Mercer Times

The Trentones, a competitive a cappella group from The College of New Jersey, performed at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia before a Flyers game on January 18. Despite challenging weather conditions, the group entertained fans with a 40-minute set featuring covers of popular songs like Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" and Bastille's "Pompeii."

Leonor Fontanez, president of the Trentones and a junior majoring in deaf and hard of hearing elementary education, commented on the performance: “The performance was definitely a success. We really had fun with it and took the time to appreciate each other and all of the Flyers fans that stood to watch us perform.”

Fontanez leads the team of 15 singers who balance practice sessions three times weekly with their academic schedules. The Trentones are active throughout the year, performing approximately 30 times at various venues such as sporting events and private gatherings.

“One of my goals as president is to get us out there doing more performances not only on campus but also in the community,” Fontanez explained. She mentioned their recent performance singing the national anthem at a Trenton Thunder game as an example.

Their most significant event annually is participating in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), which gained prominence through its depiction in the film "Pitch Perfect." Fontanez noted, “That movie made explaining our competition a lot easier, especially since people don’t always understand what a cappella music is about.”

The group primarily performs cover songs. Fontanez stated, “We do try to stick to more well-known pieces. When an audience knows a song well, it tends to be more enjoyable for them.”

For information on upcoming performances, including their ICCA setlist showcase this weekend at Kendall Hall, visit the Trentones' website.