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The Oxford Belles〔(The Oxford Belles website )〕 are an all-female a cappella group from The University of Oxford, England, though in recent years they have included students from Oxford Brookes University. The Oxford Belles are known for their mash-ups of current chart hits and pop classics, including such medleys as "Get the Party Started" by Pink mixed with "Fever" by Peggy Lee and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" mixed with "Disturbia" by Rihanna and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics. Since 1995, the Belles have enjoyed success on both a national and international level, having been on tours to New York and Los Angeles as well as completing runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010 and 2011. The group performs on a regular basis in and around Oxford and London, primarily at balls and charity events,〔(The Oxford Belles perform at 'Wadstock' )〕〔(The Oxford Belles perform at Mansfield College Women's Dinner )〕〔(The Oxford Belles perform at Oxhub charity event )〕 occasionally with other Oxford University a cappella groups such as The Oxford Gargoyles and Out of the Blue.〔(The Oxford Belles perform with The Oxford Gargoyles, 2003-2004 )〕〔(The Oxford Belles perform with Out of the Blue )〕 == History == The Belles were formed in 1995 by Helen Whiteley, a year-long visiting student from the University of Virginia, who had previously sung with The Virginia Belles. Helen was eager to continue the a cappella tradition, hugely popular in the USA, on this side of the Atlantic. A period of fifteen years has seen The Oxford Belles go from strength to strength. In the 2008 Quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, the Belles were awarded prizes for Best Choreography (for their rendition of Blondie's "One Way Or Another"), and Lauren Bensted was awarded the prize for Best Arrangement. In the semifinals, Joanna Langilie's solo in "One Way Or Another" was highly commended.〔(2008 results ) for International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella〕 In 2009, the Belles reached the final of The Voice Festival UK (VF-UK), which established them for that year as the most successful all-female a cappella group in the UK.〔(Results from the 2009 VFUK competition )〕 In 2009, the group travelled to New York.〔(The Oxford Belles busking in Times Square on WorldNews )〕 There, they were offered the opportunity to sing the American national anthem at Madison Square Gardens,〔(The Oxford Belles performing at Madison Square Gardens ) on WorldNews〕 and also performed at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. In 2010, they returned to the USA, this time travelling to the West Coast and exploring the a cappella scene in California. As well as performing at the L.A. Orthopaedic Hospital and with the groups ''Ready Willing and Mabel'' and the ''L.A. South Towns Show Chorus'', they recorded a sketch for the radio show ''Cactus County Round Up'' with Will Ryan, a voice actor known for his roles in Disney's long-running series ''Welcome to Pooh Corner'', ''The Little Mermaid'', Spielberg's ''An American Tail'', and ''The Land Before Time''. In 2010, the Belles returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the first time in 10 years and performed daily for a month in C Venues's theatre ''C -1''.〔(The Oxford Belles at C-venues, Edinburgh Festival )〕 The show, combining brand new arrangements with Belles classics, received critical acclaim for 'flawless harmonies',〔(Freshair: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review )〕 Fringe Guru asserting that 'they've got the voices, the looks and, most importantly for any a cappella group, a decent human beatbox'〔(Fringe Guru: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review )〕 and Scotsgay calling them 'charming and talented.'〔(Scotsgay: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 Review )〕 The Belles were asked to perform at the opening night for C Venues, at the C Cabaret Bar, as well as on the Nicholas Parsons Happy Hour, alongside comedian Reginald D. Hunter.〔(Pleasance Programme ) showing the Nicholas Parsons Happy Hour, featuring The Oxford Belles and Reginald D. Hunter, p.4〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Oxford Belles」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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