Who's Who: Kelly Jenkins

Sophomore English major hones her passion for singing

By Hali Baker

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Kelly Jenkins loves to sing. Although Jenkins, Dublin, Ohio, sophomore, is an English major, she continues singing through her involvement with the group Genuine Imitation.

Genuine Imitation is a choir comprised of 13 male and female KU students. What’s unique about the group is that it’s a contemporary a cappella choir. Jenkins said she didn’t enjoy classical music as much, so the choir gave her the opportunity to sing songs she enjoyed while having a good time with other students.

“The people in the group are really fun to be around,” Jenkins said.

She didn’t participate in the choir her freshman year, because as an out-of-state student, she wasn’t aware of all the KU vocal groups. However, she had heard other a cappella choirs sing in Ohio and had also done some a cappella in high school. Toward the end of her freshman year, Jenkins decided to pursue her love of singing.

She contacted Tina Towle, the choir’s director from 2005-2006, and asked her about joining the group. Towle told Jenkins to come to auditions and when tryouts were finished, Jenkins had earned herself a spot as an alto.

The group practices for two hours every Tuesday and Thursday night. They rehearse songs from artists such as Kelly Clarkson and Natasha Bedingfield that Seth Lofgreen, the current director, arranges. The choir performs around the Kansas City area, and in February 2007, the group traveled to Champaign, Ill., to compete in the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella. Jenkins said that even though they didn’t place, the group had lots of fun.

Working with Lofgreen has taught her how to better arrange songs, and she planned to use these skills as the director of Rock Chalk Revue for her sorority, Chi Omega. Her involvement with Rock Chalk Revue will probably keep Jenkins from participating in the choir next year, but she said she hoped to audition and return to the group when she’s a senior.

— Edited by Ryan Schneider

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