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Shades is a coeducational a cappella singing group at Yale University. Founded in 1988, "Shades" celebrates music of the African diaspora and tradition and is the youngest member of Yale University’s Singing Group Council.

Mission
The mission statement of Shades is as follows:

It is our objective to offer a unique, musically excellent, and spiritually enriching performance experience to audiences at Yale University and beyond. Drawing from the diverse backgrounds of our members and the oral traditions of blacks in America, we strive to portray authentically the depth and complexity of the black experience. In addition to mastering the style of our music, we develop an appreciation of its history and roots in order to educate audiences about our musics lineage. We acknowledge and accept that we are endowed with both the responsibility and the privilege of giving a voice to the voiceless, and we aim to do so through the richness of our repertoire, with its power to inspire and unite us and our audiences.

History
Shades was founded in 1988 by Titilayo Ngwenya and a small group of other Yale freshmen at a pre-orientation program for students of color now known as Cultural Connections. The group's repertoire is rooted in music of the African Diaspora, a tradition that until the emergence of Shades had not established itself amongst Yale's a cappella groups. Shades maintains the tradition of passing down each song through the years to the younger group.

During the early 2000s, Shades' sound underwent a profound transformation, and its combination of dynamic choral singing and powerful soloists rooted in the gospel tradition garnered Shades attention both on campus and around the country. In 2007, Shades was featured in CosmoGirl Magazine as one of the qualities that makes Yale one of the Top 100 Universities in the country.

Shades has come a long way since its early years, when the group would gather its limited resources to perform a humble, yet beloved Valentine's Day Concert at a small convenience store on Old Campus. In the few years since its inception, Shades has become one of Yale's premiere a cappella groups, presenting four highly-attended jams per year in some of the biggest concert halls and performance venues on campus. Shades has established a reputation for excellence outside of Yale as well, touring extensively both domestically, like high schools, and internationally to places like Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Boston, Houston, Jamaica, California, Ireland, and Japan. One of the group's most notable tours was in August of 2003, when Shades was invited to Phokeng, South Africa to sing for the enthronement ceremony of Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. The group's stay culminated in a performance at a soccer stadium with an audience of over 20,000, including former President Nelson Mandela and the royal family of Botswana. Shades has also recorded with Lenny Kravitz, and in 2010 was featured on the Tom Joyner morning show. Despite all the attention, however, Shades remains true to its mission and continues to visit schools and other performance venues across the country where they get to share the meaningful stories and music of the African and African-American tradition, encouraging and inspiring others with their song. In December of 2013, Shades was invited to sing at the White House for President Barack Obama as well as First Lady Michelle Obama as part of The White House's annual series of Christmas celebrations.

The Present
Currently, Shades presents four annual singing jams on campus and tours twice a year. At the beginning of each academic year, the group auditions incoming students and replaces members who have graduated with new taps. All Shades members must be full-time undergraduate students at Yale University.

Today the ensemble includes 17 underclassmen. Most members join the group as freshmen and sing through the end of their junior year, although some join as sophomores or juniors.

Notable Alumni

 * Thomas Hobson (actor) '04
 * Lauren Worsham '05, singer and actress
 * Katia Washington '10, daughter of Denzel Washington

Discography

 * Sisters and Brothers
 * The Tenth Year (1998)
 * Perspective (2002)
 * Sankofa (2007)
 * Beneath the Son (2012)