Welcome Friends of Shere Khan! We have decided to publish this newsletter to keep our alumni, family and friends in the loop about some exciting changes and opportunities Shere Khan has experienced over the past few years.
In the future, we hope to produce a newsletter at the end of each spring semester that contains stories, pictures, and video clips from the past year. We welcome any feedback you may have for us - email us at any time at sherkhan@princeton.edu (we thank University character limits for the misspelling). Please enjoy! Message from the Music Director and President -Jess Cabral '11, Jack Marzulli '12
Musically speaking, it is a great time for Shere Khan. As always, our goal remains to maintain our traditional SK style while continuing to develop our sound even further. Keeping our top-40 feel, we make it a point every year to add songs to our repertoire that not only our audiences enjoy, but that the group loves to sing as well. Every year we introduce 3-4 new arrangements to keep our repertoire updated, but we still make sure to preserve SK's beloved classics like SK1's ''And So It Goes,'' and Shattered's ''Teenage Dirtbag...'' to read more from Jess and Jack, click here or scroll down!
Reflections from a Senior
- Jack Breslauer '10
Unlike at universities in England, where many of my friends returned home weekly to deliver their dirty laundry, at Princeton many people go for months without seeing their families. In such a context, friendship bears a much heavier burden. Your friends are your only support network when things g o wrong, and in a way they become your family during those college years. It's only with this in mind that I can fully express how important Shere Khan has been to me over the past three and a half years... to read more from Jack, click here or scroll down!
Follow SK Online!
We regularly update our website, www.skprinceton.com, with pictures, videos, and the most up-to-date news about the group. Be sure to check out our stories and the members' individual pages! A signup form for this newsletter is available in the "About Us" section of the website. You can also find videos of Shere Khan performing on our YouTube page, SKPrinceton!
Alumni, you can also login to the Members Only section of the website, for access to old SK photos and our member forums. Please email sherkhan@princeton.edu for login details!
Gear and CDs
In stock, we have copies of our most recent three studio albums, Come Together, Kh an Artists, and Shattered, as well as DVD recordings of our release show for Come Together. We also have Shere Khan fan t-shirts for sale! Please email sherkhan@princeton.edu for information or to purchase any of these items.
 
Message from the Music Director and President, continued
We're thrilled to announce that our 6th studio album is finally taking shape, and we're hoping to have the CD complete by Spring 2011. In line with SK tradition, the album is being composed of songs arranged by both SK alums and current members.
 With new arrangements like ''Always Be My Baby'' by Mariah Carey (arr. Chris Inniss '09), ''Shattered'' by O.A.R. (arr. Ka'ohu Berg-Hee '09), and ''Lovefool'' by The Cardigans (arr. Jack Breslauer '10), Shere Khan is keeping up its energetic and fun-loving reputation on campus.
Administratively speaking, Shere Khan is also in a strong place. Now almost 17 years old, we have made it a priority to improve our communication and coordination with our alumni and family members.
This past reunions, along with our traditional Alumni Arch Sing and Fountain Sing (a performance in the waters of the Woodrow Wilson School fountain late Saturday night), we hosted our first ever formalized alumni reception. It was a real success, as over 50 alumni, family members and current SK members gathered over dessert and drinks to sing together, reminisce, and catch up. During reunions, we also hosted an arch sing for Shere Khan relatives, but particularly in honor of the seniors and their families.
In other exciting news, we are currently in the advanced stages of planning a financial campaign with the University that will hopefully transform the way Shere Khan operates. We hope to establish an interest-generating endowment for Shere Khan that will give our group more long term viability and fiscal stability.
In the fall, we will be in touch with more details about this fiscal initiative. And be on the lookout for information about a CD release show for our newest album, which we are tentatively planning for next spring!
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Reflections from a Senior, continued
I can truly say that the friendship I enjoyed with members of this group was unconditional. Even when I had neither the energy nor the inclination to be a fun or considerate person, I knew that the love and support that I received from them would never waver.
Safe in the knowledge that three times a week I would be around people who accepted me (warts and all), I had the confidence to interact with others on campus without pretension or insecurity. Looking at the unusually diverse personalities that we have in the group today, and the way that they all seem to flourish, I would venture that Shere Khan has had the same effect on many of our members.
All of this may seem to have little, if anything, to do with a cappella. But in many ways that's not true. Many of my fellow  members would argue that our shared musical vision and our friendships feed and thrive off of each other. It is telling that every September - when we face the immensely frustrating task of conveying to wide-eyed, skeptical freshmen just how meaningful this group is to us without sounding like some strange singing cult - we find ourselves talking not just about the group's music but rather about its incredible sense of family.
 While some people stumble into Shere Khan by accident or under the severe coercion of a member friend, they often leave it incapable of imagining their Princeton experience, or indeed their adult lives, without it. So far, this has been my experience.
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Congratulations and Thank You, Seniors! 
-Julie Leary '12
After an incredible four years, it's time for us to say goodbye to seven talented and influential Shere Khan members. This year's seniors have exhibited true leadership during their time in the group, serving as officers, soloists, and mentors to baby SK. Each of these amazing individuals has brought a special energy to the group that will remain a part of the SK fingerprint forever. We are thrilled for them as they enter a new and exciting time in their lives, and we wish them all the best at the start of their new adventures!... to read about each graduating Senior, click here or scroll down! Intercession in the Bahamas, January 2010
 -Sarah Adams '13
Our annual intercession trip this year was to the Abacos Islands of the Bahamas, where we had a wonderful time basking in the sun and sharing our music with others. Returning to the Bahamas every other year has recently become a Shere Khan tradition, so for many of our junior and senior members, the trip was an opportunity to reconnect with friends made two years ago. The trip proved to be full of thrilling and new experiences for all of us!... to read more about our trip to the Bahamas, click here or scroll down!
Auditions and Newbs!
 -Johnny Mishu '13
Hello SK Superfans! My name is Johnny Mishu, and I'm a freshman (now sophomore) bass from Nashville, Tennessee. Finishing my fall semester at Princeton as a full-time member of the varsity baseball team, I initially had no plans to audition for an A Cappella group. Fortunately , Sarah Adams, a fall '09 alto newb from Orange County, CA, was my hallmate. When she heard that I like to sing in the shower, Sarah gave me a hard, but still loving, nudge in SK's direction and convinced me to try-out during February auditions...to read more from Johnny, click here or scroll down!
Retreat to the Jersey Shore, September 2009
 -James Cole '12
At the end of every summer, Shere Khan reconvenes after being apart for three months. Members arrive on campus from all over the world, dump their bags in t he Shere Khan room in Bloomberg Hall, and pile into cars. From campus we drive down to Long Beach Island, on the Jersey Shore, the longstanding home of our annual summer's end retreat excursions... to read more about SK retreat, click here or scroll down!
Congratulations and Thank You, Seniors, continued
Jack Breslauer, a Bass originally from London, England, has truly been a ''Jack of all Trades'' for Shere Khan. Jack has brought musical talent and administrative leadership to the group, serving as Musical Director and contributing three full arrangements to our new CD. Jack has deferred starting work at Bain & Co. in NYC for a year; he will spend next year working for a social entrepreneurship start-up in South Africa.
 Dave Fort is a Tenor from Sewanee, Tennessee. Our resident Tech whiz, he's the man behind the awesome website transformation of the past few years, as well as countless contributions as Business Manager and General Clock Watcher. Dave's professionalism and commitment will ensure his success as he moves to Washington, DC next year to work in Homeland Security consulting.
Alex Krupp, a Soprano from Westfield, New Jersey, has served as Business Manager and President and was responsible for planning countless SK vacations. Her strong vocal belt and energetic stage presence made her a natural performer, and we know her undying love for SK will live on! Next year she will participate in Teach For America in Washington, DC.
Rob Madole, a tenor, will tell you he hails from Dallas...Texas. The deserving winner o f a Fulbright Scholarship, he will spend next year studying in Germany. Rob has been our resident chef for every trip, and has truly embodied the best part of the SK spirit, as he is always a positive force and a friend to all. ''Teenage Dirtbag'' by Wheatus just won't feel the same without him.
Halcyon Person, an Alto from Plainsfield, New Jersey, will be  moving to Chicago and working in urban planning. We will never forget her phenomenal three-semester reign as President, her quick wit, or her soulful renditions of ''I Try'' by Macy Gray and ''Portions for Foxes'' by Rilo Kiley, the latter of which is immortalized on our fifth studio album, Come Together.
Katy Pinke, an Alto from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey will be traveling in China next year. Her sensitive ear and natural musical intuition have shaped Shere Khan’s sound over the last few years, particularly during Katy's terms as Musical Director. Katy has served as an unforgettable soloist on some of our most challenging songs, including ''Always be My Baby'' by Mariah Carey, which will be featured on our upcoming album.
Jaimeson Rice, a Bass from Medford, New Jersey, integrated seamlessly into the group upon joining in his Junior year. In just two years, he has served as our Treasurer and our Rage Chair. Jaimeson's spirit has been infectious, and his incredible voice will be sorely missed. Get excited for his recording of ''Shelter'' by Ray LaMontagne, which will also appear on our next album! Next year, Jaimeson will work in NYC at Goldman Sachs.
Return to the top Intercession in the Bahamas, continued
The first adventure was upon us before we had even arrived at our destination in Marsh  Harbour; we arrived at our connecting flight in Nassau to discover that we would be splitting up and flying in small 8 person puddle jumper planes to our final stop. Despite the excessive convincing it took to get some of our more timid members onto the plane, we arrived safely 45 minutes later.
Our first few nights in the Bahamas we stayed at the spectacular Calypso house in Hopetown. Thank you so much to Bill Hand, Carrie Cash, and Jane Patterson for making it possible for us to stay in such a beautiful place. With all 13 of us sleeping comfortably in one house, we had no problem finding space to rehearse, time to explore the island's beaches, and opportunities for adventure.
During our stay,we sang several evening concerts at a local church to help raise money for the church's youth mission trip. We also managed to make some money ourselves , selling SK CDs to many of our fans. Generous audience members Muffin and Will Heyer showed SK a great time by taking us out for a leisurely afternoon of sailing and sandbar hopping on their yacht. Thanks to Muffin and Will, as well as Mary Saou, the energetic and friendly coordinator of our church concerts, for their generosity and help! Before we knew it, our time in Hopetown was done. But the trip was far from over!
The second half of our trip was hosted by the Haested family of Marsh Harbour,  who bravely opened their beautiful home to all of us. In Marsh Harbour, we performed at the Every Child Counts School for children with special needs, and at Forest Heights Academy (where we also led an afterschool workshop with students), before a final performance at the local community center for our loyal Marsh Harbour superfans.
The Haestads not only provided food and housing for us, but even took it upon themselves to make sure we had a great time. They enthusiastically led us snorkeling, conch diving, tubing, fishing, and jet skiing, and generously shared their infinity pool, hot tub, and private beach with us. A special thanks to the Haestads and to Cha Boyce, our contact in Marsh Harbour who helped plan our itinerary for the trip and also hosted a dinner for us at her house! We look forward to returning to the Bahamas in 2012.
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The audition itself could not have gone better. Unlike any of the other newbs, I knew absolutely nothing about music prior to my audition. Regardless, the group comforted and guided me throughout the entire process. Senior Jack Breslauer ran the show, and led me through some scales to warm up my voice and test my range, swells to test my volume, and pitch matching exercises to test my musical memory.
The real trouble was when Jack asked me to sing back a particular note out of chord. A complete beginner to musical terms, I had no clue what a chord was. Fortunately, Jack quickly explained and I was on to the next challenge. Before I knew it, it was time to sing my solo, the doo-wop song ''In the Still of the Night.'' I almost never sang in public, but SK made me feel like I was just singing in the car. I was informed later that night that SK was calling me back.
In my callbac k the next night, I met two of my future newbmates, Merik Mulcahy (a bass from near San Francisco) and Catherine Cohen (a soprano from Houston). For two hours, the group told us we were honorary members of SK. My callback was even more laid back and fun than auditions. As we learned parts of two time-honored SK auditions songs, ''Patience'' by Guns N' Roses and ''Running to Stand Still'' by U2, we were judged on our blend, pitch and overall musical performance. The callback ended with us joining in a circle with current members and singing together as one full-sounding group.
Next thing I knew I was being picked up in fine Shere Khan fashion, and Me rik, Catherine and I had joined the ranks of SK alongside fall newbs Sarah, Chris Doubet, a freshman tenor from Dallas, Texas, Katie Brite, a freshman alto from Peoria, Illinois, and Ben Schmechel, a sophomore bass from Seattle. It was only later that I found out that 150 people auditioned for Shere Khan this year and only 7 of them made the cut. By the time I performed in my first arch sing, a snow-filled extravaganza two weeks later, Shere Khan already felt like family.
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Retreat to the Jersey Shore, continued
Lucky enough to arrive each year after the bulk of summer season tourism has finished, we stake our claim to the nearest patch of beach and get our daytime fill of swimming, paddleball, beach football, and sunbathing. Our nights are filled with cooking, bananagrams, and excessive harmonizing to top-40 music. This past year, a surprise visit by SK alum Ariel Melendez '06 only added to the fun!
Most importantly, retreat provides a unique opportunity for Shere Khan to bond and refocus after the summer. Perpetually busy with academics, sports, and other ext ra-curricular activities, SK members rarely have the chance to spend five uninterrupted days honing our music and, equally important, spending quality time together. I know other members of Shere Khan share my belief that the tight-knit friendships within our group not only make being a member of Shere Khan more enjoyable, but also contribute to the cohesion of our musical sound. There is nothing like a late night ocean-sing to make us appreciate and invest more of ourselves into our group.
Though retreat is certainly a time to rekindle the relationships that are quintessential to the Shere Khan experience, it also serves as an important time for us to welcome the new dynamic of the group (without the preceding year's seniors) and prepare ourselves for the new year to come. It takes daily practice and work not only to learn the harmonies and parts sung by graduated seniors, but also to re-adjust the balance and blend of our sound to make up for these missing voices.
During retreat, we also spend several hours a day auditioning solos held by seniors the year before. We also elect new officers and plan the logistics of upcoming events such as the Tiger's Roar (an A Cappella showcase for incoming freshman) and early September Arch Sings. Shere Khan retreat is certainly a highlight of everyone's summer; I'm already excited for 1:30pm, Monday, September 6th to arrive!
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