Vocalist and music composer Louis Shriber continues to perfect his practice. Photo courtesy of: Louis Shriber
Louis Shriber, a second-year music composition major with a focus on voice, continues to grow his passion for music in his college career.
Shriber is a part of many musical groups in Rhode Island, such as the Rhody Rhapsodies, where he serves as the vice president, the Narragansett Bay Chorus, Vocal Revolution and a Barbershop Quartet called Grade A at the University of Rhode Island.
In recent weeks, Shriber has been busy with competitions and concerts for these groups. The Rhapsodies had a concert this past weekend, the Narragansett Bay Chorus went to Canada one month ago to compete in Divisions and Vocal Revolution recently went to North Carolina for Internationals about four months ago.
Shriber said that going to North Carolina with Vocal Revolution, which is a large barbershop chorus, for a week-long convention was a fun experience, and he got to meet and sing with so many new people.
“We have concerts every day,” Shriber said. “Then, after the concerts, we have after parties, which is essentially just people getting together and singing until about two in the morning, which was just the most fun I could have.”
Shriber said that he was a “sporty” kid when he was in middle school. He loved listening to music during that time but never thought of making anything of it. It wasn’t until seventh grade that he started making music when his teacher offered the students to join the boy’s chorus, which he thought sounded like fun.
He then continued his music career in high school, where he joined his school’s choir. Shriber said that the school hosted a concert every year, and students could submit their own written pieces to be performed in the concert, which Shriber thought sounded cool, so he wanted to try and do that his junior year.
“It was kind of a very slow process at the beginning to write it, and once I did and got it performed, it was such an amazing feeling to have something that had been hearing in my head for like a month and a half finally get performed and realize that I just want to keep doing that and I did more senior year than I thought I’d just keep it going in college,” Shriber said.
Shriber also said that coming into URI, he knew he wanted to join an acapella group during his time at the University. He mainly wanted to join because he loves that style of music as compared to the ensembles and concert choirs he is in, it’s a bit less structured where the group can go at their own pace and choose their own music that they want to perform.
He also mentioned that the Narragansett Bay Chorus, which is located in Providence, offered him a scholarship to come and sing with them when he joined. He is now the assistant director of the chorus. He said going to Canada and getting to go to parties and sing was as much fun as going to North Carolina.
Shriber said being a part of the various fine arts programs at URI has been a great experience for him. According to him, the fine arts program is like a closed-off environment from the rest of the University, which made it easier for him to make friends and acquaintances.
Being a composition major requires everyone in the major to perform a concert every semester to showcase their work.
“I have a group of 12 students, and we’re gonna sing a choral piece that I wrote,” Shriber said. “I always talked about this with a friend of mine and said the biggest tool a composer can have is talented friends because, without them, I wouldn’t be able to showcase the music that I’m working so hard on without all their hard work and dedication. So I’m very fortunate to have this circle of talented people.”
Sam Giunta, a third-year music therapy major, met and befriended Shriber through the music program, as they were in the same studio for sinning.
“Louis is a very creative, very bold person,” Giunta said. “He’s very much himself. He takes a lot of pride in being who he is. He’s also a wonderful composer. And just all-around a very nice guy, always makes you feel better about the work you’re doing.”
Giunta also talked about Shriber’s composition work and how it’s right up his alley of what he likes to perform.
“Currently, we’re getting ready to perform one of his pieces at the composition concert near the end of the semester,” Giunta said. “He writes beautiful chords, beautiful lines for each of the parts. It works really well together.”
Louis has been writing music since his junior year of high school and continues to do so at URI. He continues to work on his music and expand his love for music by joining multiple groups across Rhode Island.