UCLA Spring Sing
Encyclopedia
Spring Sing is UCLA's oldest and greatest musical tradition, an annual music competition held in May at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion
. The competition brings together UCLA students to perform as solo artists, duets, bands, and a cappella
groups in front of an audience of over 7,000 UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and celebrity judges.
. In the beginning years, the competition was composed mainly of fraternity singing groups, serenading their sorority counterparts. The first of these groups to win the competition was a barbershop quartet from the Phi Kappa Psi
fraternity.
. It was then, that Spring Sing gained its popularity and notoriety within the Los Angeles area, as it moved to the Hollywood Bowl
. During these years, up to 15,000 Bruins
, family, friends, and locals witnessed the competition each year. Also added to the mix were celebrity judges and masters of ceremonies - including Ronald Reagan
in 1952.
in 1989, eventually returning the competition back to its previous glory.
Today, the competition has expanded from its original version of fraternity singing groups, to over 15 artists grouped in 6 different categories (Solo, Duet, A Cappella, Band, Production, Exhibition). Each category (save Exhibition) is judged and a winner is selected for each (from which an overall winner is chosen to receive the "Northern California Alumni Grand Sweepstakes Award").
In addition to the talent aspect of Spring Sing today, the overall production has been turned into entertainment with the inception of the Company - a group of UCLA students who perform skits, songs and parodies in between each act as a way of introducing the next act. According to their website, they are "a group of the most hilarious and creative people on this campus who live for the spotlight and the opportunity to make an audience crack up."
Past performers from Spring Sing include: Grammy nominated members of Maroon 5
, who were defeated in 2000 by Barely Manilow, Tyrone Wells
, and Grammy-nominated singer Sara Bareilles
. Bareilles won Spring Sing twice, in 2002 and 2003. In 2006, Mikey G and Dan from Danville
won the award for best duet and Best Overall Entry. In 2007, Jarell Perry and the Ambassadors won the Las Doñas Award for Best Band Entry. Katie Boeck won the Mortar Board Award for Best Solo Entry and the Northern California Alumni Grand Sweepstakes Award for the Best Overall Entry in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Nasim Pedrad
(Saturday Night Live
) was a member of the Spring Sing Company in 2003.
Since its revival, Spring Sing was held at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center
, but due to the overwhelming demand and popularity of the show, it was moved in 2009 to much larger venue Pauley Pavilion
, providing the opportunity for more to experience the cherished campus tradition. "Spring Sing 2009 Rock Pauley" made its return debut in Pauley Pavilion
on May 8, 2009 and also in 2010 on May 14, 2010. Due to construction on Pauley Pavilion, Spring Sing returned to UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center
on May 20th, 2011. The legacy will continue at Los Angeles Tennis Center
on May 4, 2012.
, actor Jason Alexander
, Fred MacMurray
, conductor Andre Previn
, Christopher Gorham
(Ugly Betty
), Ryan Carnes
(Desperate Housewives
), Amber Stevens
(Greek
), Dr. Bill Dorfman (Extreme Makeover
), Tatyana Ali
(The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
), Sarah Drew
(Grey's Anatomy
) and Todd White, a member of the lead animation team for "SpongeBob SquarePants".
Others were: actors Sean Astin
, Ian Buchanan
, Dennis Haskins
, Andrew Keegan
, Tina Majorino
, Danica McKellar
(The Wonder Years
), and Patrick Renna
. 2009 judges included model Janice Dickinson
, actress Shelley Long
, local KNBC-TV newscaster Ted Chen, and Melissa Joan Hart
.
and Ira Gershwin
Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement in 1988. In 1936, George
and Ira Gershwin
adapted the title tune from their musical Strike Up the Band as a new Bruin fight song for the growing university.
Winners have included:
Lionel Richie said at Spring Sing 2008: "Forget about surviving 30 some-odd years in the music business; Lionel Richie survived 27 years of Nicole Richie
".
Julie Andrews said at her award ceremony: "Go Bruins. Beat 'SC ... let the Gershwin
tunes strike up the band
to celebrate every one of those victories."
Company members
1993:
1994:
1995:
1996:
Dani De Jesus,
Martin Gabaya,
Todd Sargent
1997:
1998:
1999:
2000:
2001:
2002:
2003:
Mikey Day, Jessie Gaskell, Kevin Hampton, Abby Henchmann, Ben Larson, Nasim Pedrad
, Tiffany Reaves, Dean Sage, Alex Spilger, Leah Sprecher, Kim Weisberg
2006:
Jim Brandon, Josh English, Keith Goss, Trenten Chase Huntington, Jenny Lauritsen, Mandy Muenzer, Shaiya Rahman, Lauren Sill, Brian Singleton, Chris Smith, Mike Stevenson, Lisa Zine
2007:
Kean Almryde, Jim Brandon, Keye Chen, Jack DeSena, Melissa Eelkema, Caity Engler, Mark Iverson, Kelly McLean, Aadit Patel, Jordan Riggs, Lauren Sill, Jennifer Sim, Chris Smith
2008:
Sasan Ahoraian, Kean Almryde, Shane Billings, Candace Gragnani, Matt Griffin, Kareem Hammad, Mark Iverson, Michael Lyons, Dylan Matteson, Constance Reese, Regan Riskas, Katy Tang, Madison Vanderberg
2009:
Sasan Ahoraian, Kean Almryde, Shane Billings, Ben Goldsmith, Mark Stewart Iverson, Michelle Lin, Heather Losey, Dylan Matteson, Jackson McNeill, Sydney Pritchett, Jordan Riggs, Regan Riskas, Christine Takaichi, Madison Vanderberg.
2010:
Shane Billings, Colin Davis, Ben Goldsmith, Steve Greene, Maddy Grubman, Kyle Lau, Jessie Linn, Ashley Morrissey, Dean Otsuka, Jake Perkowski, Kevin Ruane, Madison Vanderberg.
2011:
Kimia Behpoornia, Colin Davis, Margaret Gardner, Benjamin Goldsmith, Steve Greene, Maddy Grubman, Albert Heng, Kyle Lau, Jessie Linn, Ashley Morrissey, Jake Perkowski, Kevin Ruane, Nick Smith, Lauren Vally, AJ White
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
. The competition brings together UCLA students to perform as solo artists, duets, bands, and a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
groups in front of an audience of over 7,000 UCLA students, alumni, faculty, staff and celebrity judges.
The Early Years
The competition began in 1945 under the direction of William Ackerman. It began with only 11 groups and was performed on campus at UCLA's Royce HallRoyce Hall
Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles . Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and completed in 1929, it is one of the four original buildings on UCLA's Westwood campus and has come to be the...
. In the beginning years, the competition was composed mainly of fraternity singing groups, serenading their sorority counterparts. The first of these groups to win the competition was a barbershop quartet from the Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
fraternity.
Glory Days
During the 1950s and 1960s, the competition grew quickly and outgrew Royce HallRoyce Hall
Royce Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles . Designed by the Los Angeles firm of Allison & Allison in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and completed in 1929, it is one of the four original buildings on UCLA's Westwood campus and has come to be the...
. It was then, that Spring Sing gained its popularity and notoriety within the Los Angeles area, as it moved to the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
. During these years, up to 15,000 Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, family, friends, and locals witnessed the competition each year. Also added to the mix were celebrity judges and masters of ceremonies - including Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in 1952.
Return to Prominence
The competition peaked in the late 60's and took an 8 year hiatus during the 70's when student and alumni interest revived the event (on campus this time) in 1978. In 1986, the UCLA Student Alumni Association took over the event and moved the event to the Los Angeles Tennis CenterLos Angeles Tennis Center
The Los Angeles Tennis Center is a tennis facility located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. The center opened May 20, 1984, and hosted the demonstration tennis event of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The UCLA Bruins tennis teams moved to...
in 1989, eventually returning the competition back to its previous glory.
Today
In addition to the talent aspect of Spring Sing today, the overall production has been turned into entertainment with the inception of the Company - a group of UCLA students who perform skits, songs and parodies in between each act as a way of introducing the next act. According to their website, they are "a group of the most hilarious and creative people on this campus who live for the spotlight and the opportunity to make an audience crack up."
Past performers from Spring Sing include: Grammy nominated members of Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
, who were defeated in 2000 by Barely Manilow, Tyrone Wells
Tyrone Wells
Tyrone Wells is a singer/songwriter in the folk-pop genre from Spokane, Washington. His songs have been featured in television shows Tyrone Wells is a singer/songwriter in the folk-pop genre from Spokane, Washington. His songs have been featured in television shows Tyrone Wells is a...
, and Grammy-nominated singer Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles
Sara Beth Bareilles is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She achieved mainstream success in 2007 with the hit single "Love Song", which brought her into the number one spot on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. She has sold over 1 million records in the United States alone and has been...
. Bareilles won Spring Sing twice, in 2002 and 2003. In 2006, Mikey G and Dan from Danville
Lady Danville
Lady Danville is a Los Angeles based indie pop band that officially formed in 2007.- History :...
won the award for best duet and Best Overall Entry. In 2007, Jarell Perry and the Ambassadors won the Las Doñas Award for Best Band Entry. Katie Boeck won the Mortar Board Award for Best Solo Entry and the Northern California Alumni Grand Sweepstakes Award for the Best Overall Entry in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Nasim Pedrad
Nasim Pedrad
Nasim Pedrad is an Iranian-American comic actress currently appearing as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
(Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
) was a member of the Spring Sing Company in 2003.
Since its revival, Spring Sing was held at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center
Los Angeles Tennis Center
The Los Angeles Tennis Center is a tennis facility located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. The center opened May 20, 1984, and hosted the demonstration tennis event of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The UCLA Bruins tennis teams moved to...
, but due to the overwhelming demand and popularity of the show, it was moved in 2009 to much larger venue Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
, providing the opportunity for more to experience the cherished campus tradition. "Spring Sing 2009 Rock Pauley" made its return debut in Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
on May 8, 2009 and also in 2010 on May 14, 2010. Due to construction on Pauley Pavilion, Spring Sing returned to UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center
Los Angeles Tennis Center
The Los Angeles Tennis Center is a tennis facility located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. The center opened May 20, 1984, and hosted the demonstration tennis event of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The UCLA Bruins tennis teams moved to...
on May 20th, 2011. The legacy will continue at Los Angeles Tennis Center
Los Angeles Tennis Center
The Los Angeles Tennis Center is a tennis facility located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. The center opened May 20, 1984, and hosted the demonstration tennis event of the 1984 Summer Olympics. The UCLA Bruins tennis teams moved to...
on May 4, 2012.
Winners
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern California Alumni Grand Sweepstakes Award (Overall) | Willie Chase, "Open Seas" | Mikey G and Dan from Danville Lady Danville Lady Danville is a Los Angeles based indie pop band that officially formed in 2007.- History :... , "Cast Away." |
Katie Boeck, "Colorblind" | Katie Boeck, "White Lies" | Katie Boeck, "Your Part" | DJ Harper, "I Call It Love" | Courtney Randall, "The One" |
| Bruin Choice Award (new 2009) | - | - | - | - | The Strathmore Players, "Jerry Maguire: The Musical" | DJ Harper, "I Call It Love" | James Bunning, "One More" |
| UCLA Mortar Board Award (Solo) | Willie Chase, "Open Seas" | Katie Boeck, "Colorblind" | Katie Boeck, "White Lies" | Katie Boeck, "Your Part" | DJ Harper, "I Call It Love" | Courtney Randall, "The One" | |
| Rose Bowl Bruins Award (Duet) | Mikey G and Dan from Danville Lady Danville Lady Danville is a Los Angeles based indie pop band that officially formed in 2007.- History :... , "Cast Away." |
Horse Crash, "Please Be" | The Payphones, "Sabanilla" | Arianna and Kabir, "I Can't Help Myself" | |||
| UCLA Las Donas Award (Band) | Dani Nicole | Jarell Perry & The Ambassadors, "Hopeless" | 3:26, "Undo" | Rapture City Philharmonic, "Press Play" | thatwasthen, "Mr. Politician" | thatwasthen | |
| UCLA Prytanean Alumnae Award (A cappella) | Random Voices, "Goodbye" | Random Voices, "Sweet Dreams" | Bruin Harmony, "Ice, Ice Baby" | Scattertones, "Always Be My Baby" | Scattertones, "If You're Out There" | Bruin Harmony, "I Want You Back" | Scattertones, "Wavin' Flag" |
| UCLA Affiliates Award (Production) | Alpha Gamma Omega & Chi Omega, "The Bruin Way" | Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi Pi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina... & Delta Gamma Delta Gamma Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:... , "Alice in Westwoodland" |
Pi Kappa Phi & Delta Gamma, "Love of the Game" | The Strathmore Players, "Jerry Maguire: The Musical" | Gleeche, "The Fame of the High School Glee Club" | Pi Kappa Phi & Delta Gamma "Candy Land" | |
| Judges Special Award (Honorable mention) | The Jumpmen The Jumpmen (band) The Jumpmen are an a cappella group specializing in video game music. In 2005, they performed in UCLA Spring Sing at the University of California Los Angeles and took home a trophy for honorable mention. The video of their performance, which featured a medley of music from Super Mario Bros., was... "Jumpmen Jazz" |
Trish Johnson, "Without You" | Bruin Harmony, "Magic Carpet Ride" | Christopher Geno, "Does it Matter?" | Katie Boeck, "Real World" | ||
| Gold Shield Alumnae Esprit de Corps Award (Overall participation) | Scattertones | Signature a Cappella | Bruin Harmony | The Trees, "Barefoot in the Promised Land, Screaming!" | Signature a Cappella | ||
| Best Group Director Award | Kappa Delta & Delta Tau Delta | Chi Omega Chi Omega Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee.... & Alpha Gamma Omega Alpha Gamma Omega Alpha Gamma Omega is a national, Christ-Centered fraternity. It was founded in 1927 at UCLA, making it one of the oldest national fraternities in the United States that has retained its Christian values. There were 12 original charter members, with E. Harlan Fischer appointed as the first... Production |
Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A... & Tau Beta Sigma Production |
Pi Kappa Phi & Delta Gamma Production | Pi Kappa Phi & Delta Gamma Production | Pi Kappa Phi & Delta Gamma Production | |
| The Sasan Ahoraian Company Award (Best Company skit) | i-Phone | Paw Print (A Twilight Spoof) | Club B-Cafe |
Judges and masters of ceremonies
Celebrities have served as judges and master of ceremonies. They have included former President Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, actor Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
, Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
, conductor Andre Previn
André Previn
André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in...
, Christopher Gorham
Christopher Gorham
Christopher David Gorham is an American actor.- Early life :Gorham was born in Fresno, California to David Gorham, a certified public accountant and Cathryn Gorham, a school nurse. He attended high school at Roosevelt School of the Arts and graduated from UCLA with a BA in Film & Theater Arts...
(Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
), Ryan Carnes
Ryan Carnes
Ryan Gregg Carnes is an American actor. He attended Duke University where he was a member of DUMB, the Duke University Marching Band. He is currently working on a collaboration with other musicians and is an accomplished drummer of 15 years.In 2003 Carnes was part of a national campaign for...
(Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
), Amber Stevens
Amber Stevens
Amber Dawn Stevens is an American actress and model.-Personal life:Stevens was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of American actor and radio announcer Shadoe Stevens and former model Beverly Cunningham. She has a younger sister named Chyna Rose Stevens...
(Greek
Greek (TV series)
Greek is an American comedy-drama television series, which follows students of the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University , located in Ohio, who participate in the school's Greek system...
), Dr. Bill Dorfman (Extreme Makeover
Extreme Makeover
Extreme Makeover is a television program from ABC in which individuals volunteered to receive an extensive makeover in Hollywood. The show was created by television producer Howard Schultz. It first aired as a television special. It began airing in 2002 on Thursday nights at 8pm. A total of 55...
), Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and R&B singer, best known for her childhood role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
(The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
), Sarah Drew
Sarah Drew
Sarah Drew is an American actress. She is known for her role as Hannah Rogers in Everwood and for her role as Dr. April Kepner on Grey's Anatomy .-Personal life:...
(Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
) and Todd White, a member of the lead animation team for "SpongeBob SquarePants".
Others were: actors Sean Astin
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist, and producer better known for his film roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24...
, Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan is a Scottish television actor who appeared on the soap opera All My Children as Dr. Greg Madden.His first major work in the United States was playing the characters Duke Lavery on the soap General Hospital from 1986 to 1989, and Ian McFyfer in series three and four of the comedy...
, Dennis Haskins
Dennis Haskins
Dennis Haskins is an American actor known for his role as principal Richard Belding in the teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, which ran from 1989 to 1993 on NBC. He then went on to star in Saved by the Bell: The New Class, which aired from 1993 to 2000...
, Andrew Keegan
Andrew Keegan
Andrew Keegan is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his role of Joey Donner in the film 10 Things I Hate About You.-Life and career:...
, Tina Majorino
Tina Majorino
Tina Marie Majorino is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld...
, Danica McKellar
Danica McKellar
Danica Mae McKellar is an American actress, academic, and education advocate. She is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years, and later as author of the three The New York Times bestsellers, Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed, which...
(The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
), and Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna
Patrick Renna is an American actor who began his career in the film The Sandlot playing Hamilton "Ham" Porter. Since then, he has appeared in over 25 feature films as well as numerous guest-starring and recurring roles in award-winning television series such as Boston Legal and The X-Files among...
. 2009 judges included model Janice Dickinson
Janice Dickinson
Janice Doreen Dickinson is an American actress, author, fashion photographer, model and talent agent.Initially notable as a model, she has described herself as the first supermodel. One of the most successful models throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she expanded her profession to reality television...
, actress Shelley Long
Shelley Long
Shelley Lee Long is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Chambers on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress...
, local KNBC-TV newscaster Ted Chen, and Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
.
The George and Ira Gershwin Award
In recognition of their contributions to American music and in honor of their gift to UCLA, the UCLA Student Alumni Association established the annual GeorgeGeorge Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement in 1988. In 1936, George
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
adapted the title tune from their musical Strike Up the Band as a new Bruin fight song for the growing university.
Winners have included:
- 1988 Angela LansburyAngela LansburyAngela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
- 1989 Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
- 1990 Sarah VaughanSarah VaughanSarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
- 1991 Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
- 1992 Debbie AllenDebbie AllenDeborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
- 1993 Natalie ColeNatalie ColeNatalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
- 1994 Mel TormeMel TorméMelvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
- 1995 Bernadette PetersBernadette PetersBernadette Peters is an American actress, singer and children's book author from Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Over the course of a career that has spanned five decades, she has starred in musical theatre, films and television, as well as performing in solo concerts and recordings...
- 1996 Tom PettyTom PettyThomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
- 1997 Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
- 1998 John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
- 1999 Diane WarrenDiane WarrenDiane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
- 2000 Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
- 2001 Clive DavisClive DavisClive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
- 2002 Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
- 2003 k.d. langK.D. LangKathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
- 2004 James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
- 2005 Kenneth Babyface Edmonds
- 2006 Burt BacharachBurt BacharachBurt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
- 2007 Quincy JonesQuincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
- 2008 Lionel RichieLionel RichieLionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
- 2009 Julie AndrewsJulie AndrewsDame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
, actress and singer - 2010 Sasan Ahoraian Memorial Tribute
- 2011 Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
Lionel Richie said at Spring Sing 2008: "Forget about surviving 30 some-odd years in the music business; Lionel Richie survived 27 years of Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie
Nicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
".
Julie Andrews said at her award ceremony: "Go Bruins. Beat 'SC ... let the Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
tunes strike up the band
Strike Up the Band (song)
"Strike Up the Band" is a 1927 song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was written for the 1927 musical Strike Up the Band, where it formed part of a satire on war and militaristic music...
to celebrate every one of those victories."
Committee
Spring Sing is organized and executed each year by a committee of UCLA students who are chosen by the Student Alumni Association and the UCLA Alumni Association advisors. There are 8 different positions on the Spring Sing committee. Each position carries with it specific responsibilities for the successful implementation of the show. The Spring Sing 2009 committee also included UCLA Alumni Association advisor Gloria Ko.| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Director | Vi Hua | Emily Frum | Ross Harold | Jennifer Crowe | Jennifer Middleton | Ruben Garcia | Ali Owens | Aly Yarris | Kelsey Balance | Kevin Yang |
| Internal Director | Brittney Reuter | Ashley Skipwith | Jennae Lee | Divya Budhraja | Emily Fizer | Caileen Coleman | ||||
| Assistant Director | Andrew McLaughlin | Nina Garcia | Samantha Slama | Antoinette Brou | ||||||
| Talent Directors | Michael Tong, Pam Romero, Olivia Wong | Betty Kim, Marie Howell, Genevieve Wong | Lisa Budhiman, Jennifer Crowe, Alissa Zimmerman |
Ting-Ting Wei, Dean Otsuka, Amy Blythe |
Ali Owens, Manaf Mansure, Liang Wang | Katie LaBouff, Sydney Pritchett, Amber Bissell | Emily George, Samantha Mueller, Brian Tran |
Courtney Bradley, Ythy Ho, Alex Reichert | Nicole Jazayeri, Reid Taguchi, Leah Whitehead | Shannon Nguyen, Alexandra Petro, Lisa Phan |
| Company Directors | Aaron Ziegler | Elizabeth Hoy | Lisa Zine | Nabeela Virji and Brian King | Billy Gellepis and Amelie Janson | Yong Kim and Jeremy Alm | David Larsen, Cassi Porter | Kelsey Balance | Jenna Kieselbach, Whitney Harrison | Leslie Grant, Susan Peters |
| Public Relations (Marketing Directors) | Verna Bhargava, Daphne Woo, Patricia Benitez | Kirsten Barrett, Lisa Engel, Henri Romeo Ortega Patricio, Vivian Shih | Gina Albert, Jessica Berliner, Michael Frech, Will Schaper |
Priyah Kaul, Emma Nagy, Tracy Lorenz | Candice Chen, Jaclyn Hong, Kiana Pourjanfeshan | Justin Manduke, Kiesha Nazarenus, Tyler Phan |
Melissa Chiong, Maiah Parks, Samantha Slama | Nicholas Phelps, Sialoren Spaulding, Erin Wallace | Julie Lee, Briana Munoz-Flores | |
| Judges & Awards Directors | Emily Frum, Shawna Benard, Priya Knuaseelan | Naveen Bazaj, Jonathan Tillman, Florence Tseng | Ruben Garcia, Natalia Pliczka, Lisa Yu | Dori Nguyen, Winnie Ko, Brian Rocha | Lauren Poblete, Gina Nuti | Amanda Hill, Rachna Shenoy, Rikin Tank | Lina Kaisey, Felicia Xu, Kevin Yang | Michelle Klein, Turner Pope | ||
| VIP Relations | Meredith Callan, Joselyn Delgado | |||||||||
| George & Ira Gershwin Award Director | Shiraz Khalid | Leslie Dalziel | Jennifer Middleton | Lauren Adams | Valerie Vinco | Lindsey Olson | Martha Abundis | Nancy Juarez | Emma Citrin | |
| Stage Manager or Production Manager |
Patrick Vasquez | Chandana Kolavala | Betty Tran | Terry Heinrich | Lindsay Whalen | Robert Frink | Lizette Aguirre | Leah Titus | Danny Durbin | Timothy Krause, Tiffany Le |
| Multimedia Director | Yan Zhang | |||||||||
| Corporate Relations | Tina Ashtiani, Thao Dang, Ross Harold | |||||||||
Company
Company has the potential to be a group of the most hilarious and creative people on the UCLA campus who live for the spotlight and the opportunity to make the audience crack up. These funny folks perform original skits and create videos that are shown throughout Spring Sing and poke fun at the various aspects of life at UCLA that students can understand. From res hall life, to Greek life, to the everyday experience of being a coed in LA, Company will find a way to turn the mundane into the side-splitting, the commonplace into the comical.Company members
1993:
1994:
1995:
1996:
Dani De Jesus,
Martin Gabaya,
Todd Sargent
1997:
1998:
1999:
2000:
2001:
2002:
2003:
Mikey Day, Jessie Gaskell, Kevin Hampton, Abby Henchmann, Ben Larson, Nasim Pedrad
Nasim Pedrad
Nasim Pedrad is an Iranian-American comic actress currently appearing as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
, Tiffany Reaves, Dean Sage, Alex Spilger, Leah Sprecher, Kim Weisberg
2006:
Jim Brandon, Josh English, Keith Goss, Trenten Chase Huntington, Jenny Lauritsen, Mandy Muenzer, Shaiya Rahman, Lauren Sill, Brian Singleton, Chris Smith, Mike Stevenson, Lisa Zine
2007:
Kean Almryde, Jim Brandon, Keye Chen, Jack DeSena, Melissa Eelkema, Caity Engler, Mark Iverson, Kelly McLean, Aadit Patel, Jordan Riggs, Lauren Sill, Jennifer Sim, Chris Smith
2008:
Sasan Ahoraian, Kean Almryde, Shane Billings, Candace Gragnani, Matt Griffin, Kareem Hammad, Mark Iverson, Michael Lyons, Dylan Matteson, Constance Reese, Regan Riskas, Katy Tang, Madison Vanderberg
2009:
Sasan Ahoraian, Kean Almryde, Shane Billings, Ben Goldsmith, Mark Stewart Iverson, Michelle Lin, Heather Losey, Dylan Matteson, Jackson McNeill, Sydney Pritchett, Jordan Riggs, Regan Riskas, Christine Takaichi, Madison Vanderberg.
2010:
Shane Billings, Colin Davis, Ben Goldsmith, Steve Greene, Maddy Grubman, Kyle Lau, Jessie Linn, Ashley Morrissey, Dean Otsuka, Jake Perkowski, Kevin Ruane, Madison Vanderberg.
2011:
Kimia Behpoornia, Colin Davis, Margaret Gardner, Benjamin Goldsmith, Steve Greene, Maddy Grubman, Albert Heng, Kyle Lau, Jessie Linn, Ashley Morrissey, Jake Perkowski, Kevin Ruane, Nick Smith, Lauren Vally, AJ White