• 
• Joined the Vibes:  Fall 1999 
• Part: Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Vocal Percussion             
• Major: Computer Science (BS) 
• Solos: Good Riddence

His Bio:
Walking across the cold, desolate wastelands of the University quad, Ben saw the audition posters for the GW Vibes, and saw his opportunity had come. Even in middle school, Ben thought A Capella groups were da bomb. In high school, when he visited his sisters in college, the more he saw, the more he liked.

How the heck do those vocal percussion guys do it?

During his audition at 2 am, Ben showed off his VP skills with the only beat he knew: the techno standard uhn tz uhn tz uhn tz! The newly formed Vibes had no resident vocal percussionist, so the two founders, Bess and Alissa, showed Ben the ropes. From there it was practice practice practice, beat boxing all alone with his very own a cappella group. That is where Ben is happiest, making up his own part, trying out new fills and techniques all the time. Far from the 1337357 out there, Ben still has a lot to learn. The Vibes isn't just about singing however, and the other side, the idealism and teamwork of the group, have become values he believes in the most. Ben is a masters student now, having put off leaving the Vibes and getting a job for another few semesters.  He is now officially that weird guy who has stuck around for too long, and is one of the two crusty five years still in the group (the other is the very un-crusty Eun Hee).

Ben's musical experience started with musical parents and piano lessons. Come 5th grade, Ben picked up the trumpet, and his first musical. In high school, he sang in the chorus, and in each yearly musical. He played trumpet in the concert band, pep band, and the jazz band, and played the melophone in the
marching band. The trumpet is great training for VP - as Ben always says, strong lips and good breath control are key.

Ben has several other interests, most notably his love of computers. He likes to game, watch movies and anime, program, write, and draw. While Guarino may have the bad puns market cornered, Ben is still on top of the one-liners department. Long live the king, baby. Ohhh yeah, rockin'!

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