Tigard native and Jesuit High School graduate Rob Williams returns home this week as a member of the a capella singing group the Yale Spizzwinks on its way to a tour of Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and The Philippines.

“I’ve been a member of the Spizzwinks since the fall of 2008,” says Williams, a sophomore and the son of Bruce and Marcia Williams.

“I sang a lot in high school – both at Jesuit and in the Pacific Youth Choir – and I knew I wanted to join an a cappella group in college. Yale has the oldest and perhaps most active a cappella community of any school in the world, so I was very excited for auditions.”

Concerts planned in the local area in the next week include:

- Thursday, May 13 – Valley Catholic High School, 7 p.m.

- Saturday, May 15 – Aloha High School, 7 p.m.

- Sunday – Sprague High School, Salem, 7:30 p.m.

- Monday, May 17 – Jesuit High School, 7:30 p.m.

Williams also serves as tour manager of the group, formed 96 years ago as an underclassmen alternative to the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the senior a capella group.

Getting into the group is no small feat in itself.

“I think my year the Spizzwinks tapped five out of about 70 who auditioned for the group, so it’s fairly competitive,” says Williams. “Singing is huge here, and there are a lot of groups to join.”

The name Spizzwinks comes from an Iowa postmaster who gave the name to the mythical bug that ate the corn crops. The mistake came from the Yale newspaper editor who wanted to double-check the group’s name but forgot – and it’s been there ever since.

Founded in 1914, the group has entertained audiences around the world with its unique blend of harmony and tongue-in-cheek humor. Its repertoire spans everything from modern pop hits to Motown to classic rock to show tunes to jazz standards to American traditional songs.

“This has been an outstanding experience,” says Williams. “The Spizzwinks are an incredible brotherhood, and the connections formed in the group endure for life.”

Williams, a history and political science major, has yet to figure out a career direction, but admits he is “leaning toward something in health policy.”After this summer’s tour (Oregon, Washington, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and the Philippines), he will intern with a public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C., and Portland.

“I am so fortunate to have this as part of my college experience,” he adds. “I’ve been able to travel to four continents already during my time in the group, and we have so much fun on tour.

“What most people don’t realize is that we are entirely self-run. Our musical director is a student as is our business manager (a role I will be assuming at the conclusion of this tour). We raise all of our own money through more than 100 performances throughout the year, and in this way fund our tours. The group pays for all tour expenses, except for food and attractions, for its members, which makes it affordable for everyone to travel.”

Members of the Spizzwinks are freshmen, sophmores and juniors, he explains, adding that belonging to the group has led to “some of the most incredible experiences of my life. In addition to seeing the sights in each country, we believe that it is imperative to bridge gaps through our music.”

For more information about the Spizzwinks, including performance video and album audio samples, visit www.spizzwinks.com.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1311046&forum_id=1#14984150)