Oh Say Can You Sing

It’s a cold Wednesday afternoon, and on the lower level of Agganis Arena, College of General Studies freshman Brittany Szabo shivers a little as she patiently waits for her turn to enter the ice rink where she will sing her version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Szabo is one of 60 solo performers auditioning this day. If she is among the 20 that make the cut, she will be singing at one of the Boston University home hockey games, potentially in front of more than 5,500 spectators.

But for Szabo, this opportunity is more than simply a fun experience, as the national anthem carries special significance for her.

“I had cancer when I was nine, which injured my voice because of the medicine I had to take,” she said. “This was one of the songs that I would rehabilitate my voice with.”

As Szabo’s audition came to a close and her powerful singing voice turned soft again, she looked visibly relieved.

“I could tell my voice was a little shaky, but I figured the best way to do this was just to go out there and try,” she said. “I’m glad I did.”

Szabo was not the only one who attached personal meaning to singing the anthem. Several contestants cited patriotism and a chance to show support for the military as reasons for their appreciation.

“I love the fact that the song will open up the game and remind the fans why we are here and what we believe in,” said College of Fine Arts senior Tara Deieso. “It’s also an opportunity to recognize the troops because they don’t get recognized every day. It’s good to take our hats off to them.”

“Hate to stereotype, but I am from the South, and patriotism down south is a big deal, so it definitely has that close-to-home feeling,” said College of Arts and Sciences junior Kate Cordial. “Also, many of my family members are in the military. My brother is in the Navy and a lot of my friends from high school are in Iraq at the moment.”

The auditions were recorded on tape and will be reviewed by judges involved with the Arena’s athletic game day production. The judges will then assign singers to the remaining home games, Agganis Arena Marketing and Promotions Manager Jessica Connor said.

“We are not looking for a particular style of singing or performance, instead we are looking for people who will honor our country respectfully while exciting the crowd before a game,” she said.

Connor said performers included individual singers, duets, choral groups and instrument players. Past winners have included a capella, baritone and operatic singers, she said.

“Having different performers at each game gives us a chance to showcase the immense talent in the BU community,” Connor said.

Clad in a hockey jersey and warming up her voice with some high-pitched notes, School of Management senior Kara Fleishaker said she was more than thrilled to showcase her talents.

“I’m an avid hockey fan, I have been coming to games before I was even a student and I’ve been singing my entire life so I thought it’d be a great experience to audition to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner’ for one of the games before I graduated,” she said.

While Fleishaker appeared calm and composed, the majority of the contestants expressed some worry about the stage-fright they said they would experience if they get to sing in front of the large crowds at hockey games.

“I’ve never sang in front of such a huge group of people, only small groups,” said School of Medicine graduate student Nancy Dinh. “It’ll definitely be nerve-wracking.”

“I’d actually rather sing in front of a large crowd than sing in front of a small crowd,” said CFA senior Joshua Reynolds. “Singing in front of a lot of people to me is like singing in front of a wall where there is not one distinguishable face, whereas for small crowds there are recognizable people.”