Undeclared competed at the ICCA’s again, taking fourth place in the Midwest Quarterfinal. While they didn’t get as far this time around, the group received an award for Jake Bouma’s Outstanding Arrangement of “Stand Out.” In 2008, they competed at the ICCA’s again, this time taking fourth place at the Midwest Quarterfinal. Even though Matt Young was no longer at Luther, he still arranged for the group, and Undeclared received another award for Matt Young’s Outstanding Arrangement of “Fe.”
Undeclared with Barack Obama at Decorah Rally, 2007
When Undeclared wasn’t touring, recording their EP, or performing at the ICCA’s, they continued to do Dorm Storms and performed the national anthem at a few football games at Luther. Additionally, during the Obama/Biden campaign, Undeclared sang the national anthem at the Obama rally in Decorah in 2007. Thankfully, a recording of this performance exists on YouTube, which you can view here or by scrolling to our “Videos, Live Events, and More” tab. The group continued to have Fest Fest concerts through the early years.
Culture Shifts and Infectious Personality (2010-2013)
Undelcared posing for a Christmas group photo, year unknown
Clearly, the 2010s was when a shift in Undies culture became much more outwardly expressive. The group was clearly in love with itself but also very composed and ironically stoic for the occasional photo.  They continued to perform on campus, but the name “Fest Fest” slowly fizzed out around year 10.  Additionally, Undeclared was finally allowed to have their concerts in the NRH (we don’t know when this happened specifically, but we have recordings starting in 2010.  Throughout the early 2010s, the group was surprisingly organized for their quirky nature, and their audiences loved it.  For example, the group started wearing black shirts with the same “Undeclared design on them (or dress shirts and ties) and jeans, but they also performed without shoes on occasion.
Unknown Undeclared performance, 2012
Some traditions, however, stayed the same, such as their use of the “Inner Monologue” skit, where each member would go up to the microphone and say whatever was on their mind while the rest of the members sand a 4-chord loop.  You can watch this in action on YouTube here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPx3GsASdi0) or go to our “Videos, Live Events, and More” tab. Additionally, “booch” was still used, but the meaning was slightly modified to mean “cool,” a member of the group (plural: booches), and a secretive meaning that only Undeclared members from the 2010s on know about. Around this time, the members also started taking pictures on various staircases in Jenson, likely for promotional use. From time to time, the picture would be updated with a new set of booches on the stairs.
Undeclared Group Photo, May 2013
Interestingly, Undeclared was also a more exclusive group during these few years. There seemed to be 10 members maximum, which was just enough for 8-part harmonies (one member on each part), a soloist, and a vocal percussionist. Allegedly, the group was highly selective and very difficult to place into due to the low number of spots open each year and the high number of people who wanted to audition for the group. In the Fall Semester of 2012, a large talent pool of first years came to Luther, and a large number of them wanted to audition for Undeclared. Unfortunately, due to the small numbers of the group, none of the first years placed into the group. Likely in spite (and because they still wanted to sing a cappella), these first-year tenors and basses formed together to create their own tenor-bass a cappella group: Bromatic Progression.
Bromatic Progression, “On The D,” and Winter Concerts (2013-2019)
Undeclared in the Jenson Bathroom Stall, December 2013
Suddenly, Undeclared had a bit of friendly competition in the TTBB a cappella realm at Luther. Interestingly, just as Undeclared was considered a joke when they first started, Bromatic Progression took on this title, wearing flannels, occasionally singing comedic music, and not necessarily focusing on nationally acclaimed sound. At first, this personality really didn’t affect Undeclared at all, but after that first year, they did start to accept more tenors and basses into their group. Undeclared still remained a charismatic group both within its members and during performances, and continued to take goofy group photos, such as the Undeclared classic bathroom stall photo.
Undeclared performing at Marty’s, 2014
In 2013, Undeclared also put out a new album, titled “On The D,” which you can listen to on soundcloud here or by going to the “Videos, Live Events, and More” tab. However, over the next couple of years, the group became more known as the ‘serious group’ that made sure their music wasn’t as goofy as Bromatic Progression’s repertoire usually was. Still, Undeclared performed popular music with great harmonies that their audiences enjoyed, along with their more witty, subtle, clever humor. Undeclared also gained a bit of momentum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LCUndeclared/) and got a pretty good following from fans, fellow students, and booch alumni.
Undeclared Group Photo, January 2016
Undeclared also moved their performance spaces a few times due to pushback from the Music Department. For a while in the 2010s, Undeclared performed Winter concerts with the other a cappella groups on campus in the CFA right outside the Jewel theatre. They also may or may not have performed their Fest Fest performances there (if they were still called Fest Fest, that is). This performance tradition continued through the Fall of 2019. The next photo shows another photo of the group’s performing, this time with a bit more maroon-red clothing with an alleged logo for the group.
Undeclared performing in the CFA, Winter Concert 2019
COVID-19, Bromatic Regression, and Uptempo (2020-2024)
Undeclared at Impact Coffee, Fall 2021
Obviously, COVID-19 wiped a cappella performances off the docket for the remainder of the 2020 Spring semester through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. During quarantine, some of the original founding members of the group decided to record their individual parts and put together their arrangement of “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer from the 2004-2005 school year. You can view the recording here or find it in our “Videos, Live Events, and More” tab. COVID-19 took a lot out of the groups, including the juniors and seniors from the 2019-2020 school year. This left the first years and sophomores from each group (juniors and seniors in the Fall of 2021) to resurrect the groups, and all three (Beautiful Mess, Undeclared, and Bromatic Progression) did just that! Undeclared still advertised themselves as the more ‘serious’ group, while Bromatic Progression was, well, a bunch of bros wanting to sing a cappella and have fun. That October, all three a cappella groups performed at Impact Coffee during homecoming weekend, resuming the tradition that had likely been there before COVID-19. At this point, the a cappella groups’ goals were to survive.
Undeclared Group Photo, Spring 2022
Even though all three groups ‘survived’ their first year back after COVID-19, Bromatic Progression struggled to stay afloat following the Fall 2022 semester. The group consisted of a few seniors and mostly first years, and the majority of the seniors that were part of the group went off to student teach or left the group because they didn’t want to take the reigns of the group. The group was officially disbanded by the start of the 2023 spring semester, but the underclassmen attempted to rise out of the rubble with a rebranded name. It wasn’t until the Fall 2023 semester that the group found their footing, calling themselves Uptempo, a brand new SATB group focused on inclusivity and community. They are entering their second full year of existence, and they are increasingly getting the attention of the music community at Luther, especially those looking for an SATB a cappella experience. Undeclared, Beautiful Mess, and Uptempo had a successful 2023-2024 school year, with another Impact Coffee performance, a Winter Concert, and a Spring Concert. The image above shows all three groups at the end of their spring performance (from left to right, Beautiful Mess, Undeclared, and Uptempo).
 
Moving Forward (2024-Present)
Over the summer between the Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 terms, the new co-leaders of Undeclared, Dylan Muhlbauer and Jacob Klingsten, have been hard at work forming and ratifying a constitution, becoming officially recognized as a student organization (after 22 years), connecting with alumni to gain a comprehensive-ish history of Undeclared, and lining up gigs for the 2024-2025 school year. After at least 5 years, Undeclared plans to start singing the National Anthem at Luther athletic events once more, and there are tentative plans to maybe quite possibly sometime release merchandise for purchase (keep your eyes peeled for that). Undeclared is holding auditions on Sunday, September 8th, and we couldn’t be more excited for this next school year!

Don’t forget to check out the other A Cappella groups on campus!

Beautiful Mess (SSAA): Instagram: beautifulmess_lc
Uptempo (SATB): Instagram: uptempo_lc