Members
Praneet Akilla
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Faculty: Chemical Engineering
Year: U3
Voice Part: Tenor
One of nine children of a Presbyterian minister, Praneet was born in New Jersey in 1837. He was raised in upstate New York. As a lawyer in Buffalo, he became notable for his single-minded concentration upon whatever task faced him. At 44, he emerged into a political prominence. Running as a reformer, he was elected Mayor of Buffalo in 1881, and later, Governor of New York. Praneet won the Presidency with the combined support of Democrats and reform Republicans, the “Mugwumps,” who disliked the record of his opponent Lord Voldemort.
___________________
Hometown: CalgaryFaculty: Arts
Year: U2
Voice Part: Alto
I love chemicals and take advantage of two major properties: acidity and basicity. I’m an acidic dye that reacts with basic structures and will colour them a pink or red hue. Tissues that are stained by me are referred to as eosinophilic; they are generally basic, but by definition do not have to be. Photos of me show my cytoplasm as a pink colour. You can see me Live My Life on Youtube (seriously, look me up!).
Taushif Kara
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Faculty: Arts
Year: U3
Voice Part: Bass
Big, brown, and beautiful, Taushif Kara is a brand new addition to Soulstice this year. Taking his inspiration from Bollywood films, Disney Musicals, and Moulin Rouge! Taushif has been singing since childhood. Whether it be in theatre, various choirs, or simply doing the ‘Single Ladies’ dance at a club, Taushif just loves to perform! A self-proclaimed band geek in high school, Taushif is fluent in the language of Baritone Saxamaphones and Tromboners. Apart from his love for all things musical, Taushif also loves to cook… and more importantly, eat. Baking with butter, or chocolate, or both, is often the highlight of Taushif’s week. Taushif is currently in an open relationship with nutella.
___________________
Andrew Komar
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Faculty: Civil Engineering
Year: Masters
Voice Part: Tenor/Vocal Percussion
I joined the Soulstice family this year so I could have a new challenge in my musical life. I have been singing in choirs since I was four years old, and a cappella just speaks (or sings?) to me. When I’m not making beautiful music, I’m involved with my faculty’s political scene, or expertly not doing any homework. I love terrible movies (especially sci-fi), outdated musical genres, dry martinis and everything else that makes me the cultural reactionary that I am. Wherever I end up, I know I’ll enjoy the road along the way with good friends and great music.
___________________
Katrina Kwan
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Faculty: Education
Year: U3
Voice Part: Alto
Ask almost anyone I know and they will tell you that I am always either singing or dancing – I just can’t stop. I started singing at a young age, and was involved in choirs throughout elementary school and high school. After graduating from high school I took a year off to do some traveling, during which I spent three months backpacking South America. There weren’t many things I missed about high school life, but I truly did miss being a part of jazz choir – thankfully Soulstice has come to the rescue! Apart from singing, I love dancing, hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and traveling. Live life, don’t just let it pass you by. No regrets. Harmony. Live.Love.Dance.Sing.Travel…
___________________
Jen Littleton
Faculty: Arts and Science
Year: U0
Voice Part: Soprano
___________________
Colin Macdonald
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Faculty: Religious Studies
Year: U3
Voice Part: Tenor/Vocal Percussion
Colin started singing at around the age of 6 in church choirs and choruses and the like, and he hasn’t shut up since. He studied voice at SUNY Purchase conservatory for 2 years, then after some trouble with the law he fled to Canada to start fresh at McGill. He loves mostly all manner of music, from baroque opera to underground hip-hop. His passions include peanut butter, coffee, beer, scotch, kilts, bananas, folk, funk, gospel, jazz, waffles, and any combination thereof. He’s not so sure about beer and bananas though. Or peanut butter and kilts. Colin’s super excited to be working with a group full of fantastically talented singers and arrangers, and hopes he can make a positive contribution to the group.
___________________
Sadie Menicanin
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
Faculty: Music
Year: U0
Voice Part: Alto
My musical life is as multicoloured & multifaceted as a Rubik’s Cube. I study classical piano at McGill, but when released from the practice room I finds myself listening to Simon & Garfunkel on vinyl, writing short musical ideas on scraps of manuscript, humming snippets of symphonies, singing in a chamber choir (and in the shower), and trying to find jazzy people to jam with. Although I could never name my favourite artist, composer, or song, I have always harboured soft spots for U2, Beethoven, and “Oh What a Night”. My dream of singing in a “100% authentic” a cappella group has been fulfilled this year, and I am extremely excited & honoured to be a part of the Soulstice family.
Beyond piano and singing, I love rainstorms, banana loaf, the colour green, spontaneity, Harold and the Purple Crayon, puns, reading, British humour, and The Lord of the Rings.
___________________
Phae Nowak
Hometown: Chappaqua, New York
Faculty: Arts
Year: U3
Voice Part: Soprano
Phae caught the singing bug at the age of seven, despite having been vaccinated in her early childhood. Her parents began to worry when her symptoms continued into her teenage years. She was brought to vocal coaches and witch doctors all over the New York metropolitan area, yet she was unable to cease her vocal noise-making. Having now accepted the fact that she will always, at least partially, be defined by her affliction, she visits a support group every Sunday and Thursday – but she tries to lead a normal life as well. In her awake time, Phae can be found studying linguistics, being a bit too involved in all things theatrical, leaping, defending the New York bagel, and making coffee so she can stay awake longer.
___________________
Allison Numerow
Hometown: Calgary
Faculty: Arts and Science
Year: U0
Voice Part: Soprano
Allison was born in Bowen, Alberta to a couple of dairy farmers. She spent most of her childhood milking cows, churning butter, and creating active bacteria cultures with her own bare hands. Her family never believed in gloves. Her best friends growing up included her younger sister, her three pet guinea pigs, and Tinkerbell, the lovable (if slightly eccentric) cow. She realized that her dairy-tale of a life would come to an end the day she came to McGill, so she immediately began looking for a dairy-themed distraction. She failed. She joined Soulstice instead.
___________________
Suresh Prakash
Hometown: Toms River, New Jersey (aka The Jersey Shore)
Faculty: Science
Year: U3
Voice Part: Baritone/Vocal Percussion
I love singing, love writing music, and love playing/learning (new) instruments. love love love. Also DRUMMERS CAN BE MUSICIANS TOO.
My favourite band is Billy Talent, and sometimes I like to Try Honesty when I’m Covered in Cowardice on a Line & Sinker, but these might be Lies.
I’m brown.
I enjoy nonconformity, and making puns/lame jokes until people want me to leave the room. That’s why I always carry a bag of leaves with me.
I can narrow down my three favourite words to “yo,” “dude,” and “lol.”
I heart Canada.
And lastly, I love meeting and getting to know new people. (This is where everywhere goes “aww.”)
Hooray Soulstice!
___________________
Alyssa Reinoso
Year: U3
Faculty of Management
Hometown: Manila, Philippines/ Singapore, Singapore
Voice Part: Soprano
From a very young age, Alyssa has led a nomadic lifestyle, leaving her home country, the Philippines, at the age of 7. From there she moved to Indonesia, Singapore, Switzerland, and back to Singapore before finding herself here in Montreal. Despite all the confusion, she somehow developed a love for singing and baked goods. To make up for her lack of culinary talent, she has channeled her frustration into singing and eating baked goods instead. As a result, she often surprises people as neither her voice nor her appetite are proportional to her diminutive size.
___________________
Maggy Rinaldo
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Faculty: Arts
Year: U3
Voice Part: Soprano
I first realized I could sing when I was asked to be the soloist for On Top of Spaghetti in my first grade choir. From then on, I took advantage of any opportunities that involved music and singing. I took dance lessons, studied with vocal coaches, and participated in musical theatre programs and school fashion shows. Throughout high school, I was in a vocal program and was a Soprano section leader in the choir. When I came to McGill, I found myself missing the sounds of SATB (Soprano Alto Tenor Bass) music, and searched longingly until I stumbled upon the beautiful sounds of Soulstice. One of the best things about having a passion for singing is meeting other people to share that with. I’m so excited to be a member of Soulstice and feel very fortunate to have found a second family.
___________________
Jonah Schermbrucker
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Faculty: Arts and Science
Year: U3
Voice Part: Alto
When I began my studies at McGill, I felt a musical void in my life. I spent most of my youth singing with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, and so not having weekly rehearsals meant I had too much free time and too few ideas of what to do with it. I tried humming while walking to school; I attempted to befriend an edgy music student; but alas, nothing could satiate my desire to perform! That is, until I overheard a wondrously interesting chord emanating from the mouths of a group of highly attractive McGill students who collectively called themselves Soulstice.
I crave cashews and ice cream (though not ever at the same time). I have long tried to perfect my RP English accent, and I am certain it is now almost impeccable. Fifty years from now, I hope to have toured the world and encountered every shape of pasta known to (wo)mankind.
___________________
Amric Trudel
Hometown: Gatineau, Québec
Faculty: Arts and Science
Year: U2
Voice Part: Baritone
One of Amric’s most striking characteristics is that he’s all over the place! That is why it was almost impossible for him to choose a university program! At first, he applied to engineering, but then decided to add medicine to his option, and while at it, why not also physical therapy, classical music performance, industrial design and neuroscience? Finally, after his first year of university, he ended up in cognitive science… He’s interested in almost anything he comes across, including any type of science, languages, cultures, dance and music. However, all throughout his life, music has always been his greatest passion. He just can’t live without it! He has studied violin, piano and trumpet, and performed in a variety of musical ensembles, including symphony orchestras, choirs and a jazz band.
Being a proud Quebecer who grew up in a French-speaking environment for his whole life, he had to push himself to dive into the English world of McGill, and being a member of Soulstice is a great occasion for him immerse himself in the McGill community, while satisfying his need for performing arts.
___________________
Coming from a musical family, Henk has always loved music and has been singing informally all his life (Disney anyone?). He never did any structured singing until high school, when he joined the choir. Since then he has exploded musically, singing everything from Bach to Wicked to Barbershop along with playing piano and trombone. He also loves playing sports, particularly Ultimate Frisbee and Football (Canadian) and is an avid Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. He also enjoys video games (almost to a fault), movies (Inception), and is a great lover of puns. With all that, he has developed into a nerd/jock/musician combo ready to rock engineering at McGill and later the rest of civilization.
___________________
Andrew Wu
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Faculty: Environment
Year: U2
Voice Part: Bass
After a life-changing incident involving a cockfight and a coconut, Andrew was left with a new-found awareness of his voice and an insatiable desire to sing (which was well-received) and dance (which wasn’t). Abandoned by his parents after telling them that he wanted to become an environmentalist, not a doctor, he spent his time roaming the supermarkets in Montreal, offering to reach for items from high shelves for money. Last year, Andrew was approached by a stranger who was deeply enamored with his soulful, tender rendition of “Baby Got Back.” After explaining that the song reminded him of his dear grandmother, the stranger offered Andrew a chance to join a group that promoted the decapitation of males while singing about gender inequality. Naturally, as any person would, he immediately accepted.
And that’s how Andrew met Soulstice.
___________________
