Bryan Kendall
Voice Part: Tenor 1
Year: Junior-ish
Areas of Study: Computer Science and Choral Music Education
It's a little know fact that Bryan's entire family was actually cast in the blockbuster hit Star Wars. You see, Bryan was actually raised by ewoks (the fuzzy little creatures from Return of the Jedi) for many years due to some confusion at the hospital as a result of his incredibly short stature and illegally youthful appearance. For many years, Bryan lived a peaceful life on the forest moon of Endor, convinced that he was, in fact, an ewok. But when he turned 18 and had less facial hair than the average woman, the rest of the tribe became suspicious. They began to think that he was not an ewok at all and forced him to leave their moon.
Exiled by the only family he had ever known, Bryan wandered through space for 2 years before he eventually found his way to the planet Earth and our very own Ann Arbor. Dazed and confused, Bryan fit right in here and began to search for a new family. The Friars, being kind, gentle, and loving men, took Bryan in as one of their own and taught him their ways. The rest is history.
You should note that while he may seem happy on stage, Bryan still longs to return home someday, and has spent countless, fruitless hours trying to use the force to make a beard appear on his face. So if you ever see him staring off into space with sadness in his eyes, have some sympathy for him, because we all know he'll never be able to grow that beard.
Elliot Faulk
Voice Part: Tenor 1
Year: Sophomore
Areas of Study:
Aaron Bindman
Voice Part: Tenor 2
Year: Junior
Areas of Study: No one knows
As self-proclaimed “He-Man” of the group, Aaron intends to improve his manly status by majoring in “I wanna be Indiana Jones-iology.” His efforts have taken him to the ends of the earth in search of (apparently) useful artifacts and historical findings. His travels have revealed such places as Kiribati among Aaron’s favorite places to relax with a nice set of bones. An intense love for classic rock music has also rendered his favorite food to be raw oysters... a clear tip of the cap to Blue Oyster Cult and their shared longing for more cowbell. This belter hails from the fault line of “Wis-minneconsin-sota,” where the Mighty Ducks still reign supreme and Gordon Bombay’s “Triple Deke” is a mandatory high school graduation requirement. When he’s not inching along in full mummy-bag garb, Aaron likes to watch baseball and practice tromboning all the errors (Wah wah wah). Altough no one has ever heard him play, we like to think he sounds similar to “Petey” from American Pie 2. He does try so very hard. Aaron truly is a great asset to the Friars and perpetually reminds us that no matter how hard we try... we’ll never be louder than him.
Bryan "B-Math" Mathison
Voice Part: Tenor 2
Year: Senior Citizen
Areas of Study: PAT (Performing Arts Technology) Sound Engineering
That last line says it all ladies. Our Bryan is “the sound guy.” Rumors are he recorded and studied the mating cry of the New Zealand Kakapo only to learn each decibel, bel, sone, and phon so he could mimic the call on women (it is supposed to work flawlessly). Speaking of cute animals, this bluesy voiced fella has a soft spot for the pandas especially kung fu styled ones. He once watched the DreamWorks movie five and half times in a row (sometimes the death of Master Oogway is too much for him to go on). After watching his favorite bear, you can find BMath out on the links where he is truly a “Titleist.” However, when not hitting the old irons, our smooth, jazzy, polka-loving friend is drinking his melk, eating a baaggle with seerip, and at the end of the day laying his head on a comfy pellow. Oh boy, what a man he be. I should warn you though, there is one thing you could do to make Bryan whip out his claws and bare his teeth: mess with either his Shure BETA 58 or Bose Acoustimass 16 Series II. But, all in all we love having BMath as a Friar and are truly grateful that he continually enlightens us about sound stuff we don’t care about.
Alex Blugerman
Voice Part: Baritone
Year: Junior
Areas of Study: Architecture and being trendy
The doctors couldn’t believe their eyes the day Blugerman was born. Fully clothed with skinny jeans, an American Apparel T-shirt, and fashionable Elvis Costello-style glasses, little baby Blugerman was officially marked down as the first hipster ever born. Upon being held by his mother for the first time, Blugerman took a hit of his already lit Pall Mall cigarette and said, without crying, “Meh.” Ever since this fateful first day, Blugerman has spent his life devoted to the hipster lifestyle, worshiping hipster gods such as Zooey Deschanel and Jason Schwartzman. Fully adhering to the motto, “Make me feel tiny if it makes you feel tall, but I will ALWAYS be more hipster than you,” Blugerman wakes up every morning lamenting the fact that he dwells in a society run by “mainstreamers.” Perhaps this is why he decided to be an architecture student, as it is Blugerman’s dream to one day build “Hipstertopia,” a separate, completely hipster-run island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where hipsters around the world will be able to live together in mutual angst. It’s right about now that you’re probably asking yourself why Blugerman ever even decided to join The Friars. I mean, singing and dancing with a bunch of guys in tuxes isn’t exactly hipster. Welp, your guess is as good as ours, but we’re glad he did, as he is sure to amaze you with his pure baritone voice. So sit back and enjoy listening to our favorite little hipster, but please, don’t applaud for him, as clapping is sooo mainstream.
Brad Harlan
Voice Part: Baritone
Year: Junior
Areas of Study: Microbiology
One of these things is not like the others. One of these things doesn’t belong.
Surprising, isn’t it, how songs learned in Kindergarten prove so relevant 16 years later (or in the case of B-Math, 47 years later). Demographically speaking, the Friars are a staunchly mid-western ensemble. Six Friars are native Michiganians—a seventh is imported from the freezing steppes of Minnesota, land of snow, popular NPR variety programs, and snow. All seven of these gentlemen are midwesterners to the core, with the folksy charm and nasalized vowels to prove it.
And then there’s Brad. Brad comes to the ensemble from Maryland, a state located somewhere east of Ohio, possibly near Disneyworld. He is never seen without his Orioles cap, a gesture of support for what he claims to be a professional sports organization. In rehearsals, he is fond of regaling the Friars with stories of Washington D.C. a legendary city built entirely of marble, where “Senators” pass “Laws,” while wearing “Suits.”
We don’t understand him either. But we do our best to accept him in the University’s proud tradition of diversity: as a source of fantastic stories, hearty laughs, and quadrupled tuition revenue.
Gabe Moss
Voice Part: Bass
Year: Junior
Areas of Study: History
Un-gatherable by rolling stone, Gabe Moss continually brings the house down with his warbling bass voice which has been known to excite women and incite earthquakes. A History major from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, he often bursts out into scurrilous Latin when fervent and is often exceedingly sesquipedalian, leaving the rest of the group confused and awestruck with Gabe's massive vocabulary. That's right Gabe has a huge vocabulary and ladies he knows how to use it. Obsessed with ancient Rome from a young age, Gabe won first prize in the 3 and under age division at the Annual International Child Gladiator Championships three years in a row. In fact, Gabe had never encountered a worthy adversary until arriving to the University of Michigan as a freshman and doing battle with the campus squirrels. Stunned with the ferocity of the chubby tree dwellers, Gabe instantly traded his sword and shield for sheet music and has never looked back. Now easily located in the middle of the Friars standing arrangement, Gabe is again ready to show the world what he can do.
Ben Rizzo
Voice Part: Bass
Year: Junior
Areas of Study: Chemical Engineering
Quickly, answer the following questions:
1. Are you now, or have you ever been a student at the University of Michigan?
2. Are you now, or have you ever been a resident of the state of Michigan?
3. Are you now, or have you ever been?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, odds are good that Ben Rizzo knows you. Using his rumbling basso voice and a chiseled jaw that can only be described as Sean Morris-esque, Ben has forged personal friendships with literally every person in the world. None of the other Friars know how high into the world’s various governments the network of Ben’s connections spreads—he would one day be elected President if he did not know easier ways to wield power. Ladies, should you find Ben attractive (and believe us you will) do not approach him. If he’s interested (and believe, us he will be), he already has your number.
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